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Hi everyone,

I am now a sophomore at Wabash College, and I have spent a year in this small town called Crawfordsville, Indiana, trying to adapt to its culture and weather. I still remember the day when I was on the flight. I was traveling alone for the first time to a country 14,000 km away from my hometown. Frankly, it was a frightening experience, but at the same time, it was an experience that I needed to help me become an independent adult. Since then I have joined a fraternity, traveled to other cities and picked up a new language, Chinese.

I spent the first week with other international students and it passed by in a blink of an eye. Then, we all went our own way as we headed into different courses. I was the only international student in my freshmen tutorial course and it was difficult to make friends since I’m a bit of an introvert, but I soon got over that. After talking to some of the seniors that I’ve now grown close to I wanted to join the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity (TKE). In the first semester, I spent time with my new brothers completing activities and tests before we could all be initiated as official members of the fraternity. Like actual brothers, we fought for each other and with each other. After a semester of initiation challenges, I became a regular member of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Throughout the year, I traveled to different cities, including Chicago, where I was surprised to see some Cambodian relics and statues on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. During the fall break, I went on a trip with other international students to Cincinnati and was struck by the enormous size of the dormitories at the University of Cincinnati; they were up to 20 stories high.

In the second semester, I participated in the annual Chinese speaking contest with approximately 15 other participants from both Wabash College and DePauw University. I had to present a project on a Chinese city to the students and professors. I finished my speech and thought that I could have performed better. Despite this, I received words of encouragement from my classmates, which lifted my spirits.

Despite all these experiences, I haven’t completely gotten used to being here. The sun sets around 9 p.m., and it is cold for three seasons. I’m sometimes homesick, but luckily I’m only one click away from my family and friends. Though it’s not the same as their actual presence, it is a good substitute. I am lucky as my Cambodian brothers from JPA who are also here at Wabash College share their time and experiences with me. With them around, I can express myself in my own language, which makes it feel a little bit like home.

So, all up, it has been an interesting experience. I understand more about college life, I’ve seen a bit of the mid-west and I can speak a little Chinese. I’m ready for the rest of the year.

Kimsreng