The International Student Blog

“One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi, three-Mississippi.” Kids (and even some adults) in the U.S. and Canada count this way to estimate counting by seconds. No one is quite certain how the habit came about, but one thing is for sure, the four-syllable word has helped millions of children count slower. People count this way because “Mississippi” is a […]

Checkered flags wave and loud roars zoom by spectators at any one of the racetracks in Iowa. Located 35 miles southeast of Des Moines, international students studying in Iowa may want to take a trip to Knoxville to see one of the many races on Saturday nights at the Knoxville Raceway. Come to school early […]

Being situated in the uppermost corner of the Continental United States, Maine is a perfect winter wonderland. International students studying in Maine will find an abundance of snow, more than 200 inches annually, and more than enough snow sports to accompany it. Some of the snow sports are common, like sledding but others are a […]

Typical civic centers are used for sporting events, festivals, expos and concerts. In Mitchell, South Dakota, one community building is used for all of these activities. But it is also a tourist destination, bringing in around 500,000 tourists a people. What makes it such an attraction? It’s called the Corn Palace, and its exterior murals […]

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Diamonds can be anybody’s friend at the Arkansas Diamond Mine in Murfreesboro. The Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only public diamond mine in the world. If you’re an international student in Arkansas, forget breaking the bank for a precious stone, and save some of that money for […]

Many U.S. colleges and universities require their applicants, whether international or not, to take one or more standardized tests, including one in particular called the TOEFL. For example, an international student interested in studying in Arizona would most likely need to take the TOEFL to apply to a college or university. which stands for test […]

The scent of charred hotdogs smoking in the grill, the clamor of proud fans nervous for what’s to come, and the spectacle of colors flaunting a strong school spirit. It’s football season, and it’s time to tailgate. American college football is unlike any other. Fans are deeply dedicated to their football team because they may […]

It’s the middle of winter. Everything is covered in a fresh coat of pure, powdery snow. Perfectly blue skies reflect off of miles of White Mountains and hills. It’s a perfect day to go skiing – aren’t you happy you chose to study in Montana? In Montana, where snowfall is year round, skiing is an […]

I recently finished an interesting book called The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. The author traveled to ten different countries in an attempt to figure out the so-called “secret of happiness.” The science of happiness is a fairly new area of study, but one that’s gaining steam. There are research studies done and journals […]

In October my friend Ashley and I traveled to five different countries in Europe in a little under two weeks. While it took a little extra planning and plotting, we were able to do so at an extremely affordable price and I wanted to share some resources with you if you also want to travel […]