The thesis statement in the essay is the pain that PhD students undergo at home, at work and at school during the process of acquiring their PhD degrees. The writer particularly emphasizes on the pain that international students go through financially and in coming to contact with new cultures.
The writer Marohang Limbu, supports his thesis by focusing on his own experience as a PhD student. He invites us to his poor economic status, which made him to struggle in providing for his two children and his wife. Back at home in Nepal, his family was also looking up to him for financial support. His wife had to go away so that she could work and send them money ("Marohang Limbu"). This even doubled his troubles, as he had to take up the responsibility of taking care of his kids.
Secondly, the writer admits that he suffered an illness for two years because of his stressors. He was always worried on how he would finance his tuition and send money back home. Missing his family and skipping his father’s funeral broke his heart and he took a long time to eventually overcome his pain.
Through reading this material, I am exposed to the inside life of most international students as opposed to my belief that most of them are usually on scholarship. I have found out that some of the international students in the United States pursuing higher educational status have to sacrifice a lot to accomplish their education (Rios, 57). These students in my opinion need more support from the government and from the schools they enroll in (Bilecen-Süoğlu, 163). The professors have to adjust to the cultures of these students to make them feel more comfortable and accepted.
Works Cited
Bilecen-Süoğlu, Başak. Social Support Networks Of International Phd Students. 2011. Print.
"Marohang Limbu". Marohang Limbu. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2016.
Rios, Desdamona. Minority Status And Privilege In The Academy: The Importance Of Race, Gender, And Socialization Practices For Undergraduates, Graduatestudents And Faculty. Print.
