The Experiences of an International Student

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 17:00

With each passing year, the international enrollment at the University of Arizona increases.  According to the school's website, the university is now represented by 123 different nations.  Recent graduate Will Saetren represents one of these nations, Norway.

Saetren, who graduated from the UA this past December, is a dual-citizen of Norway and the United States. Saetren and his brother spent a majority of their childhood in Norway with their father, a Norwegian citizen and mother, a citizen of the U.S.  However, Saetren did spend a few years in the states as a child.

“My father is a tenured political science professor in Norway, and his job allows him to take a year off every few years.  For these years, my family and I would move to the U.S. where I attended school,” Saetren said.

These schools ranged from elementary schools on the east coast near Boston, to Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson.  Due to different secondary education programs in the U.S. and Norway, Saetren graduated twice from high school: once from Catalina Foothills in 2005 and again in Norway in 2007.

Following his graduation from high school, Saetren applied and was accepted to UA.  “I love Norway, but was ready for a change," Saetren said. "I have friends and family in Tucson, and felt like it would be the best option.”

Despite his ties back in the states, Saetren had to consider the financial burden of attending school outside of Norway.  In order to attend the UA, he would have to pay out-of-state tuition, while schooling in Norway would come at no cost. Higher education in Norway is paid for by the government.

Still, he made the decision to come to Arizona, “I knew it would be expensive, but I knew I’d regret it later if I didn’t take this opportunity,” Saetren said.

When he arrived in Tucson, Saetren made the decision to pursue a degree in journalism because of his skills in English.  Later, he picked up a second major in political science.

Along with taking classes as a student, Saetren also spent two years teaching Norwegian through the Critical Languages Program at the UA.  According to Saetren, the program is for more abstract languages instead of mainstream languages such as Spanish, French or German. 

“It was a great experience. I was able to teach, I got paid and I could set my own schedule," Saetren said.

Regardless of some of the cultural differences Saetren had to adjust to, he said his time at the UA “was a great experience, it was the best four years of my life.  The great thing about UA is while it has a great social aspect, it has an amazing academic aspect as well.  I had some great professors who had such a large influence on me.”

One of Saetren’s political science professors influenced him to pursue further education of Russian studies in graduate school.

Saetren attributes much of his enjoyment of the UA to the differences between the two countries schools.  One of the deciding factors between school in the U.S. and in Norway were the differences between the school systems.  In the U.S., students spend either semesters or quarters in several classes.  However, in Norway, students spend around two months in a single class, and are only graded on midterms and final examinations. 

“At first I tried to take classes like this, but I didn’t like it, and started to look more into school back in the States,” Saetren said.

Another main difference between the schools is Greek life.  There is no system similar to Greek life in Norway as there is in the United States. 

“My only impression of fraternities and sororities was what I learned through movies.  But when I got here I was simply amazed, at the culture, the involvement, everything,” Saetren said.  His interest in greek life led to rush, and eventually working at Kappa Alpha Theta.

His positive experience at the UA has him advising others to attend school outside of their home country.  “I think it’s become a problem in the U.S. that students don’t know much about what’s outside their own country.  Attending school in another country makes you tolerant of so much more, and accepting of people everywhere.  The differences between cultures are so interesting,” Saetren said.

Saetren plans to attend graduate school in the fall at either American University in Washington D.C., University of California, Berkeley, or the University of California San Diego.  He is unsure whether he will remain in the U.S. in the future, or if he will return to Norway.  He plans to keep his options open and “cross that bridge when I come to it.”

Written by Wil Rapp You are reading The Experiences of an International Student articles