My name is Rosemary Thairu.
INTERVIEWED BY Seungkyul Park

"... American education is the best, so I had that zeal of coming here to study and to graduate."


DEPARTED FROM
Karatina, Kenya

ARRIVED IN
Seattle, Washington

YEAR
2014

AGE
24

NOW LIVES IN
Federal Way, Washington

COLLECTED BY
ROSEMARY THAIRU'S FIRST DAY

TRANSCRIPT

My name is Rosemary Thairu, I am a student at Highline College, and I am 24 years old. My job is a student leader at the Inter-cultural Center. I came here last year on 1 March. So I came here to pursue my studies as a nurse. Though I had done a medical field, I’m graduated back in my country, I had still the zeal of coming here to study American education is the best, so I had that zeal of coming here to study and to graduate.

The first impression when I got like to get out you know like in the streets, I was so scared. At times I would stay out home, you know, I don’t wanna go out because I don’t know what’s out there.

Being a nurse I would like to be able to give back to my community back in Kenya. I know we have so many less privileges back at home in terms of medical issues. I will be able to pursue my degree and, you know, be able to help those communities who are less privileged in my country, you know, and help them move from the step they are at least make a difference in their lives and in their health too, because they say a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.

At the moment, right now, like in my country, it’s too hot. Even it’s too hot compared to summer here, so the rain I’m seeing, it’s completely scaring me. You know, I’m waking up in the morning and I’m like… okay, am I in the world where people live or where am I? You know? It’s raining so hard, and I’m not used to seeing this kind of rains, you know? The wind, the storms? And I’m like okay… I wish I was told to go back and sleep for another two hours or three hours until the rain is over and then, you now, I can go do my business, but anyway, I think… it’s a matter of time and I’ll get used to it. The rain cannot change, I have to adapt to it.


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