Nigeria and Italy

Wisconsin Public Radio featured a special series of programs called “Not From Around Here.” The programs aired Mondays at 7 p.m. beginning on May 22, 2017. The series is produced by UW-Superior student Olivia Shalaby. Shalaby has been working as a reporter for KUWS-FM (91.3) Wisconsin Public Radio in Superior.

The series of programs featured interviews with six international students studying at UW-Superior and the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Students hail from Italy, Japan, Syria, Guatemala, Nigeria, and Peru.

The first half-hour includes an interview with Obiageoi Ekwunwa, a student from Abuja, Nigeria. She shares her reason for choosing to leave home to get her degree in the United States.

“My parents always wanted the best for me. According to them, the school back home cannot be compared to the school here,” she said. “In order for me to get the best, I have to go to one of the best places, so that’s why I’m here.”

The second half-hour features an interview with Vittorio Bontempi, a student from Ancona, Italy. He shares his reasons for moving to the United States and his passion behind studying biology in order to conduct cancer research.

“The main purpose of doing cancer research is about my mother. My mother died when I was three years old of brain cancer. I kind of wanted to do something for her,” he said. “Even if I’m probably not going to find the cure of cancer because people have been trying for many, many years. Even if we now have a better technology of that than they had like 200 years ago, I think that still trying is going to make me feel better with myself.”

The students share their experiences abroad, cultural differences, stereotypes and views about studying in the Twin Ports and the U.S. They also share their opinions on the current political climate towards foreigners.