Alina Gatskova

Hello everyone, my name is Alina Gatskova. I am an international student from Ukraine. I am a junior in Saint Peter’s College. As an international student, there are many things that I would like to share: my adaptation to the American culture, my experiences as a student, overcoming the language barrier and becoming a part of the college community and a part of the Business Administration Department.

When I first came to Saint Peter’s College, I faced a unique language problem – the American slang. I did not understand most of what my classmates were talking about, because at home I studied British English , which differs from the American way of speaking. Among my first experiences was the cultural shock: American culture was very different from the culture I was used to in Ukraine. However, there were many things that delighted me about American culture: everybody was very friendly and supportive, especially members of the faculty and my new teammates from the women’s volleyball team.

Saint Peter’s offered me a world of opportunities through a wide choice of majors. The college community was (and still is) small and very integrated, and the small class sizes offered me a lot of the individual attention that I needed. A year after my arrival I made a decision to join the Business Administration department and double major in Business Management and International Business and Trade. This will allow me to apply my language skills and the experience I gained in transition between the cultures. I find my studies very rewarding, I really enjoy learning in this College.