Amman Fasil Asfaw is one of the international students who are in the Tecnun this semester. Amman is a fourth-year electronics engineering student from the United States. "Although my parents were born in Ethiopia, so I also know a little bit of two languages there: Amharic and Tigrinya. I'm also the first in my family to attend a university," he says.

His first days at Tecnun "were phenomenal", Amman stresses. "Before I arrived, I wasn't sure how I would get along with the people, but as soon as I arrived, I felt at home because all the students and teachers are kind, genuine, and respectful.

This student is pleased that he has already made many friends here. I think that knowing a bit of Spanish has helped me a lot. "But, I still need to learn more Spanish to make the most of my stay." Amman finds all his professors approachable and experts in their fields of study, so he is also looking forward to learning more about electronic engineering this semester.

Back home he attends California Polytechnic State University, also known as 'Cal Poly'. "Compared to my university, I find many differences here at Tecnun. First, Cal Poly has more than 20,000 students. But, I enjoy the change to a smaller school because the professors pay more attention to us. Second, Tecnun has many more diverse cultures compared to Cal Poly. This is the main reason why I wanted to study outside the United States. Finally, I have noticed that students at Tecnun have a better work/life balance than engineers at Cal Poly. I like this because, apart from school, I think it is important to focus on one's happiness, community, and health.

Amman loves the culture here. "The pintxos, the beaches, the people... honestly, I love it all," he says. "If you have good food, beautiful beaches, and authentic people, what more do you need," he smiles. "In general, I really like Tecnun. Specifically, I like how Tecnun is focused on solving local problems that benefit the community".