Oanh and Linh Huynh from Vietnam: Studying Digital Art at Golden West College in California

Why did you decide to study in the USA?

My sister and I decide to study in the USA because we want to learn the design program of this country.

Why did you choose Golden West College?

We chose Golden West College (GWC) because the design program is very good and interesting. The design courses attracted us to the school, such as 2D and 3D design courses. One special thing about GWC is our school is located near the beach, which is very popular: Huntington Beach. We also have the opportunity to enjoy many fun events here and the beach.

What do you like best?

What we like best about our program is that we can learn a lot of useful skills, which can help us to brainstorm better, and we can also improve our painting, drawing skills, etc. For example, my sister and I took the 2D design class last semester, and we got an A. Our professor taught us some new techniques in drawing, and these techniques could help us create a lot of artwork.

What do you miss most?

What we miss most about home is our parents' meals, especially Pho. It is the best meal of our mother. She cooks Pho with her own recipe, so it’s very delicious.

What was your biggest surprise?

The biggest surprise about U.S. life and education was we have opportunities to join in some amazing events, which we could learn, play, and make new friends; moreover, we can choose our classes and schedule actively, so we could manage our time and study more effectively.

... your biggest disappointment?

We don’t have any disappointment about U.S. life and education

How have you handled:

... language differences?

Luckily, we have many friends to talk with; we also participate in International Club to communicate with other students.

... finances?

We always manage our money that we use every month by taking notes about the amount money that we use for buying food, and we try to limit shopping.

... adjusting to a different educational system?

We always follow the instructions of our professors to adjust to a different educational system. Moreover, we can also ask our friends to help us, or we can feel free to ask the professors everything after class if we don’t get the professors’ ideas.

What are your activities?

We are in the International Club, which organizes many events on and off campus, such as bonfires, a Halloween party, ice skating, a Chrismas party and so on. We also join in some volunteer events of our school.

How easy or difficult was making friends?

Making friends in the USA is not difficult for us. When we joined the International Club we had opportunities to make new friends and communicate with others.

How relevant is your U.S. education to your personal goals and to the needs of your country? 

Our career goals are that we want to be 3D animation artists and directors of animation movies. U.S. educations help us to learn a lot of useful knowledge, get experience, and reach our career goals faster; moreover, U.S. education is relevant to the needs of our country.

What is your advice to other students who are considering a U.S. education?

If you want to go to U.S. to study, you should have your own study plans and prepare for living independently. You should study hard and have confidence to communicate with other students or make new friends.

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