Adapting to America: A Nepalese Student's Journey

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It was the first week of September, 1992. Bishal looked through the window of the small Ford. All he could see was flat and plain land with houses scattered around it. As they drove closer into the town, the houses became closer and closer to each other. This was the small, quiet town of Grinnell, in the middle of Iowa. “So you’re from Nepal?” asked Mike, he had just met Mike when he picked him up from the small airport just a short distance away from the town. Apparently he was part of the Host Family Program they had in Grinnell College. Every immigrant from outside the U.S who were going to college in Grinnell, got assigned an American Family so they could learn more about the American culture. “Yeah, it’s really close to India,” Bishal …show more content…

It was a really lengthy trip that took almost 3 full days, packed with tight seats, no sleep and waiting in multiple different airport transit areas. “Don’t worry,” Mike assured, “It's not much longer.” By now they had reached the core of the town. Full of tiny shops, restaurants and houses. “It's just around the block.” There it was, Grinnell College; a small liberal arts college in the middle of nowhere. Wow thought Bishal, I am already here. It felt like just yesterday when he got accepted into Grinnell. He kind of missed his home in Nepal 40,000 kilometers away, but in other ways he liked the adventure. He remembered the last time he saw his family, at the airport. They were saying their heartfelt goodbyes. “I will miss you a lot,” his sister said in Nepali. “Make sure you call us every week,” reminded his mom. And there was his dad looking at him, quiet but very proud. Then his mom started crying like it was the last time they were going to see each other, while his dad and sister hugged him goodbye. He realized that the next time they would see each other, his little sister would probably be his age. He was going to miss them, a lot. He knew then that a different chapter of his life had

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