andreahuber
The state of Nebraska is so familiar to most Marian students that many cannot even fathom living in another place. For some students, being immersed in another culture is not something new. There are girls here at Marian who have lived in Hong Kong, Vietnam, London, Canada, England, Uganda, Nigeria, Beirut, Scotland, Egypt, Colombia, and Togo. It’s amazing how many different countries are represented in Marian’s own classrooms.
Freshman Elizabeth Joka is all too familiar with culture shock coming into the United States. She was born in Cairo, Egypt, and lived there until the age of 4 or 5. Many people immigrate to the United States for employment or higher standards of living, but for Joka and her family, the opportu- nities here proved to be motivation enough.
“I moved because my parents wanted me and my brother to have the best education possible,” Joka said. However, going back some day isn’t out of the question. “I would love to go back and maybe study there,” she said.
One of the hardest things about a new culture is a new language. “I had to learn English I was only 4 or 5, so I knew Arabic, but I didn’t know English,” Joka said, “but I caught on quickly.” Different weather and environment are also huge adjustments coming into the U.S. “I think the only difference is the weather and maybe the people. I remember growing up, and everyone was so kind,” Joka said.
As for junior Susana Pettis, she had no problem with the language when she moved to the United States. Pettis was born in Medellín, Colombia, and lived there for a year before coming to Omaha. Her family spoke both English and Spanish at home during her childhood. Her mother met her father in Omaha, so they eventually moved to Nebraska when she was 1. However, her family visits Colombia often. “I only lived [in Colombia] a year when I was born, but I have visited a lot over the years. My family tries to go every year during the summer,” Pettis said.
It’s always an adjustment for Pettis when coming back to Nebraska. “The lifestyle there is more calm. Things are more open … the scenery is completely different and the weather is too. They consider rain bad weather. People are a lot more open, and it’s a friendlier culture,” Pettis said.
“Whenever I come back after staying there with my family, I have to adjust to how different it is.”
Located in the center of the United States, Marian represents an unbelievable amount of different cultures and countries. According to the January Network Google survey, 6 percent of the student body was born outside the United States or has lived in a di erent country for an extended period. Most students have become so used to Midwestern life with four seasons that living in a completely di erent culture may seem inconceivable. These halls may be more diverse than once thought.
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