International Voices at UMSL

Alina Nguyen, Vietnam
Undergraduate, Computer Science

How long have you been at UMSL?
Since August 2019

Besides English, what languages do you speak?
Vietnamese

What books, music, movies, or food from your country would you recommend to a friend from the United States?

The five elements of Vietnamese cuisine are spicy, sour, bitter, salty, and sweet. All five elements are used in every dish and they create a healthy balance of foods. I'd love to recommend everyone to try Vietnamese cuisine. One of the most delicious Vietnamese dishes is Pho.

What is one thing you expected about St. Louis or the United States that wasn’t actually true?

Before coming to St. Louis to study, I did some research about St. Louis and I was really surprised that St. Louis ranked on the list of dangerous cities in the US. During my stay here, I realize that St. Louis is a great place to live and study. There are a lot of fun activities and local events to discover while studying in St. Louis

What is something about your home country that would surprise Americans?

Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil.

What advice would you give to someone from your home country traveling to the United States for the very first time?

Learn to get out of your comfort zone, overcome cultural barriers, and be open to new experiences.

What made you choose UMSL?

Affordable cost of attendance, Quality of resources, Flexible programs.