By Deidra Brown | Observer Contributor
Brenda Nyariara, 20, nursing student at MWCC, shared her experience on moving to the United States from Kenya. Nyariara recalled noticing drastic changes in culture and education here in the U.S.
“I was excited,” Nyariara said as she explained how she felt about her big move. Around 2 years ago, at the age of 18, Nyariara made the decision to move to the United States to finally join her mom, who moved here 7 years ago.
During the first weeks of Nyariara’s life in the U.S., she immediately recognized the difference in culture. When asked how the culture is different in the U.S., she responded, “The way people think. In Kenya, it is more traditional. The people are more grounded and conservative. There is more freedom here (U.S.).”
Nyariara noted that she felt the U.S. was more “developed,” and the mixed races led her to believe that the U.S held a more diverse population than she was used to in Kenya. “It opens your mind to see different people and cultures,” Nyariara said, as she explained how everyone she grew up with lived near, sharing the same traditions and customs, which is drastically different from the United States.
Nyariara left all her friends and family when moving to the U.S. For Nyariara, one of the hardest parts about “starting life fresh” in the U.S. was trying to fit in and make friends. “Being a teenager and moving to the U.S. was hard because of the influences. Life is not easy and there was a lot of pressure,” Nyariara said.
Nyariara also stated that going to an American high school when she first arrived would have prepared her for the difficulties that she faced, but she had finished high school in Kenya. In Kenya, Nyariara attended 8 years of primary school, and then 4 years of high school at Mutira Girls School, an all-girls boarding school. She started attending boarding schools when she was eleven years old.
“Boarding schools are the norm,” Nyariara said. She did not enjoy living at the boarding schools, since it was boring to her. Nyariara felt she was “missing all the fun” not being able to mingle with other people.
While comparing education between the U.S. and Kenya, Nyariara said she believes the curriculum in Kenya was much harder than it is in the U.S. Nyariara said that the U.S. has an easier curriculum because of the devices and tools that are available to the students. In Kenya, students do not have these same advantages.
Nyariara referred to her lab courses she took in Kenya, sharing that the course was much harder with the lack of equipment, compared to how it is now with what is available to her lab courses at MWCC.
Nyariara ended with, “People here (U.S.) are spoon-fed. In Kenya, you need to use your mind and improvise.” Just because the U.S. has more advantages, it does not mean students in Kenya cannot do the same work and solve the same problems. Brenda Nyariara feels strongly that people from countries such as Kenya, “don’t get as much credit as we should.”
“Everyone’s experience is different. It was easy for me because I have my mom and family here,” said Nyariara, who explained that it would have been different if she came here alone. Nyariara shared that moving to a different country can be a horrible experience for some people, “Some people fall into depression because there is nothing familiar here (U.S.).”
Nyariara keeps her future plans simple. She plans to finish her freshman year at MWCC, continue her education, and finally start her career in nursing. For now, Nyariara will continue enjoying life with her mother, step-father, and 16 month old brother.
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