Coming Home

[m.giugno]

Hi guys!

I'm from Europe and I have been accepted in US with a 12-month RA.

I was wondering how many times do you travel back home (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break.. etc).

Thank you!

[Strangefox]

Hi guys!

I'm from Europe and I have been accepted in US with a 12-month RA.

I was wondering how many times do you travel back home (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break.. etc).

Thank you!

Well, it obviously depends on how big one's stipend is Transatlantic trips are not very cheap...

[m.giugno]

I'm on a 21k RA. But parents can cover at least travel fares.

But I was pretty referring to free time being on a RA (when you don't work, etc.)

[Strangefox]

I'm on a 21k RA. But parents can cover at least travel fares.

But I was pretty referring to free time being on a RA (when you don't work, etc.)

As for free time I think it depends on a program and on a professor you will be RAing for. You should ask current students. On websites af some (all?) universities you can find an academic year calander which says when, for example, winter recess starts and ends, etc.

[Bumblebee]

I go twice a year: Christmas and summer. And my parents have come to visit me a couple of times during Spring Break. I know travel fare can be really expensive, but I cannot spend too much time away from my family (I have a biological need to go back to my family every 4-5 months). Thankfully, my parents help me a lot with the tickets, so it's not such a burden for me.

[beanbagchairs]

I am planning to go home twice a year. One during Christmas and another one, hopefully I can get two weeks off, during the summer. Yep, airplane tickets are expensive. I subscribe to various airlines websites and travel agencies for discount fares notifications. Sadly, most of their discounts are not during "peak seasons". I expect to get some timeoffs during those peak seasons.

Edited April 14, 2011 by beanbagchairs

[matilda]

No going home. As you can see, I am pretty close to ur homeland . I ttalked to couple of previous recepients of the scholarship that I got, it turns out that they are not very ahppy to see the recipient going home every now and then. It makes you look immature. That is what they told me. Not my opinion and experience. Therefore, I don't want to gamgle :9 and besides all that, I don't have the great urge to go home.

[Strangefox]

No going home. As you can see, I am pretty close to ur homeland . I ttalked to couple of previous recepients of the scholarship that I got, it turns out that they are not very ahppy to see the recipient going home every now and then. It makes you look immature. That is what they told me. Not my opinion and experience. Therefore, I don't want to gamgle :9 and besides all that, I don't have the great urge to go home.

Going home to see your family is immature? That is strange...

So what scholarship is that?

[Bumblebee]

No going home. As you can see, I am pretty close to ur homeland . I ttalked to couple of previous recepients of the scholarship that I got, it turns out that they are not very ahppy to see the recipient going home every now and then. It makes you look immature. That is what they told me. Not my opinion and experience. Therefore, I don't want to gamgle :9 and besides all that, I don't have the great urge to go home.

Wait! What? Going home to see your family makes you look immature? As we say in my country, from which tree did they fall??? I would go visit my family no matter what these people thought. My family always goes first.

[matilda]

Wait! What? Going home to see your family makes you look immature? As we say in my country, from which tree did they fall??? I would go visit my family no matter what these people thought. My family always goes first.

Haha, no man, as I said, it is not my opinion I just shared what I have been told.

And, no, I am not going to visit, since the ticket is waaaaaay to above my budget. Just way to above. That would be one of my main reasons.

And, yeah, I am leaving a lot (mom, dad, bro, sis, and a fiance back home...so, tough call but still, a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do).

Edited April 16, 2011 by matilda

[m.giugno]

Wait! What? Going home to see your family makes you look immature? As we say in my country, from which tree did they fall??? I would go visit my family no matter what these people thought. My family always goes first.

That's exactly my point of view.

I think to go back twice a year, and let my parents come once. I'm also planning to host my girlfriend twice, maybe helping her paying the airplane fares with my salary.

[Bumblebee]

Haha, no man, as I said, it is not my opinion I just shared what I have been told.

And, no, I am not going to visit, since the ticket is waaaaaay to above my budget. Just way to above. That would be one of my main reasons.

And, yeah, I am leaving a lot (mom, dad, bro, sis, and a fiance back home...so, tough call but still, a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do).

I didn't mean it was your opinion (sorry if I led you to think that) . I know it is somebody else's opinion.

[Bukharan]

I am planning to spend Christmas in the USA and every summer doing research/language study in Europe (or close by), thus visiting my parents about twice a year: June and September. Yeah, maybe this does not sound as the most common pattern but this is my plan. Airfare is crazy expensive and there is no way I am going to ask my parents to contribute to the flights' cost; they have done enough for me as an undergraduate.

Edited April 25, 2011 by Bukharan

[Zouzax]

i go home twice a year -- christmas and summer. once I went home during spring break, too. I found the professors to be more than understanding and cooperative, even letting me take an extra day off here & there if the dates didn't match up. If flights weren't so expensive, I think I couldve gone home more & no one would have said anything. I really don't see it being a problem for you all.