I'm an American who grew up abroad, and there were 4 things that surprised me about the US when I moved for college
Marielle Descalsota
- Christina Hazel is an American who was born in France and grew up in Tunisia.
- Hazel spent four years living in the US to attend college.
This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Christina Hazel, a 23-year-old American woman who was born in France and grew up in Tunisia. She shares her experience moving back to the US for college. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I was born in France and moved to Tunisia — the northernmost country in Africa — with my parents when I was two years old. My parents were originally from South Carolina and relocated for a job opportunity.
Despite holding an American passport, I consider Tunisia my home. People mostly speak Arabic in Tunisia, although over 50% of the population is also fluent in French. I attended a French school.
Living abroad, I wasn't that familiar with the US — it actually wasn't until 8th grade that I learned the names of all 50 states. I still have a hard time identifying them on a map.
Over the years, many Americans have told me that they've never heard of Tunisia. Once, a girl asked me if I lived in a mud hut, had electricity, and rode a giraffe to school. I had to explain that I lived in an apartment building similar to where she lived, had access to the same TV shows she did, and had never even seen a giraffe before. Tunisia is an Arab country on the Mediterranean that boasts beautiful beaches, the largest mosaic museum in the world, Carthaginian ruins, and Star Wars filming locations.
I moved to the US in 2018 for the first time and spent four years attending Columbia International University in South Carolina. It was there that I experienced culture shock. There were so many differences between the US and Tunisia, from how people dressed to their punctuality.
When I graduated from college, I decided to move back to Tunisia with my husband — who's also from South Carolina — to be reunited with my family. Here are four things that surprised me about the US when I lived there.
1. The pace of life is much faster in the US.
In the US, people often live fast-paced lives. There's always something to do and somewhere to go. This often leads to rushed interactions. There's a sense of a hustle culture in the US. But in Tunisia, people feel it's important to slow down and be fully present, especially when you're meeting other people.
For example, each month when I pay rent to my Tunisian landlord, I'm always taken aback by the exchange. In the US, these interactions would rarely be done face-to-face. In Tunisia, my landlord always invites me for drinks and snacks, and we take our time to sit down and talk about life.
Tunisians have a different sense of punctuality, so foreigners should expect events to be held an hour or two later than scheduled. While this can initially be frustrating, it's also something to appreciate — it allows you to immerse yourself in the present and enjoy your time with other people.
2. Dining is much more convenient in the US.
Growing up in Tunisia in the early 2000s, online shopping, food delivery, and vending machines weren't common. When I moved to the US for college, I had never used a vending machine. I was surprised at how easy and convenient it was to buy food. Since graduating from college, I moved back to Tunisia and have found that food delivery has become more popular here too. Recently, I've been getting food delivered about once a week.
In the US, restaurants often provide free refills when you order a drink, and free water is served with meals. In Tunisia, the only restaurants that offer free refills are American chains, and water is chargeable. Thesize of beverage cups in the US is much bigger too — for example, at 7-11s, cups can be as large as 50 ounces. In Tunisia, the largest cups are often only half the size.
3. I felt less safe in the US.
I felt concerned for my safety in the US as there was often news of shootings and street violence. In Tunisia, violent crimes aren't as common. Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, has the lowest crime rate in Africa, according to a survey by the online database Numbeo. Tunis has a safety index of 52.57, per Numbeo. Washington, DC
In Columbia, my college town in the US, the safety index is slightly lower, at 46.35, per Numbeo. But during my senior year in college, I was in the mall when a shooting that injured dozens of people took place. I didn't see it happen, but knowing I was so close to it rattled me.
There's also a stronger sense of community in Tunisia, as people are generally less individualistic than in the US. For example, my husband wanted to buy a sandwich from a nearby restaurant when he realized he was short a few diners, the currency in Tunisia. The owner told him to pay the money he owed the next time he was there instead. People often trust each other in local communities in Tunisia, so they tend to look out for one another.
4. How much more liberally people dress in the US.
As the majority of Tunisians identify as Muslim, growing up, conservative fashion was always the norm. While Tunisia is progressive, and most locals are tolerant when it comes to clothing, I always felt more comfortable wearing pants and long skirts.
In the US, I was surprised to find many people wearing shorts. It took me some time to start wearing shorts, but after four years I could understand the appeal, especially when the weather got hot. After moving back to Tunisia, I've gone back to wearing pants — I'll keep the shorts saved for my next trip back to the US.
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