By Caitlyn Pray
Student Reporter
For some students, going to college can be a huge adjustment. For international students, entering Northwestern is quite literally like entering a whole different world.
Northwestern has seen a number of international students walk on its campus, coming from countries like Nepal, India, Dubai, Ethiopia and Australia. To help make the transition for such students easier, the university has an international student advisory office that helps students with their every need from applying for international admission to graduating.
“I assist students with advising them through their Gen. Ed requirements, assisting them with obtaining documents related to work, obtaining driver’s license, and just being their advocate on campus,” Said Rebecca Cook, the international student advisor. “International students have a lot of requirements with their Visa, so it is my job to know those requirements, make sure they are following them and to make faculty and staff aware of those requirements if it pertains to them. We also assist in transportation to and from the Wichita and OKC airports at the start and end of every semester, and making arrangements for meals during breaks for those who are living on campus.”
Despite their needs being thought out and carefully planned for by the international student advisory office, coming to a complete different country can still be a nerve-wracking experience, or at least a stressful one.
Still, many may be surprised to learn that, according to Cook and a Northwestern international student, coming to study at Northwestern can be an exciting adventure.
“Going anyplace new where you don’t know anyone can be a bit nerve-wracking – especially an entirely different country; however, I think most of the students feel excitement.” Cook said.
“To get to the U.S. to study is a very tolling process that takes a lot of planning in addition to being very expensive. Most of these students have been dreaming of becoming students in the U.S. for most of their lives, so it is exciting to them to finally be living out their dreams.
Some of our students come to NWOSU expecting things they have seen in movies, but most of the students who come to NWOSU choose our school specifically for what we have to offer. Part of their visa interview process often requires them to be knowledgeable about what school they have chosen and have reasons as to why they chose that college.”
Simisola Obinitue, a junior nursing major from Nigeria, says it was not the paperwork or transition of coming to Northwestern that was stressful for her, but more of the culture shock.
“It wasn’t really stressful for me, but what was stressful was changing my environment and then living a different type of life—that was what was most stressful for me,” Obinitue said.
As one may imagine, there was more than one thing that surprised Simisola when she first appeared on the Northwestern campus in the spring of 2017.
“Lots of culture shock,” Obinitue said. “When I first came here, people are so open, like you could see a guy and a girl and you can tell they’re dating because they’re just walking together holding hands and stuff like that which is not common in my country.
Also in my country, in my church we don’t wear pants to church, so here you can wear whatever you want, so that was something different.
The food too—the food was definitely different. I eat lots more pizza now.”
Of the many struggles and obstacles that international students face, Cook and Obinitue agree that a common major one they see and have experienced is the finding a way to pay for their college as they pursue their degree.
“If I could give any advice to students coming in, it would be that they should be prepared just to be open minded and financially they should really be prepared because time goes by fast,” Obintue said. “Before you know it you’ve ended a semester, you have a new semester and you have to pay.
It’s different for international students because we have to pay out of pocket, so I’d suggest they have the money always ready, otherwise they might have to stop going to school.”
Cook furthers this helpful advice, but with the hope that many students have been able to rise above the challenge.
“Finances are always a big struggle,” Cook said. “International students do not qualify for financial aid, so it takes a lot of financial planning for them to complete their degree. With this struggle is a big strength – these students are determined to finish their degree and they always seem to find a way.
They are some of the hardest working students in the classroom! They take their studies very seriously, but they also really enjoy having fun – especially during the Festival of Cultures!”
The annual Festival of Cultures will actually premiere April 5, and is open to Northwestern students, faculty and all the Alva community or persons interested in trying different aspects of different cultures. Over the years, the festival has seen many demonstrations, performances, dishes and talks, but still each year the festival may feel like a totally foreign experience.
“I’ve been attending since my first year here and it’s always fun,” Obinitue said. “We have different foods, different performances, there’s usually something different and fun for the people of the community to come and experience.
It’s just something different than they’re used to, and it’s giving them the opportunity to show our culture as well, as international students like how things are to a point.”
Joseph Allotey, a sophomore from Accra, Ghana and secretary of the International Student Association, said that this year’s performances are lined out from individuals from such countries as Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and others, as well as food from countries that have never been presented before at Northwestern.
Cook also encourages any and all to attend the eye-opening event, which only occurs once a year but yet seems to bring to life regions from all across the world personally to the individual.
“People should come to the Festival of Cultures because it is something different that they don’t get to see or experience more than once a year,” Cook said. “They can learn about different countries through their food, presentations and performances. It’s a lot of fun and our guests never leave disappointed or hungry!
Tickets for the event may be purchased at the student services office or at the door of the event for $2 extra per ticket.
Tickets for adults age 13 and up are $10, tickets for Northwestern students with their ID and children age four to 12 are $5, and tickets for children age four and under are free. In addition to helping sponsor the event, 15 percent of the proceeds from the sale of tickets goes into a scholarship fund to help future international Rangers at Northwestern.