From Ireland to Ferrum - An International Student Experience

by Caoimhe R., Panther Blogger

Hi, or should I say hello or as we say in Ireland, "well, what's the craic?"  This is a saying which I'm accustomed to saying at home when I see my friends, but also one which has won me several odd looks from people who don't understand what it means since I've arrived in the states.  If you ask someone "what the craic is?" at home, you are normally just asking them what they've been doing recently or what's up.  If you say "that was unreal craic" after a night out, then normally, you're just saying it was a great time.  I just thought that it was important to clear that up; if you ever go to Ireland, that will definitely be a useful piece of information to know!

My name is Caoimhe, I'm 22 years old and am an international student at Ferrum College.  My name can also sometimes be a source of confusion, but it's a Gaelic name derived from the Irish language and is pronounced like "Keeva".  It's also number one on "the most mispronounced Irish names in America".  Since I've arrived here, I've been called "Kayomi," "Teeva," and numerous other things!  I know that as a word, the letters and sounds don't always add up, and sure it's all a bit of fun at the end of the day.

Me with some new friends at Ferrum

You're probably wondering how I ended up coming to Ferrum College all the way from Ireland.  Basically, my whole story started over a year ago when I applied for a scholarship offered by the British Council called Study USA, also known as the Study, Work, Create program.  I was one of eight people from my college, St. Mary's University College in Belfast, to apply for this opportunity, but never in a million years would I have envisioned being accepted into the program let alone becoming a student at Ferrum College!  Fortunately, five others from my college and I were placed in the program.  Bearing in mind that there were approximately 400 students who applied around 65 places, I felt as though I accomplished a major goal in being selected from a competitive group of students.  This scholarship meant a great deal of importance to me, and it had been my motivation since the start of my college education to study in the states.

Ferrum Cross Country

My journey to Ferrum College started on the 28th of August 2014.  I remember waking up at three in the morning and getting ready for the day of travel ahead.  I made my way to Dublin airport and said that final goodbye to my family.  It's strange how the reality of a situation, despite how much you prepare for it mentally, never hits you until you are present in the moment.  I remember looking back at my family standing at the airport doors just before I got on the elevator to go through security.  Although a part of me felt incredibly sad to say goodbye, I knew that what was ahead of me would be an experience of a lifetime.  I arrived at Ferrum College on the Thursday before classes started and that is the beginning of my whole story.  I must admit, I had one of those "what am I doing here?" moments when I initially arrived, but I reminded myself that what I felt was completely normal - after all, I was over three thousand miles from home!

Ferrum Women's Cross Country

Homecoming Parade at Ferrum

Since then, I have tried my best to embrace the experience!  I joined the cross country team in my first semester, as well as other clubs and societies on campus which provided me with a great opportunity to meet new people.  Although I've only lived here for about six months, I believe this experience has totally changed my outlook on life!

My Last Blog Before Returning to Ireland!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger


Hey, everyone!  What's the craic?

So, this is my last blog post as I will be returning home on Friday. I am so excited to go home to see all my friends and family.

My year at Ferrum College went so quickly, it's a shame I can't stay for another year. This semester particularly went extremely fast mainly due to all the snowy days we had. I am enjoying the weather we are currently getting, however, I am looking forward to the good old Irish rain when I get home.

All the international students got bored one day, so we decided to have a water balloon fight. This was very fun as it was a hot day and the water cooled us down.

Recently, two international students and I wrote a report about how to improve the international student experience when they are studying at Ferrum. We wrote this report so that faculty members could become aware of ways to improve the student experience for the next international students. The main area for improvement we found from our report was to have international students to live with American students so that we get more opportunities to hang out with Americans and form stronger friendships with them. So, next semester, it has been suggested that international students will live with Americans, and I think this will make the whole experience a lot better!

This past Saturday, I was very grateful that Dr. Basu offered to take me and three other international students out for the day. He took us on a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway so we could see the view and then go to Roanoke to eat some Indian food. It was great to get off campus for awhile and I appreciate all that Dr. Basu has done during the past year for us and I would just like to say thanks to him!

Thanks to everyone for making my year at Ferrum College a pleasant one. Who knows, maybe in the future, I will be able to come back to visit.

Snowboarding and St. Patrick's Day

by Chris L., Panther Blogger

Hullo everyone!  I've been very busy lately doing lots of assignments.  However, I got the chance to go snowboarding with Ferrum Outdoors Club, and it was so good!  I've skied before in Italy but never snowboarded.  I got a lesson but still found it very difficult.  I could only seem to turn left and not turn right!  My body was in agony afterward because I fell so many times!  It was an extremely good value, plus in Ireland, we don't have any ski slopes, so it was nice to do something I wouldn't get the chance to do at home.

Monday the 17th of March was Saint Patrick's Day.  I was so happy when I woke up and read the email that classes were cancelled because in Ireland, it is a national holiday, so everyone gets the day off.  People on campus may have seen me walking about with my leprechaun hat as I wanted to remind myself of home and to signify that I am proud of my country.

It is hard to believe that I have only 6 weeks left of my year abroad in the USA - time went by so fast.  In some ways, I will be glad to go home to see my family and friends!  However, I will miss Ferrum greatly, and the friends I have made here will be lifelong friends. The whole experience of a different educational system has been an eye opener and a great experience.  If I had to choose between studying in Ireland or the USA, I would pick the USA because you guys seem to have an education system with more gradual assessments and many more chances to improve your work and grades than I would have at my home university.

My Last Semester!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger

Hey everyone!

I am back at Ferrum for my last semester!  I went home to Ireland during the Christmas break as I was feeling pretty homesick.  It was great to be home and see all my family and friends!  While I was home, I managed to get some time and go to watch my favourite rugby team play!  Ulster is one of the most successful rugby teams in Europe and are from my province in Ireland.

I was excited to come back to Ferrum and continue on this Study Abroad experience, however, I am sad as I only have around 12 weeks left in the USA before my VISA expires.  I hope to make this semester as enjoyable as possible.  This semester, I have continued along the business line of classes as they are compulsory for me. I am taking Business Communication, Microeconomics, Personal Finance, Advance Computer Applications, and my elective is Ecotourism.  I hope these classes are as enjoyable as the ones I took last semester!

My E-Term Trip to Peru!

by Brett W., Panther Blogger

In May 2013, I took an Experiential Term (E-Term) course where we traveled to Peru.  This course was for two programs.  For those of us who took the course for Recreation Leadership, it was "Peru Cultural & Heritage Tourism," and for those in the Spanish program, it was "Andean Culture in Peru." 

Here's a short video about my e-term trip to Peru last May.  Enjoy!

My Study Abroad Trip to China!

by Brett W., Panther Blogger

Better late than never - here's a short video about my study abroad trip to China this past summer 2013.  Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Break in America

by Chris L., Panther Blogger


Hey, Everyone!

It's been awhile since my last blog post!  My first semester at Ferrum is almost over and I can hardly believe it.  It has passed by so quickly!  Two more weeks and I will be back in Northern Ireland.  I must say I am looking forward to going home to my family and having some good Irish food!

Over the past 3 months I have been at Ferrum, my mother has been sending me little parcels with goodies from home to keep my spirits up!

November has been a very busy month with lots of assignments due in and this has kept me occupied. The weather is a lot more enjoyable for me personally mainly because it's not as hot anymore and I am used to the cold temperatures because it is similar to the weather back home!


I wanted to do some traveling while I stayed in America, so for Thanksgiving week, I went to Washington and New York. This was an unbelievable experience and it did not disappoint!  We did get lost a couple of times, but it was all part of the fun!  It's hard to say what my favourite moment was, but what I will never forget is:

1. Standing in Times Square on Black Friday and realising what a crazy place I was in and that the city literally does not sleep.
2. Seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. I had heard all about it at home and seen it on TV, but it was brilliant to see it in person.
3. The view from the Empire State building at day and night.

Ferrum College So Far

by Dannica B., Panther Blogger

I have been at Ferrum College for almost four months now and I have loved every day of it. There is so much to do here!  From free movie night to bingo to themed dances in the Panther's Den, there is always something fun to do!  Even though it seems like Ferrum is in the middle of nowhere, I haven't been bored yet! 

There have been many big events on campus this year, such as the centennial homecoming weekend and the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival.  Both events were a huge success. We had a huge concert on homecoming weekend, which included the Tams, an electric violinist, and other local bands. We also had a country-style dinner that took place outside and we also had a huge parade!  The Folklife Festival was a huge hit - they had so many activities that everyone could get involved in. They had coon dog racing, honey making, country bands, mule jumping, a car show, and so much more!  This festival happens every year and thousands of people attend - it is open to all ages. 

Dressed up and ready for the Great Gatsby party

We also have many mini-activities happening on campus almost every day!  We have a flag football game every other day and even though I can't play sports, they are so much fun to watch!  Sometimes we have bingo nights, which is a lot of fun and we also win prizes.  Most Thursday evenings, we have themed dances in the Panther's Den, which are so much fun and I always have a blast!  This past Saturday, we had a Great Gatsby-themed party at our local Ferrum Bar and Grill, which was fantastic because my friends and I all dressed up and danced the night away!  A lot of people are curious as to what there is to do at Ferrum, but there is always something to do.  You just have to get involved!

Sailing with Ferrum Outdoors!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger

Hey everyone!

On the 28th of September, I went sailing with Ferrum Outdoors!

It was a brilliant day and was a real hands-on experience as we had to sail the boat ourselves.  We got to try out two different boats, which was interesting as both boats handled differently.  You don't need to have any experience to do this - I hadn't a clue what I was doing and had never done anything like it before! 

One thing I could not understand was why only a couple of us went sailing as it only cost us each $10, and that included lunch!  Back in Ireland, to do something like that would have cost me a lot more than $10 -- more in the $60-80 range.  I would highly recommend you to go on the next sailing day that Ferrum Outdoors has planned.  It's a chance to try something new!

Settling In

by Chris L., Panther Blogger

I have been at Ferrum College now for just over 2 weeks. The first thing that has taken me a while to adjust to is the heat. Back home in Northern Ireland, it rains almost every day and we very rarely get a full day of sun shine. Our summer consists of day after day of rain, and we rarely have temperatures over 20 degrees Celsius. I am looking forward to the winter as I am not used to this heat!

Another issue I have had to adjust to is the timetable. Back home at my university during my first two years, I was only in college two/three day a week.  Over here, I am in class every day, although it is only for a couple of hours, and then the rest of the day I can spend doing things I like. I have completed as many assignments in the past two weeks here as I have in 1 year at university at home. We do not have to complete that many assignments as they only count as a small percentage of my overall mark for the year. Exams are more important at home.

On Friday the 7th of September, I attended the free bowling night in Rocky Mount with the other international students. Although I am not very good at bowling, it was still good "craic" (craic in Northern Ireland means "fun").  I often say "what's the craic" to people and get weird looks, but it actually means "How are you".

Last weekend, I watched my first American football game and I did not understand it one bit. I couldn't believe how long the matches take -- it took around 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to half time!  Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will understand it a bit better though. Back home, I play rugby, so it was good to actually see an American football game in person to see how it differs.

Hello from Panther Blogger Chris!

by Chris L., Panther Blogger


Hello, everyone!

My name is Chris and I am from Northern Ireland.  I live in the countryside near a village called Cullybackey, and I have a strong Northern Irish accent.  Back home, I have one sister and my mum and dad.  I love rugby and motorbikes -- Northern Ireland hosts the fastest road race in the world with speeds of 200 mph+ and an average speed of 133.977 mph per lap around a road track, which is crazy to watch!

Map showing where I live in Northern Ireland

County Antrim area where I live

As I am on a 4-year degree course back in Northern Ireland, I will study at Ferrum College for one year and then I will go back to Ireland to finish my degree. My major is business.  I picked Ferrum College mainly because it is set in the countryside, which suits me well since I live in a rural area.  As well as this when I was looking into Ferrum, I saw I could do an agriculture course in my second semester, which I am very interested in doing because my granda is a farmer.

As an international student, Ferrum College has made me feel very welcome. Everyone has been extremely friendly to me so far, which has helped me a lot because I am extremely far away from home!  I hope to take part in some of the Ferrum Outdoors activities which all seem like great fun!  I am only going to be here for one year, but hopefully, it will be a year I will never forget!

Hello from New Panther Blogger Dannica!

by Dannica B., Panther Blogger
 
Hello, everyone!

My name is Dannica, and I am currently a freshman here at Ferrum.  I was born in Huddersfield, England.  I have lived in Greensboro, North Carolina for almost ten years now, but I still have a strong British accent!  I have a small family of three and we call ourselves the three musketeers. I love them dearly and I love my family here at Ferrum too!

Huddersfield, England

Three Musketeers!

I chose Ferrum because the second I stepped foot on campus, I felt at home. I knew Ferrum College was the perfect place for me to attend right away. Ferrum sent me an information package through the mail, and after reading it, I instantly fell in love!  I came here with the intention of majoring in business, but I changed my mind only a few weeks before college started.  I'm now majoring in art and possibly minoring in psychology.  I plan on participating in the art club and possibly joining the dance team later on.  I may also join a sorority. I have many goals in life and one specific short-term goal is to graduate from Ferrum and to have an amazing time throughout my four years here. When I graduate, I plan on being an art therapist for children with disabilities.

One of my paintings

Ferrum has such a beautiful campus, and I've met some extremely friendly people who have made me feel so comfortable.  I've been here for a week now, and I have already met some lifelong friends.  I've already made so many unforgettable and amazing memories that I can't choose a favorite!  I've had so many great laughs with some of the most amazing people ever. I really do love it here and I am so happy I chose Ferrum!  I hope you guys have fun too!

Celebrating the Chinese New Year!

by Chang S., Panther Blogger

February 9th is the Spring Festival - the Chinese New Year. Since both China and Korea have the tradition of lunar New Year, we international students decided to celebrate the Asian New Year together.  To make it more fun, I, as an RA, decided to hold a residence life program using this as a main theme. We invited folks around the campus to come and celebrate this great event. (Apart from the students, we also invited Ms. Sasha Saari, Dr. Basu, and Dr. David Johnson and his wife.)

In order to get a more vivid sense of what the Chinese New Year is like, we specifically demonstrated how to make dumplings -- one of the most traditional types of food served on New Year's Eve. The full process of making dumplings includes several steps. First, we made the noodles needed to cover the dumplings. The noodles were made out of flour and albumen. Secondly, we made the meat stuffing using chopped pork and beef. So as to get better-tasting dumplings, we mixed the meat with ginger and green onion scraps. (The aim of this is to avoid the potential raw smell of the meat.) These first steps were mainly a presentation of us (the Chinese students). For the next step, we "wrapped" the dumplings together, which is the most interesting step because it allowed us to make whatever shapes to design the dumplings. Finally, we cooked the dumplings and served them, enjoying various types of seasonings, such as soy sauce, vinegar and oyster sauce.

I think everyone enjoyed that day. For the Chinese and Korean students, it has been a unique experience to celebrate the New Year overseas. Also, for the rest of the participants, I would say it was a great opportunity to get to know about eastern culture, as well as to share the enjoyable time together.

In Beijing time, February 9th is New Year's Eve. There is always a half-day difference between Beijing time and U.S. eastern time. Apparently, such time differences do not affect people's enthusiasm for the New Year across the globe.

Although the program was a residence area program instead of a campus-wide program, we did actually have people around campus coming. Special thanks to Botao Wu, who proudly served as the chef and brought us such delicious food!

The Inheritance of Virtue

by Chang S., Panther Blogger

It was near midnight when we saw Zhen off. He graduated and left Ferrum, the place where he devoted four years of time. He said it might be the last time he felt the grasslands at Ferrum, and he said he'll miss those lands.

From my perspective, part of being an international student at Ferrum is seeing off seniors like Zhen or the exchange students, along with welcoming new international students. I have already seen three seniors off in one whole year.  And here, three is not as small a number as you might think. We are a small, but close-knit group. We come from different parts of the world:  China, Ethiopia, Northern Ireland, Kenya, Russia, and South Korea.  It is easy to recognize us from the crowds.

The majority of us speak English with a "unique" accent, and in many circumstances, we have difficulty expressing what we want. You might come across one of us in the food court, stammering and trying to order a meal. But those efforts should be respected because they show that we're trying to be a part of the community. The locals should also be respected as they are friendly and try to accept the awkward attempts of the international students. Among these locals, we especially appreciate our advisor, Sasha, Professor Johnson, and the theatre folks. They have been treating us with the greatest generosity, and they build us a home overseas.

I came across a picture of some of the international students and me. The picture was taken on a hiking trip last year when we reached the tip of the mountain. The clear, blue sky formed a perfect harmony with the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the memorable parts about this trip was that it was organized by Mr. Rene Reiner, who had been a former international student at a college in Roanoke and who took on the U.S. nationality a couple of years after he graduated.

Rene told us:  "...When you are my age, you may have a nice job...a fortune. Spend some time with the international students, someone like yourselves as you once were."  Folks like Rene showed their kindness and hung out with him when he was new to the country. Rene had a great time with those locals. He was moved, and so in turn, he wanted to share his time with us - the next generation of internationals. Similar to the way people hold doors for the people after them, even tiny actions pay off.  Seniors receive kindness from their friends, either from native people or from other internationals, and they pass the kindness to those who follow them. Generations and generations on.

Inheritance of virtue -- one of the best things about humanity, I suppose.

Greetings from Ferrum College Student, Chang!

by Chang S., Panther Blogger

Hi, my name is Chang.  I am an international student at Ferrum College, and I am from China. I am currently a sophomore in my second semester.

I made the decision to study here at Ferrum mainly because one of my friends who graduated from here recommended Ferrum to me, and I consider it a great opportunity to study in the United States.  As some might have recognized, Ferrum is a comparatively small-sized and remote school. So honestly, few big events truly occur from time to time, taking into account that there are less than 2,000 students on campus. However, these are the facts that I well understood before I came here, and they still did not affect my decision.

There are actually a number of good things about being in a small and remote school. In the first place, people know each other better than bigger schools -- which is a good thing because this means we can more easily build up communities of friends. Moreover, in a relatively remote area, the whole environment is a lot quieter so that we can get more focused on our work. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ferrum is a splendid spot for natural scenery. It is more than enjoyable to appreciate the beauty of nature!

On the other hand, there are still plenty of activities that you are able to attend. Personally, I believe some of the activities that I have been involved in have made a big difference to me. In terms of work and studying, I have been a PAL tutor for two semesters, helping students with math problems. I also became an RA this semester -- still a newbie, yet gradually getting familiar with this job. Ferrum Outdoors has other fun events and trips that I have experienced. I still remembered last year when we went skiing at Wintergreen -- it was awesome! Apart from these, I also enjoy some individual activities which Ferrum provides me the opportunity to have access to. For instance, during my free time, I can teach myself to play the piano using the rehearsal rooms in the Grousbeck Music Center. And the even more fantastic thing I enjoy is doing celestial observations on starry nights with my astronomical telescope!

I think Ferrum has given me a brand new experience which I have never had before. As a matter of fact, it is the first time I have been in a foreign country. It is interesting and also significant to understand cultural differences so that we can build up friendly relationships and get more involved in the community. Folks at Ferrum are really kind to me, and they have been teaching me lots of meaningful things, either in class or out of class. The economic classes and business classes have greatly enhanced my perspectives toward day-to-day issues. Jobs help me to better communicate and interact with people, and they let me know what responsibility means. Critical thinking has taught me to make better decisions.

This is just an overall view about me. I'll be telling you guys some more fun stuff about my experiences at Ferrum. Thanks!

Greetings from Ferrum College Student Blogger, Addissew!

BY ADDISSEW, A PANTHER BLOGER

My name is Addissew, and I’m a freshman majoring in biology and minoring in psychology.  I’m originally from Ethiopia. I came to the United States about a year ago.  I moved with my family to a city called Falls Church in Virginia. I had moved in the middle of my senior year of high school and was able to graduate by the end of the academic year. I found out about Ferrum College through the help of my College and Career Advisor, who helped me in applying to the college before the deadline passed since most of the deadlines for other colleges had passed.

I got an acceptance letter and a scholarship from Ferrum College, as well as from the other colleges I had applied to. The location of Ferrum College attracted me since it has an isolated campus which is beneficial to concentrate on school work and there are fewer distractions compared to a campus located in or near a city. Both the drive to Ferrum and its campus have beautiful scenery! One feels close to nature in Ferrum with the fresh air, lots of trees, a pond with different types of ducks and the occasional sight of deer grazing.

The teacher-to-student ratio is effective in that a teacher knows all his/her student and is able to help any student having troubles with the course material. Additionally, the Writing and Math Centers aid students with their course materials when the professors are unavailable.  Academic assistance is abundant at Ferrum.