North Lake News-Register

North Lake News-Register

Looking to the future with much optimism

Malawi student thankful for the opportunity to study in the United States

Francis Kapito

Issue date: 1/12/09 Section: Opinion

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As the fall 2008 registration began, the North Lake College faculties were at their busiest. Students not only from Texas but also from such faraway places as Zimbabwe, Malawi, New Zealand, Nepal and Nigeria were on the go registering for classes.

Course selection was the game of the moment. Where do I start from? For continuing students who have registered before, such questions are a piece of cake. However, for new students-especially international students like me-they are filled with excitement and greater expectation.

For me, to be at place where it all begins was a quest fulfilled.

The idea of joining an American college played in my mind like a far-fetched dream that was taking too long to come true. It was at the beginning of last August when I finally got my acceptance into North Lake College. As it had for thousands of others, the time had arrived when I would look into the future with much optimism about higher learning. It was time to pack my bags.

The plane started off from Chileka International Airport, in Blantyre, the biggest commercial city of Malawi, a country in the tropical part of southeastern Africa. Malawi's three regions are populated with about 13 million people of different tribes and several dialects. Malawi shares boundaries with Mozambique, which wraps around it on the southern tip, and both to the southeast and southwest; Tanzania in the northeast and Zambia in the northwest.

As the plane touched into the blue skies, I knew this was going to be a wonderful 18-hour flight across the Atlantic before landing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on a calm Thursday morning.

Visiting the North Lake College Web site had become a hobby. The day had come when I would walk with my feet on campus. The pieces were practically merging as if I were completing a maze. I could not help but notice plenty of cars in the lots. I soon realized, in this country, people pursue education seriously, which is why the United States is so developed and is the world leader.

My first stop was the International Center. I quickly headed to room A-418, where I was welcomed by friendly and helpful people. My heart calmed because I realized that it was all going to be fine and good, just like home.

You see, Malawi is known to the world as the "Warm Heart of Africa" because of its friendly people, who always say, full of smiles, "Muli bwanji? Takulandirani." That means: "How are you? You are most welcome." Meeting the people I had been in contact with via e-mail was such a delight.

I had often asked myself: What will it be like? What is the learning style? Early Monday morning, I found myself sitting in a humanities class. The semester had begun. I was fascinated by the setup and the learning style. Fifty-five minutes later; I would be heading to the door, through the corridors to my next class.

In my second class, it took the professor's calling out my name, "Francis," for me to realize this was no longer a dream- I am in College.

- Francis Kapito is an international student studying business at North Lake.