Selamat petang kawan kawan! (Or “Good afternoon, friends!”) My name is Ryan Moh, and I’m an international student from Malaysia studying at the U of A. People usually call me “Ryan” or “Mou” because many people can’t really pronounce my last name correctly. Right now I’m a freshman enrolled in the Walton College of Business majoring in International Business. Coming from an Asian Family, my family has always pushed me to become a dentist, a doctor, or engineer, which is why I hope in the future I could be a lawyer since arguing and memorizing are my specialties. During my spare time, I like to play basketball, watch Korean or Hong Kong dramas or any “blockbuster movie”. I am especially a big fan of food videos, like “Worth It” and videos on how food is made.
I’m excited to share what my experience has been like here at the U of A!
Studying in the Natural State
My parents wanted me to study in the U.S. so I could have a wider perspective of the world, and since I have an aunt in Texas, she thought the U of A would be a great choice because it gives me a little freedom while being not too far from home. But personally, I chose this university because the atmosphere of this campus to me is peaceful and soothing. I like nature, because being surrounded by nature makes me feel calm and happy. That is why the surroundings of the U of A were ideal to me!
Studying in the States means almost everything to me. The U.S. exchange rate is very different than the Malaysian Ringgit (our currency), so as a result, my parents were able to send me to the States while still being able to live comfortably back home. In addition, I think if I continued to study back in Malaysia, I wouldn’t be able to experience different cultures, meet new people from all around the world, or try authentic American food like in the movies. I also get to appreciate the difference between the social system and the school system here.
A Taste of the USA
Another hobby of mine is food! When I came to the States, I was excited to indulge in some mac n’ cheese, rib-eye steak and Cajun food. Still, I grew really homesick after a couple of weeks. The food culture and drinks were really different here. It was tough for me to get used to the food here as my usual meal would be rice, soup, meat and a side of vegetables. I overcame this by finding friends who could cook well, so I dined with them and I also started learning how to cook too. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all sorts of food but home will always be home!
Find Your Passion
My favorite class so far at the U of A has got to be Public Speaking. That was the first class I took over here. I got to see a different and better side to how a professor should be. That class and the professor gave me the opportunity to improve my English by speaking to natives in English and presenting to everyone in the class, so my confidence in public speaking increased tremendously. I was then able to socialize with a lot of people and ultimately to make the friends I have today.
Although I’m still not sure about what I want to do in the future, the advice I would give to someone who is interested in joining the U of A would be this: If you want to apply for a specific program, do some research and make sure that this program is your passion or at least have some interest in it. I got into International Business mostly because of my parents and I’m still looking for my true passion!
