So, Where are you From? Cherry Kandie (L) at Dartmouth's Global Village.
Dartmouth freshman Cherry Kandie recently shared her perspective with Facebook friends on the familiar, “So, where are you from?” question.
Disclaimer: I am NOT offended by these questions, statements, reactions, thoughts or stereotypes. Really. I promise! Keep asking, talking, stating and thinking (around me, that is). I am just very intrigued by other people’s perceptions of me – especially those that are based solely on where I come from or on what I look like. My feelings about them range from mild irritation to slight amusement, so, keep asking. The following piece does NOT represent the bulk of my interactions with people at Dartmouth—again, I just found some to be very interesting. “So,where are you from?” “You have a really interesting accent.” “Where did you learn how to speak English?” “Everyday I rode my elephant to the majestic acacia tree right in the middle of the vast African savannah. The shade created by the tree was the classroom where a nice patient missionary from England taught my peers and me how to speak English. Sometimes we would take a break and dance and sing in perfect rhythm—with our bare feet stamping the brown earth and leaving a cloud of dust around our feet. Giraffes and zebras surrounded us, and the beautiful blue sky was our roof, our shelter… Other times, instead of singing and dancing, we would pretend to be Maasai warriors. * insert guttural war cry here * "When the day was over, my friends and I would ride back home on our elephants. By this time, the red African sun would be setting in the horizon, bathing the sky in a deep crimson hue. We would sing ‘The Lion King song’—Nants ingonyama bagithi baba—and be very grateful that God had let us enjoy another day in the beautiful African savannah.” I know someone may read the above paragraph and (totally) believe me. I just inserted totally in the middle of a sentence for no apparent reason. It’s official. I have become Americanized. Totally. Like really. And I was like, and she was like and we like went and like learnt how to speak English in the savanna and like omg like she like had an elephant and like THAT IS SO COOL I can’t even like OMG TOTALLY. On a more serious note, for anyone who believed the paragraph about the elephant and the savanna, I did not learn how to speak English that way. I * drumrolls * learnt it in SCHOOL! (I always have an inexplicable urge to blurt out the elephant story or something similar—maybe lions for an extra shock factor, but…I breathe, and…. My answer: Boring but appropriate and concise:) “English is one of my country’s two official languages. The other is Kiswahili. I have been learning how to speak English in school for twelve years. Many African countries are either Anglophone (inhabitants speak English—were mostly colonized by the British), Francophone (speak French and were colonized by the French) or Lusophone (were colonized by the Portuguese and speak Portuguese). Many Africans can therefore speak European languages.” “THAT’S SO COOL!” ***** (Generic American response) P. S: I live in Dartmouth’s Global Village, where a multicultural space is formed and we learn from each other and about each other’s cultures. We’ve had candid discussions about race, xenophobia, stereotypes, cultures, the economies of both developed and developing countries, international affairs etc. I love my floor! I apologize for any potential grammar problems—I wrote this in a rush. I wanted to talk about hair too but I didn’t have the time! Peace, love, and Foco Cookies. — Cherry Kandie, EaSEP Class of 2013, Dartmouth Class of 2018 |
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CYNTHIA KIPKORIR
Winter at Mount Holyoke.
Coming to college is an exciting experience, especially when the process of acclimatizing to one’s new environment is allayed by help from friends—fellow international students, International Students Organization members, domestic students and even professors among other people who you meet along the way and who make the first freshman semester easier.
In my just-completed first semester at Mount Holyoke, besides having the opportunity to choose from the large pool of friends, I am happy to have met with Georgina Tolgos, an EaSEP alum ’09. Her constant presence made the settling in process even easier. From the first day in college, she was present to advise me on details I was oblivious of, ranging from the very important ones to those that could have easily slipped my attention. For instance, the compulsory distribution class requirements, professors to take class with, good banks to open accounts with, figuring out the five-college bus schedule, best malls to shop in, just to name a few. All her advice really came in handy especially in the first phases of college life when loads of information emanate from different sources and it can seem overwhelming to sift through it all. However, with Georgina’s help, everything was fine.
Looking back at that first semester sent me pondering the essence of having an EaSEP alum to help one learn the ropes of college life. It does not matter if one does not find an EaSEP alum at one’s specific college but it greatly matters, especially for any incoming class, to put to mind that one does have fellow EaSEP members at other colleges who are ready to help whenever possible. We may not be sharing the same features in school (college requirements for example) but what I have gathered so far is that college life is pretty much the same and hence, any of the EaSEP alum will be able to provide one with vital information and help make your college experience easier. Call, email, use any form of communication available to you, and we will be more than pleased to help where we can. Within no time, one realizes how the initial daunting task of getting accustomed to college life becomes an exhilarating one, filled with hope for the subsequent semesters and most of all, the understanding that no matter what, everything will ultimately be worth it!
— Cynthia Kipkorir, EaSEP Class of 2012, Mount Holyoke College Class of 2017
In my just-completed first semester at Mount Holyoke, besides having the opportunity to choose from the large pool of friends, I am happy to have met with Georgina Tolgos, an EaSEP alum ’09. Her constant presence made the settling in process even easier. From the first day in college, she was present to advise me on details I was oblivious of, ranging from the very important ones to those that could have easily slipped my attention. For instance, the compulsory distribution class requirements, professors to take class with, good banks to open accounts with, figuring out the five-college bus schedule, best malls to shop in, just to name a few. All her advice really came in handy especially in the first phases of college life when loads of information emanate from different sources and it can seem overwhelming to sift through it all. However, with Georgina’s help, everything was fine.
Looking back at that first semester sent me pondering the essence of having an EaSEP alum to help one learn the ropes of college life. It does not matter if one does not find an EaSEP alum at one’s specific college but it greatly matters, especially for any incoming class, to put to mind that one does have fellow EaSEP members at other colleges who are ready to help whenever possible. We may not be sharing the same features in school (college requirements for example) but what I have gathered so far is that college life is pretty much the same and hence, any of the EaSEP alum will be able to provide one with vital information and help make your college experience easier. Call, email, use any form of communication available to you, and we will be more than pleased to help where we can. Within no time, one realizes how the initial daunting task of getting accustomed to college life becomes an exhilarating one, filled with hope for the subsequent semesters and most of all, the understanding that no matter what, everything will ultimately be worth it!
— Cynthia Kipkorir, EaSEP Class of 2012, Mount Holyoke College Class of 2017
Kevin baru
Summer research work in Ghana.
This summer of 2013 I participated in an internship which was part of a Penn program known as the International Development Summer Institute (IDSI). It’s a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where a total of twenty students are chosen to take part in the four-week program in Ghana. The weekly schedule involves three days of working and two days of learning about development in Ghana and West African culture.
Intending to major in bioengineering, I opted to concentrate on the health sector. We visited the Anosomoso Hospital, which is a regional hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. At the hospital we joined other health workers in educating the community. We also had the opportunity to shadow the Doctor in both the theatre and consultation rooms. Additionally, I was able to apply some of my theoretical knowledge in the medical lab where we tested various diseases and gave our input on how to test for diseases without advanced medical equipment. I am currently writing a report on the health situation in Ghana and recommendations on how to improve the health sector. The internship is a great exposure and will help me try to solve problems facing health facilities in the developing world as we go in-depth into biomedical engineering.
— Kevin Baru, EaSEP Class of 2011, University of Pennsylvania Class of 2016
Intending to major in bioengineering, I opted to concentrate on the health sector. We visited the Anosomoso Hospital, which is a regional hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. At the hospital we joined other health workers in educating the community. We also had the opportunity to shadow the Doctor in both the theatre and consultation rooms. Additionally, I was able to apply some of my theoretical knowledge in the medical lab where we tested various diseases and gave our input on how to test for diseases without advanced medical equipment. I am currently writing a report on the health situation in Ghana and recommendations on how to improve the health sector. The internship is a great exposure and will help me try to solve problems facing health facilities in the developing world as we go in-depth into biomedical engineering.
— Kevin Baru, EaSEP Class of 2011, University of Pennsylvania Class of 2016
VictOria kiplagat
Posing for a classmate's painting.
When I first arrived to the US and started interacting with people from the US and from many other parts of the world, I used to think of myself as a very small person whose voice could not be heard. I mean, I was only from Kenya and the people that I interacted with were from very highly developed countries--they had and knew everything! But in these few months that I have been here, I have had a complete change in mindset. I have learned to express myself no matter the situation. Brown has had a major impact in that. It has very wonderful people who have made me feel that no matter who I am in terms of citizenship, social status, financial position, talents and skills, I can achieve whatever I want. It has taught me how to be confident and outspoken. Brown has revealed to me things about myself that I knew nothing about. It has brought out the best in me.
One thing that is so amazing about the classes at Brown-- despite the fact that I get to choose all the classes that I want to take (meaning no more History for me ever!)-- is that I get to 'shop' for classes that I am interested in for the first 2 weeks of school. I could sit in at more than 10 classes and then settle on the 4 or 5 that I really like. I mean, how cool is that? Better even, I could audit a class all semester long, meaning that I could attend the class during the semester, but I would not have to test in it.
I have made very good friends at Brown. The pool of international students here is especially very good and welcoming. International students are my closest friends. I have also met many pets. The first time I heard someone talking about how "Joey" was losing weight and how the doctor suggested that her diet be changed, I had no idea that "Joey" was a cat. This was so surprising, especially when the person started talking about the tablets that Joey had to take each day.
The only thing that I dislike about Providence is not that its too cold during the winter or very hot and humid over summer, just the fact that the weather is completely unpredictable! The sun might shine bright today, but tomorrow it snows. But this is a very small price to pay for this chance to sip from the best and cultivate a culture of confidence, determination and excellence.
–– Victoria Kiplagat, EaSEP Class of 2011, Brown University Class of 2016
One thing that is so amazing about the classes at Brown-- despite the fact that I get to choose all the classes that I want to take (meaning no more History for me ever!)-- is that I get to 'shop' for classes that I am interested in for the first 2 weeks of school. I could sit in at more than 10 classes and then settle on the 4 or 5 that I really like. I mean, how cool is that? Better even, I could audit a class all semester long, meaning that I could attend the class during the semester, but I would not have to test in it.
I have made very good friends at Brown. The pool of international students here is especially very good and welcoming. International students are my closest friends. I have also met many pets. The first time I heard someone talking about how "Joey" was losing weight and how the doctor suggested that her diet be changed, I had no idea that "Joey" was a cat. This was so surprising, especially when the person started talking about the tablets that Joey had to take each day.
The only thing that I dislike about Providence is not that its too cold during the winter or very hot and humid over summer, just the fact that the weather is completely unpredictable! The sun might shine bright today, but tomorrow it snows. But this is a very small price to pay for this chance to sip from the best and cultivate a culture of confidence, determination and excellence.
–– Victoria Kiplagat, EaSEP Class of 2011, Brown University Class of 2016
gloria kurere
Gloria (L) visits Boston.
My first semester at Cornell was one of tremendous learning and adjustment. The first semester for any college student is said to be the most socially and academically awkward and my case was no exception. It took me a while to get used to the new culture and environment and especially with the novelty of being in Cornell and in the US. For the first time, I realized that I had a very strong accent, so strong that sometimes people did not get what I was saying. The food was great but I preferred to be traditional and stick with rice. But gradually, I made adjustments.
I became more open to new things, including food and in the process ended up falling in love with pizza and Pepsi. Also, through dorm and class interactions with other students, I was able to meet, get to know and build relationships with fellow students and some of my professors who have become good friends. But the most important thing I learned is to ask for help: My RA showed me how to use the washing machine, figure out the bus schedule, even let me in on which professors were the best to take classes with. Life is much easier when you share it with others, especially when you have just concluded the honeymoon phase of culture shock and the first wave of homesickness has hit with a vengeance. And it allows you to concentrate on academics which are a mix of hard work, great opportunities and even greater intellectual stimulation. In my first semester, I was fortunate to have lunch with Chile’s former president Michelle Bachelet, took a class with graduate students interested in African Development and despite being a Biology major, I got to take part in a Business Boot camp which enabled me to gain practical experience and learn key business skills. And I hear that life gets better after the first semester!
–– Gloria Kurere, EaSEP Class 2010, Cornell University Class of 2017
I became more open to new things, including food and in the process ended up falling in love with pizza and Pepsi. Also, through dorm and class interactions with other students, I was able to meet, get to know and build relationships with fellow students and some of my professors who have become good friends. But the most important thing I learned is to ask for help: My RA showed me how to use the washing machine, figure out the bus schedule, even let me in on which professors were the best to take classes with. Life is much easier when you share it with others, especially when you have just concluded the honeymoon phase of culture shock and the first wave of homesickness has hit with a vengeance. And it allows you to concentrate on academics which are a mix of hard work, great opportunities and even greater intellectual stimulation. In my first semester, I was fortunate to have lunch with Chile’s former president Michelle Bachelet, took a class with graduate students interested in African Development and despite being a Biology major, I got to take part in a Business Boot camp which enabled me to gain practical experience and learn key business skills. And I hear that life gets better after the first semester!
–– Gloria Kurere, EaSEP Class 2010, Cornell University Class of 2017
Brian kibiwott
Finding my way into the School of Pharmacy, as I have come to learn, was the best academic decision I have ever made. For me, this is where a passion for science in all its dimensions meets up with a very scientifically oriented discipline. Being in class with enthusiastic, like-minded individuals has made the learning process and class sessions very interesting. With the influx of information about drug discovery, shortage, usage and design we understand the responsibilities ahead of us and we're doing our best to ensure that we read and understand all that our professors present to us.
It gets better with the understanding of how principles in Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry and Biochemistry work during the practical lab sessions.
With such an academically intensive pursuit, it is easy to be obsessed with books and forget that you also have a life outside the books. Tight timetables and short deadlines leave little time to pursue special interests and try new things. I am glad that EaSEP helped me understand the bigger picture of my studies, manage my time well, taught me to set personal goals and be on target within my timeline--and most importantly, to know that science is just but a tool; universal health is my goal.
— Brian Kibiwott, EaSEP Class of 2010, Kenyatta University Class of 2016
It gets better with the understanding of how principles in Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry and Biochemistry work during the practical lab sessions.
With such an academically intensive pursuit, it is easy to be obsessed with books and forget that you also have a life outside the books. Tight timetables and short deadlines leave little time to pursue special interests and try new things. I am glad that EaSEP helped me understand the bigger picture of my studies, manage my time well, taught me to set personal goals and be on target within my timeline--and most importantly, to know that science is just but a tool; universal health is my goal.
— Brian Kibiwott, EaSEP Class of 2010, Kenyatta University Class of 2016
cornellius metto
As much as I would like to say that I always dreamt big and that I was not going to let anything stop me, the truth is that two years ago I would never have guessed that I'd be at Princeton right now. I had the vague idea that I wanted to take a shot at overseas studies but that was it. The three months that I spent with Janet Heinonen and the 2010 EaSEP group therefore turned out to be one of the most fulfilling times of my life. It was only with the help of EaSEP that I got to open my mind to the opportunities that were available to me. I got to meet people from different schools who were more or less in my position. We had no idea how much we were going to benefit from the experience regardless of where we would end up going for our undergraduate studies. As luck would have it, I was accepted by Princeton, an achievement which would not have been possible without the invaluable help from Janet and my colleagues.
From the moment I got here, I knew it was not going to be an easy ride—exciting, yes, but far from easy. I was going to have to adapt to a completely different culture as well as a new system of education. I was lucky though because I was invited to Princeton’s summer program for freshmen which eased the transition a lot. Even more fortunately, Edwin Cheruiyot, an EaSEP alum and a current Princeton student, happened to be on campus at the time. With his support, advice and constant presence in general, my transition could not have been any smoother. Perhaps the most valuable lesson that I have learnt is just how important making and maintaining friendships is in our personal lives and even as we pursue our careers. The whole experience was a big reminder that my life would be a lot different without the people that I have met thus far.
— Cornellius Metto, EaSEP Class of 2010, Princeton Class of 2015
From the moment I got here, I knew it was not going to be an easy ride—exciting, yes, but far from easy. I was going to have to adapt to a completely different culture as well as a new system of education. I was lucky though because I was invited to Princeton’s summer program for freshmen which eased the transition a lot. Even more fortunately, Edwin Cheruiyot, an EaSEP alum and a current Princeton student, happened to be on campus at the time. With his support, advice and constant presence in general, my transition could not have been any smoother. Perhaps the most valuable lesson that I have learnt is just how important making and maintaining friendships is in our personal lives and even as we pursue our careers. The whole experience was a big reminder that my life would be a lot different without the people that I have met thus far.
— Cornellius Metto, EaSEP Class of 2010, Princeton Class of 2015
daniel cheruiyot
My experience as a university student abroad has been a very interesting and eye-opening one. The first time I walked into school I was nervous because I could see that I was in a different place far away from home. Everyone looked different, talked differently and I was afraid that I would never get used to being here. However, after settling down in the school’s setting, I managed to see this new place for what it is: a diverse and educative experience.
By being here at Northwestern, I have met a lot of different people from all over the world. Sharing stories with them, taking classes with them, and even watching Saturday football games with them has taught me how different and at the same time how similar we all are. I took a writing class last quarter where we were supposed to write about controversial issues in the world and do a presentation on them. The variety of topics that arose as a result of the diverse background of each of the participants was similar to what you’d expect from a National Geographic documentary. The beauty of it all is that there are people who are genuinely interested to know about where you’re from and what you have to say. Also, making new friends in a place that is not my comfort zone has been a good way to develop social skills. I get to be a part of something that I would have never experienced elsewhere.
— Daniel L. Cheruiyot, EaSEP Class of 2010, Northwestern Class of 2015
georgina tolgos
When I arrived in the US, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. The campus was large and like every freshman I mostly got lost. The amount of work to do for just one class, seemed overwhelming. But what I did expect was an environment where everyone minded their own business. However, what I found was actually the opposite.
From the moment I got here, people were kind to me; my professors wanted to know how I was doing, not just in class. That was unexpected to me; I only expected them to come to class, teach and grade my papers, nothing more. But they were willing to know how the class was going for me and offered to help whenever they could. They also had office hours which I ignored in my first semester but soon found out how important they are. It is during office hours that the professors can help you with class material; if they are aware that you are struggling or that something is not going well for you, they can help in various ways. The professors are also well connected and they are the ones who will write you recommendation letters, which are very important. They are honest in the letters and will only write a strong one if they know you well, something valued by most institutions.
Wherever you are, in Kenya or abroad, your lecturers are a very important asset in your college life and there is only a limited time to establish a good relationship with them. So don’t waste any time, get to know your professors.
— Georgina Tolgos, EaSEP Class of 2009, Mount Holyoke Class of 2014
From the moment I got here, people were kind to me; my professors wanted to know how I was doing, not just in class. That was unexpected to me; I only expected them to come to class, teach and grade my papers, nothing more. But they were willing to know how the class was going for me and offered to help whenever they could. They also had office hours which I ignored in my first semester but soon found out how important they are. It is during office hours that the professors can help you with class material; if they are aware that you are struggling or that something is not going well for you, they can help in various ways. The professors are also well connected and they are the ones who will write you recommendation letters, which are very important. They are honest in the letters and will only write a strong one if they know you well, something valued by most institutions.
Wherever you are, in Kenya or abroad, your lecturers are a very important asset in your college life and there is only a limited time to establish a good relationship with them. So don’t waste any time, get to know your professors.
— Georgina Tolgos, EaSEP Class of 2009, Mount Holyoke Class of 2014
