Bassel Dimashki (pictured above)
Year: Third year
Major: Cybersecurity
I had a chance to sit down with Bassel Dimaski, a current Utica College student who calls the country Lebanon home. I was able to find out just what brought Bassel to the United States and why he chose to come to Utica College.
Celeste Gessner (CG): You’re from Lebanon, what brought you to the states?
Bassel Dimashki (BD): The reason why I decided to come to the states is my major Cybersecurity. Utica college has one of best programs for cybersecurity in the country which is why I picked this specific school.
CG: How old were you when you first came here?
BD: I first came to the U.S. my freshman year of college, at the age of 17, just 2 weeks shy of my 18th birthday.
CG: What were you expecting when you first arrived here?
BD: I have traveled all over the world while growing up, so coming to the U.S. for the first time was not a surprise; however, when it comes to what I expected for college, I thought it would be harder to adjust.
CG: What was your first impression?
BD: I expected the U.S. to be more controlled when it come to drugs, but my first impression when I arrived was that there was a lot of drug addicts in public areas. I could not believe that I was seeing people under the influence walk so freely through the streets.
CG: If you heard any stereotypes about the United States, what were they and were they true?
BD: One stereotype that I heard before arriving here is about the news media coverage. Individuals talk about is the media does not show you the good side of what is happening outside the U.S. After watching TV and following up with the news, I realized that, that stereotype is true. The media never shows the good stuff that is happening in the world, only the bad. I don’t know if the reason for that is to gain more viewers or what but regardless that stereotype lived up to its expectations.
CG: Did you experience a culture shock? If so, how long did it last?
BD: Although a lot of the culture is different from back home, it was not a shock as I have been to many other countries that have a different cultural background than Lebanon so I am accustomed to culture shock.
CG: What are the biggest differences between the United States and Lebanon?
BD: The main difference that stood out to me between the U.S. and Lebanon is driving. The United States has a lot more rules when it comes to driving compared to where I’m from. Drivers in Lebanon have a tendency to not follow the rules but we do not have a high accident rate.
CG: What do you miss most about being home?
BD: The main thing I miss about being home, is having all my childhood friends and family away. I have seen so many people change and grow whether it be better or for worse since I have been gone. It upsets me that I cannot experience this change in person and have to watch it through social media instead. It also sucks to see so many of your friends or family hanging out with you and I can’t exactly talk to them whenever I want thanks to the time difference. Lebanon is seven hours ahead.
CG: What is your favorite thing about being in the states?
BD: The best part about the States is that everything is much less expensive than Lebanon. In Lebanon a small bottle of water at the beach is $8. I could not believe how inexpensive everything was.
CG: Could you imagine yourself staying in the United States after you graduate? BD: Yes, I am currently working on buying a couple more houses before graduating, and I hoping to finish my masters degree after that. I have yet to decide on a career choice yet but hopefully it brings me nothing but success.