The beginning of the year brought many challenges to Cabrini students. Coming from a foreign country has its disadvantages for international students because of the tighter security measures.
Maria Olivia has the difficulty right off the bat of trying to make relationships with roommates who have already established a friendship and students who have been in class for some time now.
Olivia came late in the school year was because of the dragging on of her visa application. Olivia needed to meet with the council at the Milan embassy to acquire her visa. Olivia said, “The waiting period to meet with the council was 15 days.”
Olivia had to give evidence that she will only be in the country to study and that she can afford the education. Her visa was stamped as an F1 indicating her status in the country as a student and only as a student.
Olivia is limited to working on campus until after a year of residency in the country. After the year she needs a signature from her international student support adviser..
Olivia hopes to make a return to Italy for a small visit with her family who she misses. In order to be able to come back into the United States, she needs a signature from her international student support adviser on a form before she leaves.
Was her decision to come to the states in pursuit of an education worth the aggravation and frustration? Olivia said, “Yeah, I chose the right path.”
Posted to the web by Angelina Wagner
