I wrote on Dec. 4 last year describing how adjusting to life in a foreign country brings difficulties. I got a few responses and felt thankful for that.
Now, it's December again and I am going to defend my dissertation on Dec. 13, so it's time for me to say thank you and goodbye to Ball State and the United States.
First of all, I have to thank Ball State for the good campus, good facilities and good teachers. Most professors I met were good teachers and understanding people and they did their best to help me learn.
There were things that could have been handled better, and I could have been able to say good bye a year ago, or at least be able to formally graduate and join the commencement this semester, but I understood that everyone has done their best. On the other hand, what I had to go through enabled me to be more patient and learn more. So, I have to be thankful for all that happened.
My special thanks go to Jacquolyne Tullis Werner, an American woman whom I called "mom." If you do not know who she is I can remind you that she was the owner of a house on 601 N. Calvert Ave., at the edge of our campus, the house that Ball State wants to demolish to gain a few more parking spaces. (Her story was in the Star Press, Oct. 18 edition, and her son's letter to Ball State was in the Ball State Daily News, Oct. 23 edition.)
Mom was a sweet and kind lady and I feel sorry that her house is going to be destroyed. I remember so well how her friendliness and kindness decreased my anger and convinced me that there are intelligent and stupid people everywhere in the world. I met her during my second week in the USA, a few days after I encountered three BSU students whom I had never met (I guessed they were BSU students because most people staying in the apartments were BSU students) who unexpectedly greeted me with the welcome phrase, "Mother F---er."
I was stunned and surprised by that. However, after that I experienced a few more similar racist acts on campus that made me learn to ignore them, especially at the curve near the duck pond on the way to Anthony Apartments. Occasionally a motorist there would unexpectedly shout at me with words like "Asian," or "Dead," but the worst that I experienced was having a drink can thrown at me. These racist acts normally happened late at night when I was biking back from working or studying on campus, and when I did not expect anything to happen, so I always failed to get the plate number of those cars, and I could not do anything about it.
First I thought that it only happened to me, but some Asian students also experienced the same. Anyway, I have to say thank you to those racists too because they reminded me that no place is perfect or even the best. Nevertheless, I would like to take this space to say to the racists that many foreign students come to America mainly just to get an education, and most students do not plan to live here forever.
Most of all, many universities in the states offer different programs and invite foreign students to come to study, and we do pay double for the tuition fees and do help create some jobs for some Americans as well. So, please try to be more tolerant of our differences.
Also, I would like to say thank you to most American students and students from different countries whom I met who were good people. I cannot remember all their names, but most have been very friendly and helpful to me.
Many times I have needed a native speaker to help me with English, and most students or people I talked to have been friendly and helpful. Without the help from them, I would not have come to the last stage of my study. So, thanks to all, good luck on the exams, and goodbye, America!
Metee Kansa
graduate student
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