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by JENNIFER BENNETT
for The Parthenon
One international student's journey began before her arrival
in the United States in May.
Emily Sone, a native of Myanmar, formerly Burma until 1989,
left her country to pursue something she could not find in
her homeland: higher education.
Myanmar, a Southeast Asian country slightly smaller than
Texas, has been under military dictatorship since 1988.
"The Burmese government controlled everything about
our human rights and freedoms," Sone said. "They
shut down the schools because college students [were] always
against the government to get better education. That is why
I decided to leave my country."
The United States was not her first stop. Sone headed for
Malaysia with hopes of studying medicine. She was there for
two years, then discovered the medical school she wanted to
attend did not accept international students. Sone switched
her major to computer science, but the change was short-lived.
"I didn't want to continue my career with something
I don't want to do," she said. "My aim [was] to
become a doctor."
She applied via the Internet to 300 U.S. schools. Marshall
accepted her, and Sone relocated to Huntington.
She is enrolled as a pre-medicine major, but she is prohibited
from entering medical school for now because she is not a
U.S. citizen.
Sone faced even more difficulties. The political problems
in Myanmar and the high cost of education for international
students could have forced her to return Myanmar.
Rev. Robert K. Bondurant, program staff chairman at the Campus
Christian Center, has been working with Sone since her arrival.
He said he and a task force have been working to help Sone
gain citizenship.
"Her education at Marshall is secure thanks to the Office
of the President, which has worked with her and local businesses,"
Bondurant said.
Sone said if she goes back, the Myanmar government will
make trouble for her and her family, and that is something
she is trying to avoid.
"I [will] never let that happen," she said. "I
can learn [in] America. This is my dream land. I believe that
America is the land of opportunities, and I can build my aim."\
Communication with her family is an area of distress for
Sone. Telephone calls cost $4.50 per minute, and private conversations
are nearly impossible because the Myanmar government monitors
telephone lines.
She said part of her family disowned her when she came to
the United States.
"All my family and relatives think that I am crazy because
I can live wealthy in my homeland. They don't understand why
I am facing all kinds of problems.
"I have an answer for that problem because I believe
in America and in my dream."
But not all family ties are severed. Sone's mother visited
her recently.
Bondurant said Sone has experienced a lot of changes in
culture and religion.ÊShe converted to Christianity through
a local church, and is a member of People Reaching Out With
Love (P.R.O.W.L.).ÊÊ
"Emily is special because she's always been so gracious,"
Bondurant said, add-ing that Sone participates and encourages
other international students to getinvolved at the Campus
Christian Center.
"At É first I had a very difficult time with this city
and different people.ÊBut I am lucky;ÊI [have] very good friends
here," Sone said. "Learning a different culture
and religion is not easy in real life, but for me, I get so
much experience from that.
"[People] don't know how lucky they are to be Americans
because [their] lives are so much better when you compare
them with other countries."
Sone said she knows that she will face more problems in
the future, but she's not afraid.
"I don't care [that] I created the problems."
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