“Growing up, my mom would tell me stories about our family, and the one thing she wanted to see me achieve above all was an education,” recalls Simon Gahungu, President of The International Student Association here at PSU. “This is one of the main reasons why I came to the United States in the first place.”
At the age of fourteen, Simon left his hometown of Kigoma, Tanzania, for Nashua, New Hampshire, where he attended three and a half years of high school at Nashua High School South. After graduating in 2011, Simon enrolled in Plymouth State University, and is currently a junior, majoring in Political Science.
Aspiring to become more involved in the campus community after adjusting to college life during his first fall semester, Simon ran for and subsequently won the position of Secretary for the International Student Association for spring semester 2011, only to become President of the organization in the spring semester of 2012, a position that he currently retains. He is also one of ten global ambassadors on campus, assisting all seventy-one of PSU’s international undergraduate, graduate, and exchange students to adjust to campus life.
One of the main obstacles for international students here at PSU, as well as across the nation is simple- adjusting to change. Twenty-five countries, located on nearly every continent, are represented in Plymouth State University’s international student body. The university hosts an incredibly diverse international student body from all over the globe- ranging from Chile and Peru, to Slovakia, Uzbekistan, Finland, and Japan.
“The people are different, the country is different. Everything is just so different than what they’re used to, which is why I decided to become involved with the International Student Association. I’m helping them out; the first couple weeks and months can be so difficult for them,” explains Simon.
What more can PSU students do in order to make our international students adjust and become comfortable with life in the United States? According to Simon, “both domestic and international students can benefit from any sort of interaction, even just by walking to class together. It’s tough for an international student to approach a domestic student at times due to cultural differences, but reaching out to an international student and showing an interest can mean the world to them, and will help bring the campus community together.”
Students here at PSU who wish to immerse themselves in another culture need not board a plane for such an experience–one can simply attend an International Student Association meeting. Cultural knowledge and language proficiency are becoming increasingly important in society today, and as Simon points out, “The world is getting smaller and smaller, and in a few years, cross-cultural knowledge will be extremely important.”
For students who are unable to afford a semester abroad, there are ample opportunities offered right here on campus to explore other cultures and learn firsthand from international students. November is the month of International Education Week, which will run from the 15th to the 24th and is a fantastic campus wide event in which students will have an opportunity to expand global awareness through participation in a host of cultural activities.
The activities will range from film showings to food tasting, language exposure, and much more. There is something to be gained by both domestic and international students through campus community integration and outreach. “Communication is key,” Simon stresses, and a simple conversation with an international student can have a decisive impact on a student’s experience here at Plymouth State. Anyone interested in joining The International Student Association is encouraged to e-mail Simon at szgahungu@plymouth.edu for meeting dates and information.
Interested in getting even more involved? The Center for Global Engagement, an organization under the umbrella of The Global Education office, is located in the basement of Mary Lyon and offers a myriad of opportunities for anyone interested in the international student community. Events range from a monthly “international coffee hour” (coming up on October 18th) to language circles and opportunities to become a “conversation partner” to assist international students improve their English language skills.
Additionally, PSU just launched a global living program, designating Mary Lyon and Blair Hall as PSU’s new global living communities. Students have the opportunity to request international students as roommates with this new program, hence further propelling PSU’s global integration aspirations significantly.
Jessica Pine, one of PSU’s three International Programming Coordinators adds that “Students often think they can’t afford study abroad, but PSU offers so many great options, and financial aid still follows you.” She additionally confirms that students interested in learning more about PSU’s exchange and other study abroad programs are invited to attend weekly information sessions at The Global Education office, located at The Bagley House, between the Hall and Blair residence halls.
For further information regarding study abroad opportunities or furhter involvement with the campus’s international community, please visit the center’s website, https://plymouth.edu/global for upcoming event and program information, and to contact Jessica Pine at jpine@plymouth.edu or Jane Barry at jane.barry@plymouth.edu with questions.