Moeka Ueura (/Mo-a-kuh/ /Ew-a-u-duh/) is a graduate student studying English as a second language at Marshall University. Ueura is from Osaka, Japan, where she describes the town as being very similar to Huntington.
“Japan doesn’t have states, but we have prefects, and I guess you could say that Osaka is a part of a tri-prefect area,” she said.
Since being in the United States, Ueura has experienced what she describes as a much more talkative culture than what she experienced in Japan
“Here in the United States, people talk way more. I’m always asked how my day is going or what’s going on, and for a while, I struggled to answer because that’s not something we do in Japan,” she said.
As a part of her student visa and scholarships she receives, Ueura is a graduate student teaching English as a second language to Japanese students in the area. Currently, she is teaching English to first graders at the West Virginia International School in Teays Valley.
“After I graduate with my masters in English, I will be staying here for another year to get a degree in education, so that I can teach full time,” Ueura said.
Following her education, Ueura said she wants to stay in the United States and help teach English as a second language to students.
Malak Eddaoudi (/Mal-ick/ /Ed-ah-ew-de/) is a 17 year old exchange student from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. There are several things about Huntington she has found very different from where she is from.
“One thing that is very different about the U.S. is how early everything is,” she said. “In my country, it is normal to eat breakfast at noon and lunch at six in the evening. Sometimes, dinner isn’t until after midnight.”
Since being here, one of Eddaoudi’s favorite things she’s done is go to a basketball game.
“When I went to my first basketball game, I was like, ‘Wow!’ and it was so different than any sports match in my country,” she said. “It was very intense; I loved it.”
Salma Guennoun (/Sal-muh/ /Gwi-now-n/) came to Marshall with Eddaoudi and is 18 years old. There are some things in Huntington that are different than Morocco, specifically the food.
“One thing about the food here that I don’t like is that it’s not fresh,” she said. “Also, I can’t find meat that I can eat here because in my religion, meat has to be prepared a very specific way, so that it can be considered safe.”
Ethan Kabemba (/Ee-th-an/ /Kah-beh-m-bah/) is an international exchange student from the Congo. She is a freshman from Kinshasa, the capital city. Kabemba is a freshman, and similar to Guennoun, Kabemba has struggled with the food in Huntington.
“The food here is not very fresh,” she said. “It is sometimes difficult to go to Wal-Mart or to the market to get some fresh fruit, but in my country, it is everywhere.”
Basma Boussof (/Bah-sm-uh/ /Boo-sof/), is an exchange student from Morocco and came to Marshall together with Eddaoudi and Guennoun as a member of the exchange program. What surprised her the most about coming to a university in the U.S. are the dorms.
“When I was brought to my dorm, I looked around, and I couldn’t find the bathroom,” she said. “When the woman who showed me up to my dorm showed me the bathroom, I was surprised that it was shared.”
International students not only diversify Marshall’s campus, but they also provide a win-win situation for everyone in the community.
International students gain new experiences while studying in the states, and American students get a glimpse into cultures, beliefs and perspectives different from them.
Wade Sullivan can be contacted at [email protected]
