It's been 2 months here at Murray State, and I am having the best time of my life. Murray is a very peaceful and beautiful place to live in. It's a small city in Kentucky known for its scenic beauty and wonderful weather. And for me, yes, it is a place like no other in the States. I love it, and I am enjoying every bit of my stay at this amazing place.
When I first came to the USA, I never thought that Americans would be social or interested in other cultures, but I was wrong the whole time. After spending 4 days in Washington DC, I kept thinking about how Murray would be and how its people would be. I was confused and excited at the same time when I was coming to Murray. After I reached here, I met David (a Korean guy) who came to pick me up at the airport. He is such a nice and friendly guy. He told me about his life in Murray and why he liked it. When I asked him why, he replied, "Because of the hospitable people." I was amazed to hear that answer from him. I was like, WOW! He said Americans at MSU love to know about different cultures and customs. As MSU has a lot of international students and diversity, Americans feel great studying with them and sharing each other's cultures.
When I arrived at Murray, I would explore the campus (more than socializing with people) all the time and take photos of every building to post on Instagram. But slowly and steadily, I started getting involved with international students and eventually Americans. When our classes started, I introduced myself to classmates and instructors and told them about my aims and goals and how I had reached this point. They were really impressed with my story. My professors are so nice and friendly—it feels like they are your best friends. In our country, we call our teachers "Sir or Ma'am," but here teachers call their students "Sir or Ma'am." It was really a cultural shock. The classroom environment is very friendly. You can ask as many questions as you want, and your teacher will always answer with a smile. I love this aspect of their culture.
After one week, I made more new friends than I ever thought I would. They are from India, China, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nepal, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Spain, and the USA. I would hang out and spend weekends with them. I would tell them about Pakistan and my life there. One of my American friends is very interested in learning Urdu. His name is Rickey Winslow. He is a very funny and charming person. I spend most of my time with him. Whenever we meet, he asks, "Aap kese ho?" (How are you?). And I reply, "Mein theek hoon" (I'm fine), and then I ask, "Aap kese ho?" (How are you?). And he replies, "Theek Thaak," and then we start our conversation. He learns one Urdu word every time we meet. He even asks me about Pakistani food and dress and is so excited to try them. All my other friends are great to be around. If you need any help from them, they are always ready to assist you.
Now I feel that David was so right about the people of Murray being very cooperative, social, and helpful. If you ask them for directions to some place, they will go along with you and drop you at that location rather than just telling you the directions. They always pass a smile whenever you are walking by. One day, a few strangers came to me and asked about my culture because I was wearing a traditional cap, which they liked so much. I told them about my culture, and they were so interested to know more. I never thought that people would love to learn about my culture. But here at MSU, it was the other way around. We Pakistani students also organized a henna tattoo event on Chaand Raat (the night before Eid) and applied henna on Americans' hands. At first, we thought there wouldn't be many people interested in henna, but in the end, there was a line of girls and boys waiting to get henna on their hands. We were all amazed to see their interest. They loved it so much and asked us to send them henna from Pakistan. And we replied, "Of course!"
Now, after spending half of my time in the USA, I feel that Murray is my home away from home. I never feel like I am living far away from my actual family. I involve myself in different activities and enjoy spending time on campus. I love everything about Murray, whether it be the people or the campus. I feel lucky to be a part of this community and to spend one semester at this place. Once I go back to Pakistan, I am really going to miss this place so much. But still, no hard feelings, because I will have a lot of pleasant memories attached to this place to cherish for the rest of my life. God bless Murray and its people!
Comments