"This is literally the most South Asian story ever, where a bowl of rice caused an existential dilemma but also produced an 'Aha!' moment.
"Some memories stick with me, and I replay them as if they were a Bollywood movie, with background music and all. Here's one.
"I still remember my parents dropping me off at Allegheny College. The sky was clear and blue, but my mother was even more blue after all the crying she had been doing.
"After hurried goodbyes, I went off to explore this new place I was going to make home. It was a great walk and everyone I bumped into was friendly and welcoming. I was feeling Allegheny warm.
"A week later, however, I was sitting at Brooks dining hall, and then I felt it. I missed the warmth of my mom's cooking. I kept circling the Brooks' dining stations, and with every turn, and every unfamiliar dish, I was reminded of how far away I was from home.
"I grabbed the one item that was familiar, a bowl of rice -- which, by the way, was not made the way mom makes it.
"So, I got my rice and went and sat next to my friends. As I began eating my rice, tears trickled down my face. The homesickness had finally hit. I felt as blue as my mom had the day, she left me here.
"In my college dining hall, halfway across the world, I realized all the dishes were as foreign as I was to my new American friends."
~~ Dakchyata Thapa (Class of ‘22). International Student from Nepal Global Health Studies Major. Chemistry and Economics Double Minor
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What's it like to be an international student @Allegheny? Here's a student video that addresses that:
A Home Away From Home - Allegheny College
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