CC Student Web Journals - Colorado College

Somhrita'S JOURNAL

September 2006

I had always wanted to go abroad for higher studies. When in 10th grade, my elder brother went off to Singapore for college; I knew I wanted to do something similar. I wanted to come back home during holidays and tell stories. So now, here I am... after traveling halfway across the world, trying to do what I wanted to do all my life.

My first few days at CC were spent with other international students and faculties from the study abroad office. We spent most of our time honing ourselves to the new environment. They were trying to help us adjust in a new country… something I don’t think any of us international students have fully achieved yet.

Everyone asks me how the U.S. or CC is different from my home country, India. After a little more than a month spent here… I would say it’s different in every way possible. I have stopped counting the number of things I have been doing for the first time. But I will not lie… that is the best part about being here. At CC, there is so much to do; there are opportunities staring right at you. Every second, you can make choices that can change your life in a way you never expected.

So… thinking about the marked differences I feel on being here… first and foremost… the education does not involve mindless memorizing of facts. Although I have taken one course which mainly involved high school chemistry, I was amazed at how deep we went in three and a half weeks. And then, as an international student I feel the society and people here are very different from what we are used to back home. Almost everyone swears by “Work hard, party harder.” Life here is fast, which is probably a good thing. I have already made some good friends right here. I will never forget the night when two of my friends tried their level best to teach me to skate. I won’t forget our new student orientation trip to Mora, New Mexico, where I learnt to weave. I think most of my experiences here have dispelled the myths that people hold about how Americans only care for themselves. I think we are all trying to strike a balance here, no matter where we come from. I know I come from a place where people care too little about themselves.

There are so many experiences I have had here – my first “party,” roasting marshmallows, visiting a pumpkin farm, watching movies all night in block break, being fascinated by my neighbor’s hamster, using an automatic pencil sharpener. And there is so much more to come – Halloween, Thanksgiving, a trip to Kansas, Christmas, and snow. But yes, I miss home, not because I am not happy here… but because that’s just how it is. I can’t explain to myself why I don’t mind waking up to my phone ringing, or why I smile broader than usual if I get to see my mom, dad, and dog on the Web cam or chat with my brother for a while. One cannot expect to be used to a new place anytime soon I guess. Its part of the experience. So here I am, continents away, discovering something new every day, being amazed by so many things, waiting for more life to happen, and, of course, waiting for snow.