By Zane Carroll
Students have traveled from 25 different countries, all for a chance to study at Purchase College and to embrace New York’s lifestyle during the 2024 fall semester.
Ainsley Tanner, a dance exchange student, describes the experience of coming to America from Australia to study as having mixed emotions, from very daunting to very exciting.
“Being in a totally new environment makes me feel more aware of my foreignness and people are interested when I speak because I bring a different perspective,” Tanner said.
Tanner’s motivation to go on international student exchange was because she wanted to “get out there and experience different approaches of dance.” Tanner says Purchase has a lot to offer in terms of learning different modern American dance techniques.
Ainsley Tanner studying for her academic class outside the Purchase College Library. (Photo by Zane Carroll)
Shuhan Dong, a dance exchange student, finds American culture more relaxing compared to home in Beijing. She learned English during her childhood at school, where she was tested for her listening and writing skills.
“America gives me confidence and I feel free when I communicate because I don’t need to be concerned about the complexness of China’s speaking culture,” Dong said.
She chose Purchase due to its dance program which is well recognized within her Beijing Dance Academy School and was curious to experience America. Dong likes American food, except for the calories. “If I eat too much, I can’t jump high during dancing!” Dong shared.
Sahand Shiwani, a graphic designer exchange student, has lived in London all his life, saying it’s nice to explore a new environment. Shiwani explains that even though the process of organizing visas and paper documents for a one-semester exchange took a long time, he is excited to experience American culture at Purchase.
Shiwani says New York’s architecture is so different compared to London as he is used to seeing Victorian-style buildings and smaller highway roads.
“People recognize that I am not from America through my accent and are curious to find out about my London upbringing,” said Shiwani.
Emma Chausse, a graphic designer exchange student, calls Paris home and studies at University in London, but is studying at Purchase this semester. She says coming to America for exchange was scary because she had never traveled on a plane before.
Chausse said, “Driving through New York was breathtaking… Going over humongous bridges and seeing the size of skyscrapers.”
Chausse noted how she also enjoys the nature scenery of Purchase, especially the little bunnies and deer. Chausse believes studying in another country will push her to become more independent and hopes to feel that way when going back to London. “I want to be open to trying new things and explore more places,” said Chausse.
Bernie Manzolillo, a communication major, is in his senior year at Purchase, who originally relocated to New York from Brazil. Manzolillo found the move difficult, and hard to adapt to American culture at first, saying, “It was all a game of catching up, like what the kids are into, which made it twice as hard… Everybody already had their friend groups, learning this whole new culture, different ways of thinking and acting, it was the hardest part for sure.”
Now in his final year at Purchase, Manzolillo has become the current president of the International Student Association (ISA), as well as an International Orientation Leader (IOL) for incoming overseas students.
Manzolillo says he sees himself in these new overseas students and through being empathetic, he recognizes the importance of being an international leader and aims to positively affect student’s experiences.
“What if all the international students got together to have fun and talk, because it’s hard sometimes,” Manzolillo said. He hopes more American students get involved with international programs as he feels American culture can be seen as mainstream and self-centered.
Marjorie Ramirez, the Purchase senior education abroad and international student coordinator, loves her job and says helping students go to new countries or coming to America is important as each student needs support to be able to navigate in a different country.
“I am learning from international students all the time,” Ramirez says, “Cultural differences, experiences, lifestyles, and school environments, it’s just an entirely different world." Ramirez explains being an international student requires a great level of independence for students who Manzolillo spoke during the 2024 Fall International Student Orientation. adventure.
(Photo by Zane Carroll)
“It’s hard to explain to a person what it feels like to be in a new country if they have never done it before. Going to a new college is a new transition, but then going to an entirely different country is a different kind of different,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez encourages anyone who is slightly interested in studying in another country should do it and contact herself or the Office for Global Education team to start planning early. “There are so many resources to make this happen on a personal and academic level and will have lasting impacts and experiences which will shape who you are,” said Ramirez.
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