Tucker, an art student from Thailand, was pursuing his master’s degree when he realized it was crucial to improve his English skills. “I studied ancient mural art and color in Thailand and had opportunities to interview with multiple professors around the world. Through this experience, I realized I needed to enhance my English skills further because English is the common language of people around the world,” he said.
Tucker decided to live in the US to learn the language, and it ended up igniting his curiosity and aspirations to pursue new career possibilities. “I studied mural art back in Thailand, but my entirely new life and experiences in the US made me think that I could try new things.”
He expressed that MLC played an important role in helping him become more independent and gain a broader perspective. “Right after I arrived in the US and began my study at MLC, I felt that I was like a baby,” he recalled. “I was very nervous and scared at the beginning; I couldn’t understand English very well, but people didn’t know it and still talked to me. However, I feel much more comfortable now, even though there is still much to improve.”
Tucker recalls a couple of his learning experiences at MLC. “Before coming to the US, I believed that American people speak very clearly and directly. However, I learned that this is not always the case, especially when it comes to negative feedback,” he said. “For example, I clearly stated, ‘No, I am not interested’ in a certain topic such as American football games. But observing the response from the teachers or staff members, I realized that the straightforward language I used was not what American people always use.” Tucker said he gradually learned from those experiences. “And that way, I appreciate this school as a place to try and learn step by step.”
Although Tucker didn’t have much time to participate in co-curricular activities or events at MLC because of his tight schedule, he emphasized that MLC goes beyond language study. “I am so glad that I could make some good friends here from diverse countries and cultures. I discovered that we can understand and build great relationships with each other despite our backgrounds and cultural differences. I have never had a friend from Sudi Arabia, for instance, but now I know many nice people here, ” he said.
One year has passed since he started living in Michigan, and Tucker is now interested in attending a community college to study photography editing. “After coming to the US, I realized there are a lot of opportunities in front of me. I am interested in photo restoration and film remastering. I would like to work in this field in the future.”
