Perspectives on Green Bay from an Exchange Student

Our blog this week is written by Anastasia Eka, an exchange student at NWTC, who tells us of her findings about spending a year here studying!


 I arrived in Green Bay on July 30, 2014 after 24 hours flight from my country (Indonesia). I’m studying Digital Media and Technology in Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Below are some interesting things I have experienced so far or things that I have learned from the people. It is put in chronological order of the Season (to make it easier!) ;

SUMMER

- The Sun rises before 6AM and the Sunset is at (around) 9-10PM. On the first day I was like: What’s going on here? The next day, and the next day and the next day… I took it as ‘magical experience”. As a person who’s getting used to 12 hours Sunshine (6AM-6PM) for the rest of her life, I believe it’s just the way the nature taught me about the beauty it has in every different part of the world.

         

 -Green Bay Botanical Garden, Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, The Door County area, Green Bay City Hall, Green Bay Court House, the meeting with Mayor Jim Schmitt: beautiful nature, beautiful buildings, beautiful people!

           

-Being in class in NWTC with another students, doing class project, be able to communicate with the instructors, program coordinator and other International students are equal to unforgettable life time experience.

         

 -Packers! I attended the Packers Family Night on August, 2014. I saw people were enthusiast and proud for their team. I never seen such a massive supporters for the team. I appreciated it – I really proud of Green Bay people because they love their Packers! You can see it in their eyes. When they talk about the Packers, there are that sparkle that says: that’s our team – we are the winner.

FALL

 - The leaves changed its color: beautiful nature. I never experienced the season before, so it was exciting to see the colorful trees all around the area.

 -National heritage hills, Bay beach amusement park, New Zoo are the places I went during the season. The weather was getting colder and colder, but the places are beautiful to explore.

 - I was amazed when I visited National Heritage Hills, the history are so alive. The guides are so professional. They even dressed like people who lived in the 18^th century. This is something that we don’t have yet in my city - back in Indonesia.

 -Daylight savings time (another first time experience!) – turned my clock one hour backward – I was amazed (and confused at the same time). Later, I know the reason by googling it.

 -Halloween =  Cookies, Candies, and Costumes (3C).

 -During an audio podcast presentation, a friend of mine in class put a picture of The US flag on the screen and there were the words that saying: I am proud to be an American. I think it is a very positive way to show how much you love your country!

WINTER

  -Snow! This is the first time I experienced snow. I have seen snow before on the television, movies or somewhere around the internet. Was able to see the snows falling from the sky was magical experience – and touched it with my fingers was 100% fun. Then, I have to explain what snow looks like to my Indonesian family or friends that never seen it (need to be as creative as I can and I ended up compares it to a white cotton candy) – this part was 50% fun.

  - The Fall Semester is ended. A lot of help from the instructors, the NWTC staffs, another students helped me to get a good grade. I am impressed by the education culture and how helpful and supportive the staff and the American students are!

I can’t wait for the Spring… And I will explore more exciting things about Green Bay for the next 4 months before going back to Indonesia!