Tips for International Students
We asked current Fletcher students who are non-U.S. citizens for tips and information to share with our incoming students. Please find the information, in the students’ own words, provided below. Suggestions on what to bring: Is there anything you brought with you to Fletcher that you wish you’d left at home? Israel I brought too many summer clothes. Summer is short here. Really short. Sunglasses and sandals weren't really useful for long. Japan I brought minimal dishware, utensils, and little cookware, but I absolutely didn't need it. It's cheaper to buy these things at Target. If I wanted to get something specific to Japan, I can get it in Chinatown. Japan Pen & notebook. The quality of such items at reasonable price range in U.S. wouldn't satisfy the majority of Japanese. Singapore I didn't bring much, but my general advice is: buy it here. Indonesia Do not bring too many Indonesian foods, spices, instant noodles, etc. You can find it easily here in Chinatown. Vietnam I should have brought less summer clothing because by the time school started the weather was already rather chill. Bangladesh Warm clothes. Believe me when I say this, make sure to factor in clothes for the winter into your budget. The 'warm' clothes that you will buy in Bangladesh (because it is much much cheaper) will lead to nothing but pain and suffering. Do yourself a favor and do not attempt to buy jackets and such from Bangladesh because those will not stand up to the Boston winter. I ended up throwing away all my winter clothes that I bought from Bangladesh. Such a waste of precious luggage real estate. What kinds of items should students from your home country consider buying AFTER arriving in the Boston area? India If you are not used to Boston fall/winter: lots of thermal wear, a sturdy umbrella for protection against snow/hail, a knee-length down jacket and snow boots. Colombia If they are planning on buying a laptop (or any other electronic device), wait until you get to the US, where prices are significantly lower. I bought a refurbished laptop for about 1/4 the price of laptops in Colombia. Israel Focus on winter clothes. If you're from a tropic/sub-tropic/desert - bring what winter clothes you have but know that you will have to supplement them here. Mexico If you need furniture, sign up for the Social List (all-student email listserv – which you can join in late August/early January). This will allow you to find out early about furniture sales by departing students. Japan Coats and boots are cheaper (and more compatible to the weather) here – wait to purchase them here. Singapore Upon arrival, priorities should be (1) getting a local mobile phone number, and (2) setting up a banking account and getting a debit/credit card as soon as possible. The mobile phone number is critical because it is required for deliveries, contact information, etc. A debit card is also very, very important because you will need it for online shopping (which is amazing here). Japan Cell phone and hair dryer France Shoes, socks, caps, gloves – you can find everything here! India Headphones / earphones and other basic electronics are easy to get off Amazon - better choice and prices than in India. Boots and some basic winter gear is also better bought here. Especially for Blakeley residents, a humidifier and a personal blender are good investments. Brazil If buying electronics, bring money to buy here - do not do that if using a Brazilian credit card, the taxes will increase the price. Winter clothing - nothing you have in Brazil compares to what you should wear here. Your Brazilian winter clothes can be helpful as layers, but you'll need winter coats. Buy it here. What kinds of items should students from your home country consider buying AFTER arriving in the Boston area? India If you need new electronics (laptop, tablet, phone) buy them in the US. They're much cheaper Super warm clothes and shoes. DO NOT buy these in India. They're not going to be warm enough! Vietnam Unless the student is from a textile/garment manufacturing country, it is possible to find affordable winter clothes here. Japan Winter Boots Indonesia Winter gear. Better to buy it here. Many choices with good quality and reasonable price (sometimes stores will have discounts!). Bangladesh Winter jackets, thermal underclothes. - What kinds of items should students from your home country plan to buy PRIOR to arriving in the Boston area? Israel Presents from your home country to give out in various occasions is always a good idea. If there's any sort of special tea/ coffee/ candy only (or mostly) available in your home country, stock up! India If you're male - safety razors. (Razor blades are ridiculously expensive in the US.) Formal clothing (also, a coat brush. No such concept in the US.) Mexico Not much. Travel light. Japan If you have any spices or condiments that you particularly like, you should probably bring it from home. Chances are, the quality is not as good. Singapore Not necessary, get everything here! Bangladesh Buy loads of t-shirts, shirts and underwear from Bangladesh. Also go to one of the nice tailors and buy custom made suits. Custom made suits are ridiculously expensive in the USA and you will thank yourself later for taking this advice. India Clothing, especially formal clothing. (And obviously ethnic formals.) Also invest in some sort of traditional gift items - it's a simple and thoughtful thing to have on hand for when you're meeting new people, or for classmates' birthdays etc. Zimbabwe/Zambia For black women in particular, not buy per se, but a long lasting protective hair style (like braids or weaves depending on preference) to last the first few months before finding someone to get it done, especially stepping into the winter India Pressure Cooker, spices, traditional clothes, razors, and any textbooks you think you might need (I got one for 500 rupees Indonesia Power jacks Are there any items that you wish you had brought from home or that you are particularly glad that you brought from home? Israel Turkish coffee. Also electrical kettle (I didn't bring it from home, but I had to order it since Americans don't really use them here for some reason). Also, scarves are always a good bet. India Ethnic formals. Belgium I was glad I brought a couple of familiar food items. Mexico Sweaters. The weather will get cold before you have a chance to shop for fall clothing. Germany Food items: German bread mix, Bergkäse, Emmentaler, Schweizer Käse (good cheese here is stupidly expensive) Clothes: I wish I had brought/bought a pair of LL Bean winter shoes with the bottom half being rubber to withstand the snow and salt used on the roads, traditional outfit (lederhosn & dirndl), and 2nd suit for multiple-day conferences Japan Stationary goods, like pens, pencil, and erasers. Singapore Food. Nothing but food. Are there any items that you wish you had brought from home or that you are particularly glad that you brought from home? India I'm really glad I brought spices, a pressure cooker, traditional clothes, wax and strips (ladies--bring these from home!). Japan Pen and notebook Zimbabwe/ Zambia A sentimental blanket and stuffed animal, nice traditional attire (chitenge/zambia), Royco/Maggi soup mixes, small but lovely (pretty Zambia/Zimbabwe specific), sadza/nshima/ugali/pap cooking stick (also East/Southern African specific specific), bar washing soap. For black women specifically: braids (LOTS of braids) and/or weaves whatever your preference, hair products in general to last the first month or so before finding places, particularly deep conditioner, hair oil/lotion/leave-in moisturizer, hair spray, A hat for the inevitable bad hair day in between finding someone to get your hair done. Bangladesh Custom suits India Gift stationery, a throw rug, spices (especially chaat masala). Indonesia I wish I brought more cajuput oil or telon oil to keep your body warm. France I wish I had brought my winter coat that I thought would not be warm enough (I only took light jacket and my skiing jacket) and I lack of something for the fall period ... Electronics Do you have any advice for students from your home country who plan to bring their electronic devices to Fletcher? Did you have any issues with compatibility? India Apple devices will work fine. Bring a universal adaptor if you have different plugs. My Nokia smart phone refused to recognize the US sim; so ensure your smartphone will be compatible with a foreign sim. India Carry a standard adaptor, or two. Ideally, carry a surge protector / spike-guard which can accommodate all kinds of plugs (Belkin has great ones for sale in India), India Bring plenty of adapters. Certain items (such as epilators for women!) won't work on the lower voltage in the US. Just do your research beforehand so you can buy replacements here rather than bringing those items with you. I originally invested in a voltage converter (like $50 on amazon) when I could have just bought a new compatible version of the same device for $30. India Indian electronic devices' chargers do not work with US sockets, but adapters are easy to get. I would suggest picking up a good quality surge suppressor (e.g. Belkin), with sockets that can accommodate Indian / US / European chargers - that way a single adapter can get you 3-4 devices worth of charging points. Belgium I only had to buy an adapter for my computer, which was about $15 Mexico Mexican cellphones, it turns out, are "unlockable". There is simply no way of using your Mexican phone within the US. Sell your phone before coming, and just get a new one here. Several carriers (TMobile for one) will take your old hardware in partial payment for a new device. Brazil Bring an universal adapter! Or buy it here, it's cheaper. Do you have any advice for students from your home country who plan to bring their electronic devices to Fletcher? Did you have any issues with compatibility? France Do not forget adaptors (two is usually very useful at the beginning !). Also if you bring electric shavers, epilators or that kind of devices it may not work due to different voltages. Indonesia Bring power jacks to make the electronic devices you bring from Indonesia compatible with the US. Better to bring from Indonesia, because it's cheaper and you can use it immediately when you arrive in the US. Vietnam I haven't had any trouble with my electronic devices. The only advice, which is kind of obvious, is to bring adapter plugs. Germany Adapters are useful, everything else is fully compatible. One might have to adjust the software from DIN A4 sheet size to US Letter size when using Word on their computer and a US printer. Japan I think Japanese electronics are compatible to the US plugs, so I had no issues. Singapore You'll need an adapter because the electrical outlets here are different from those in Singapore. But the adapters in Singapore are big, bulky ones that are troublesome to carry around. Buy them here. You should have no problem with Apple products, but for other electronic devices, it is important to note that the voltage used here is different from that used in Singapore. If you must bring electronic devices here (beyond laptops, tablets and hand phones, which are fine), you must be prepared to buy a voltage converter or your device won't work. Bangladesh Basic info: In Bangladesh we use 220V but in the US its 110 or 120V. So it would be prudent to bring along an automatic converter. Usually most devices (laptops, etc) Housing Arrangements Do you have any advice for students from your home country who are seeking roommates? Colombia Only that they should start early and reach out to the Social List [all-student email listserv], Craigslist, etc. Israel Buddy up using the Fletcher Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/180560798805349/?fref=nf) and try to leverage anyone who might get here earlier to scope out the houses. Use your Fletcher connections if they already exist to see if they're vacating a place. Craigslist will only be useful if you're here already and can make phone calls and see the houses. India Get started early, or don't be too picky. Belgium If you have a significant other, it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible to find shared housing. Germany Make sure that you are 100% on the same page with future roommates about standards for cleanliness (i.e., vacuuming, doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms, etc.). Japan Ask about guest policy... Some students might have a significant other who visits very often, and it's important to know how often/long this person might be visiting. Maybe any food restriction? You may not be able to share pots and pans with housemates who have strong allergies etc. Do you have any advice for students from your home country who are seeking roommates? Zimbabwe / Zambia I'd suggest rooming with Fletcher students or students in general, or join the Africans in Boston Facebook group and network and try to find someone through there. I would also slip it in pretty early on in conversation that you are African to avoid people who might waste your time but are not actually interested in an African roommate. Brazil Be open minded. Do not expect the same level of cleanliness in houses here as compared to Brazilian houses. To have someone cleaning your house in the US is very expensive, and the cleanliness level is also different. If you really care about it you should make it clear on your housing application so you don't get upset - or feel responsible for cleaning the house by yourself. Indonesia Find it through Fletcher facebook group. "promote" and introduce yourself through this media India Fletcher FB page works out well France I did not have to look for housing, but I think a lot of people found roommates through the Facebook group of entering students. You can also look on Craiglist if you don't absolutely want to be with other Fletcher people. India Start looking early, try to find places as close to campus as possible (unless you have particular reasons for living further out), and be clear about your preferences - mixed gender houses, pets, etc. Vietnam Utilize the facebook page from incoming students, TuftsLife and if possible, the Social List. What resources were most helpful to you when you were looking for housing? India Airbnb ($70 a night) and Blakeley guest room ($40 a night) for the first few days and then Craigslist and the Facebook admitted students group for long-term accommodation Colombia A real estate agent might be helpful to find good options, especially if they arrive late (i.e. in August). Israel Fletcher incoming class Facebook page. Craigslist. Belgium Craigslist Mexico Realtor. You can contact from abroad and basically do everything remotely. Do a web search, there's a bunch of good realtors around. Germany I found someone who was great to live with, then waited until a "fletcher apartment" had two rooms opening up. Japan Fletcher Facebook page. Or ask current students (if you know any), and Craigslist Singapore Talk to friends/colleagues who have been here before. They should be able to point you in the right direction. If you haven't settled housing before you come here, do factor in about two weeks to look for a place. What resources were most helpful to you when you were looking for housing? Indonesia fletcher facebook group, craigslist (but you have to becareful of scams), try to find advice from Fletcher Indonesians alumni. They probably know the area of Medford, Somerville, Boston better :) Brazil Fletcher incoming class facebook pace Fletcher Social List (email list) Craigslist - to live with non-Fletcher people (my case) Zimbabwe/ Zambia I live in Blakeley - But the first time I moved to Boston I found it helpful to get a realtor but since I did not actually want to pay extra I just asked to see all of his realty free apartments (i.e. the fee is covered by the landlord) so I had a much more limited array of options, but I was being driven to each apartment by my realtor and he helped me through it all free of charge. He eventually found me an apartment that was not listed anywhere else and was awesome and well-priced. Vietnam Internet sources like jumpoffcampus and craigslist. Japan Local people's information, especially Japanese who live this area for more than 10 years. Was there anything that you found surprising, related to finding housing in the Boston area? Colombia Real estate agents may charge you (and not the owner of the apartment) one month’s rent for finding you an apartment. Belgium Studio apartments are hard to come by and usually above the budget. Expect to live with a roommate(s). Mexico The market moves INCREDIBLY fast. Everyone wants to move in Sept 1. Start looking 90 days before that date to make sure you get something decent. Germany There is a wide range in the quality of apartments and landlords. Some houses are in much better shape than others and some landlords are much more responsive and helpful than others. Because rent prices are not always a proxy for the quality of the apartment (there can be nice inexpensive apartments and less nice expensive apartments), it definitely helps to visit a few apartments to see the range of options and meet the landlord. Japan Most of the rooms are part of a house... in Japan, the apartments are in huge buildings. Also, many houses are wooden and it's pretty cold during the winter. Israel You will need to make a choice: live in Medford of Somerville, which are close to school in, but 15-25 min. away from the T (public transportation) and cafes and supermarkets (this is cheaper). Or live closer to Davis or in Cambridge which gives you time away from the school and brings you closer to Boston, supermarkets and the T. This is a personal choice and there is no 'right' answer. India There are a lot of advantages to living close to public transportation, especially the Red Line of the T Singapore Before signing on any rental contract, remember to check whether heating, electricity and water are included in the rental. These can add up quite significantly if they are not. Vietnam Proximity to public transport is very important if the student does not own a car. Weather Do you have any advice for students who will be adjusting to the climate in the Boston area? In particular, do you have recommendations for students who will need to buy winter gear? India I recommend Uniclo for super warm yet super thin thermal wear. Colombia Try finding winter clothing on the internet. It is expensive but if you take the time, they can find good prices. Also, get good quality items – it may be more expensive, but it will make the difference when the -15 Celsius temperatures come. Israel Buy winter gear here if you don't have something from back home. more often than not it will be cheaper and also more compatible to the New England weather. To those people from really hot countries, know that you will need a base layer for pants. Belgium Keep in mind that even though you may have lived in an area where temperatures were below 0 Celsius, -10 or -15 is a different story. You will need better gloves, a better coat, hiking boots or rainboots... especially if you plan on biking Mexico It will get colder than you think. You WILL need boots by late November/early December. Outlet stores and department stores like Target are a good options. Japan I think you just have to get used to it... wear layers of clothes and keep warm! Singapore Be prepared. It gets really, really cold here. Winter gear is widely available, so it will be easy to get it here. The outlets are great -- Columbia at Wrentham Premium Outlet has everything that I needed. Japan You can bring your winter gears for Spring/Fall in Boston, but you'll definitely need to buy more proper winter gears here. Do you have any advice for students who will be adjusting to the climate in the Boston area? In particular, do you have recommendations for students who will need to buy winter gear? India Layer up. Invest in thermal inners (pants and vests), ideally with wicking, and in a really good thick winter coat. Gloves, mufflers and hoods / earmuffs are also required. Japan Be prepared as if you live in the coldest part of Japan! Brazil Bear in mind you'll need to spend money on winter clothing. DON'T SAVE MONEY on that! Buy good, durable clothes. You'll use it a lot. You don't need a lot of pieces, just a few good ones. I'd suggest around U$600 for coat, gloves, liners, hat, snow boot, scarf, socks. Cotton does not help you. You need wool. Winter is hard, but with the right clothing you'll do just fine. Indonesia Buy winter gear here. Bring more cajuput/balsam/telon oil from Indonesia. It's rather difficult to find those oils here in Boston area. Zimbabwe / Zambia If you are on a tight budget just go to the Goodwill and buy your winter clothes there. There is a really nice goodwill on the green line (I can't remember the name of the area). Also you should invest in one very good quality coat over multiple not so good ones. Vietnam Good boots and winter jackets are very worth investments. Plus a good blanket, which can be researched and purchased very effectively via Amazon. Is there anything that you wish you’d known about the weather or weather-related issues before coming to Boston? Israel Everything they tell you is true, it's really cold here. Buy winter gear in the US, get REALLY good rain/snow boots because they will matter greatly. Get base layers to go under your clothes. India I happened to bring an umbrella, almost by accident - but it does rain, so make sure you have rainwear. Belgium It is acceptable and necessary to wear serious hiking shoes or rain boots to school some days Mexico The winter lasts no less than five full months. This is not an exaggeration. Japan It gets really cold... gloves, hat, earmuffs are unexpectedly helpful to keep warm. Singapore How cold it is, and how long the winter is. Be prepared! Bring fewer summer clothes, and more thick/warm ones. Transportation http://www.mbta.com/ What advice do you have for students from your home country related to transportation in the Boston area? Was there anything that you found surprising, related to public transportation or other ways of getting around? Colombia Instead of taking a taxi to or from the airport, I recommend taking the T. The Red Line and Silver Line are very reliable and will save you a lot of money. Israel The T is good, reliable, and runs frequently. However, the T is a 20-minute walk from campus, but there is the Tufts shuttle, the “Joey,” that runs between campus and the T-station every half an hour. India The T is quite useful and buses do connect most places, but are less timely or reliable. Make sure you get a Charlie Card (reusable and rechargeable transportation pass) ASAP. Medford-Somerville-Cambridge is also a great area for cycling, subject to weather. On the other hand, especially when there's thick snow in winter, you will NOT feel like going anywhere (even by bus), so consider transportation options when looking for housing. Belgium Buy a bike (and a helmet and lights)! It will save you a lot of money for public transit. The T and buses do not run very late compared to other cities. Japan I normally didn't take buses because of random schedules, but now that I have an Smart Ride App, I can check the arrival time and bus stops easily. Smart Ride really changed my life here Singapore The T is great - it gets you almost everywhere you might want to go.. If you want to have occasional access to a car, check out Zip Car; it’s great! Zimbabwe / Zambia For anyone Zimbabwean/Zambian. In comparison the transportation system is awesome in Boston. Brazil Get a bike! You won't regret. Biking is the best, and cheaper, way to get around. Even during winter it is possible to bike - just be sure you're warm (gloves, head band, neck warmer). India Get a Charlie Card ASAP. I wasted entirely avoidable amounts of money buying Charlie tickets for a while. Also figure out what you can get delivered - which is almost everything, and use that option liberally. Don't trust bus timetables from the MBTA. India If you are going to be going in to Boston a lot (I do), I highly recommend taking advantage of the Tufts discounted Charlie Card for the semester for all buses and subway routes. It saves you about $40 over the course of the semester. Don't give in to the Uber/cab temptation unless absolutely necessary! Between the Joey and the MBTA, we're pretty well connected. What advice do you have for students from your home country related to transportation in the Boston area? Was there anything that you found surprising, related to public transportation or other ways of getting around? Bangladesh If you plan to live around campus then I would advice buying a bicycle (healthy lifestyle and Boston is quite bike friendly). If you will be living off-campus make sure to buy a discounted t-pass through Tufts. You will save a lot of money that way. France Personally I bike because I live a bit far from campus and I heard that buses were not very reliable as far as timing is concerned. I definitely recommend getting a bike when you arrive it is very pleasant (at least in summer and fall !) Indonesia the transportation system is very comfortable and the most important is that they are very punctual. You can track their positions (especially bus, train) by the MBTA app. You can find it easily if you browse it on Google. Japan Compared to Japan - unfortunately, quality of public transportation is quite low in terms of price, comfort and punctuality. Car is essential for those who have a child. India If you are going to be going in to Boston a lot (I do), I highly recommend taking advantage of the Tufts discounted Charlie Card for the semester for all buses and subway routes. It saves you about $40 over the course of the semester. Don't give in to the Uber/cab temptation unless absolutely necessary! Between the Joey and the MBTA, we're pretty well connected. Food & Groceries Do you have any advice for students from your home country who will be grocery shopping in this area for the first time? India Yes- shop for groceries online at www.peapod.com – they deliver your groceries! Colombia If you are on a budget, go to Market Basket, which besides being less expensive than other supermarkets, has a wide variety of Latin American products (including arequipe!). Israel Use online shopping if you live really far and don't want to drive. Peapod online and Amazon are good choices. For Amazon know that you can get one year of student prime membership which is really awesome and has free next day deliveries. If you want to go to a supermarket and you don’t have a car, Zip Car is a good choice. There is also the option of walking to the supermarket and then taking a taxi home. India More convenient to shop in groups. The World Peace Foundation has a program that lets you sign up for fresh produce (great for groups of 2-4). In winter, this combined with having groceries delivered can be a life-saver. Belgium Prices are definitely higher than in Belgium. Expect to pay more for fresh products like fruits and vegetables. Mexico Market Basket is a good option if you are trying to stretch your dollars. Japan H-mart is a Korean supermarket in Central Square (it’s accessible on the Red Line or you can get a ride with people with Zipcar/car). There is a huge supermarket in Chinatown if you want to use public transportation for Asian food. There’s also Foodland on Mass Ave, which has South Asian food ingredients and inexpensive produce. McKinnon's in Davis Square had good meat. Other than that, I use Trader Joe's, Stop and Shop, Shaw's for veggies and other produce. Singapore There is a Whole Foods (organic, healthy, groceries but more expensive) and Trader Joe's (more affordable) at Alewife "T" which should get you all the groceries you need. For Asian food/condiments/snacks, go to Chinatown (South Station "T"). Do you have any advice for students from your home country who will be grocery shopping in this area for the first time? Zimbabwe/Za mbia If you are on budget the bus ride to Market Basket can be worth it - Goya products in larger super markets are the closest to African food you will find (corn meal=mealie meal, but corn flour is not mealie meal) - If you dig deep in Asian stores you can find some similar foods. India Foodland near Davis square is an amazing desi food store with everything you could want from the subcontinent. It looks like any neighborhood store in India and even has halal meat. Everything here, including groceries, are super cheap. Japan If you look for Asian foods in particular, there are some Asian supermarket accessible from school. You can buy good-quality rice, dried soba/udon, seasonings (shoyu, miso, mirin), and so on. Indonesia Indonesians should go to Chinatown to find specific Indonesian/Asian foods, vegetables, sauce, etc. There are many options to go grocery shopping in Boston area. Japan Market Basket: Good balance between price and quality. H-mart: Good place to buy Asian food. Reliable: Another good place to buy Asian food. Wholefoods: Expensive but quality is good. Trader Joe's: Frozen food is worth trying. Stop & Shop: food quality is quite low. Vietnam Stop & Shop is very good and affordable, plus there is a delivery service. There is also a very big Asian super market in Malden, accessible with public transport. Bangladesh Two words: Trader Joe's. Brazil You can find almost anything you miss from home: café, coxinha, pao frances, guaraná, picanha. There is a huge Brazilian community in the area and a lot of markets and restaurants where you can find Brazilian goods. France You can find high quality products at Whole Foods but it is very expensive. I go shopping at Market Basket usually because it is the most convenient for me. Was there any food items that you wish you’d brought with you from your home country? India None- everything is available here! Colombia I normally bring Colombian coffee, and when I run out of it, I go to East Boston (the Latino neighborhood) to buy more. There are several shops from Latin American countries - you would feel like home. Israel Coffee India Spices and pickles, perhaps. Almost any Indian ingredient can be bought in Indian grocery stores, and there are enough of these in the Somerville-Cambridge areas. Mexico Canned chipotles. Japan Most of the ingredients are available in H-mart and Chinatown supermarket, so I haven't had a huge urge. Singapore Kaya, bbq pork, pork floss. Instant noodles are available here so don't bother. Zimbabwe/ Zambia Soup, gravy bases Brazil Cachaça. The ones you find here are bad quality and way too expensive. A bottle of 51 costs around U$20. If you like cachaça and/or want to prepare caipirinhas to your Fletcher friends, bring your own bottle. Vietnam I'd say most of the stuff I need for cooking is available especially at the Asian supermarket. Bringing food to the States is tricky because it's very likely that everything will be thrown out by the US customs. Japan If you have an extra space in your suitcase, you might want to bring some retort-pouch food (but be aware of the US customs regulations!) Bangladesh Spices Do you have any cooking-related advice for students from your home country? India Bring (or buy) a pressure cooker or rice maker, if you're used to a rice-heavy diet. (Although it’s also entirely possible to make rice in the microwave.) Similarly, if you're particularly attached to fresh roti, consider bringing or buying a roti-maker. Belgium Beware of smoke detector that can activate the fire alarms when cooking (just make sure to turn on the stove fan when you cook) Language For non-native English speakers from your home country, do you have any language-related tips or advice? Israel Give yourself time to do the readings but don't panic. It’s most important to understand the big ideas. India Practice the language in advance as much as you can, but don't worry too much - there are a lot of resources to support you on campus. Belgium Just hang out with Americans as much as possible. Consider joining a club or social group outside Fletcher (also good for sanity reasons) Mexico Practice reading in English. Writing in English is not like writing in Spanish; conciseness and precision are much more important in English. You'll only really catch on to the nuances of proper writing style if you read a ton. Japan Here are some useful tips I received from an alum: 1. Recognize that you're not native speaker, but that shouldn’t stop you from engaging with anyone! 2. It's normal to feel bad when you miss what someone is saying or you have trouble expressing an idea concisely. However, it should not discourage your effort for engagement with friends and professors. Be patient and maintain the initial motivation. If you step back from the challenge, you will lose a lot of chances to show your "greatness" to others. 3. Language is a like a acting. Learn from your friends. Listen to how they say things in certain situations and follow them. It does not mean that you need to be someone else, but rather it means you need to pay attention to learn some expressions and gestures from your friends. 4. Don’t be afraid to use whatever gesture or facial expression that can show the idea or emotion you want to express. Especially Asians, DO learn how to hug and (confidently) shake a hand without bowing. That is how it is at Fletcher. 5. Use all the resources to expose yourself in the English environment. At Fletcher, you can join different types of conferences, attend guest lectures/speakers, join student groups, and attend social hours. Be there and listen and speak. 6. In the end, you will be ok. It's a matter of time and your patience and courage. Be brave so you can meet and talk with new people. France Not to be discouraged at the beginning. If you haven't been speaking English for a while the first few weeks can be a bit tough but then things go way better! India There is a wealth of online sources / material that can help you rehearse or improve. Also, do make use of the writing tutors at Fletcher for written assignments. Brazil Trust your gut and don't be shy. If you're accepted at Fletcher your English is good enough to survive here. Be confident! General Advice Do you have any general advice for incoming Fletcher students from your home country? India Hang out with non-Indians/other international students/locals to compare notes and learn about adapting to the new environment. Israel Enjoy it - it'll be amazing. India School will take over a lot (i.e. all) of your time, so try to get in a little early to get some sense of the local area and of Boston. Mexico Get here a week early; use those days to open a bank account, get a cellphone, figure out transit. Japan Engage in the Fletcher community. If you're getting sponsorship from the government, organization or company, think of this as an opportunity to step away from the position that you hold at home, and explore. It probably feels comfortable hanging out with other Japanese people, but what's the point of coming to the US and studying in such diverse place like Fletcher, if you're doing the same thing as back home? Singapore Boston is a great place from which to explore the East Coast; don't forget to do some traveling. Japan There are so many wonderful aspects about Fletcher, but if I pick up just one, you'll be surprised to find the friendliness and cooperativeness of the Fletcher students and faculty. If you are in trouble (writing long English essays, for example), there's always help. Also, if you get courage to participate in this community, you can be of great help for someone too. Zimbabwe/ Zambia Well US in general (since I've been here a while), finding any hair products and anyone to do your hair is difficult so not to fear asking any black female student what she does because that information is only available by word of mouth! India Massachusetts will only accept your passport as valid ID, and not issue state ID against a campus address. What is one thing you wish you had known prior to arriving at Fletcher? Israel The campus on a hill - getting to school can be tiring. Community is very important and everything is centered around getting to know your classmates better. Belgium That everyone would be extremely welcoming Mexico The Social List (the all-student email listserv) can, and will, answer every single doubt and request. Japan Fletcher is not just about studying, it’s about community. Professor Mazurana said a lot of grad school is about networking. I don't agree with networking just for the sake of networking, but I think it's a great way to connect and meet people who you can maintain the relationships for life. Are there any websites or other resources that you would recommend that incoming students from your home country use to acclimate themselves to life in Boston/at Fletcher? India The Admissions Blog (Roxanne did a great job introducing us to the school). Google Maps. (No, really.) Belgium Keep a keen eye on the Social List in the beginning of the year for books, furniture, housing tips etc. Mexico Again, the Almighty Social list. Lynette at the front desk can help you sign up. Singapore Just google anything you might need to know. India Poke around the Fletcher and Tufts websites, including Tufts dining. Davis Square, Union Square and Harvard Square all have their own websites as well - check those out for a sense of the surrounding area. Still have questions – email us anytime at [email protected]
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