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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM News WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008
Celebrations around the world
International students have opportunities to celebrate more than just Fourth of July in the U.S.
SACHIKO MIYAKAWA smiyakawa@kansan.com
People in Lawrence this year will celebrate Independence Day by watching fireworks sparkling over the Clinton Lake. However, the university has more than 1,500 international students hailing from more than 110 countries for whom the American independence day isn't their first independence holiday. Other international students residing in Lawrence celebrate their independence by marching on streets, in high schools and on the beach.
1. JOSÉ ESPINOSA-MACHADO, PANAMA
It wasn't easy for José Espinosa-Machado, Lawrence senior, to partake in America's freedom as an immigrant from Panama.
Coming to the U.S. became possible when both his parents received Fulbright Scholarships in 1988 to attend graduate school in Texas.
Life was hard in Panama after the U.S. tried to remove Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian military general, and froze Panama's assets in the late 1980s. Jose said many Panamanians experienced financial hardship during the period.
"My mom was like, 'Let's get out of here. We can escape this hardship at least now,'" he said.
His family came to the U.S. just before the government invaded Panama in 1989, after which the U.S. government cut Jose's parents' scholarships.
After Jose's parents lost their scholarships, his father went back to Panama and his mother Maritza
stayed behind with her three children. She had no relatives in the U.S. and didn't speak English well. The reason she didn't return to Panama was because she couldn't afford the airline tickets back home.
Maritza didn't
"People are always thinking out-side the limitations. I think that is why the country is so great and progressive."
have any money and got multiple jobs. She started work at a manufacturing factory, cleaned other people's houses and washed dishes at a Chinese restaurant.
Maritza moved to Lawrence in 1991 with her three children. Maritza started working for the KU Academic Programs for Excellence and became the director in 1996. She recently earned a doctorate in education.
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
MARTIZA ESPINOSA-MACHADO
Mother of Jose Espinosa-Machado
In Brazil, people wear green and yellow clothes for their Independence Day. Odessa Reis graduated from the University last year. "I heard a lot of Americans are scared of Brazil. They heard it's dangerous," she said. "Brazilians are friendly and warm people."
When she was young, her family could not afford her tuition and she gave up a dream to be an architect. She said she wanted her children
Finally, she was hired as a Spanish graduate teaching assistant position in Kentucky and earned her master's degree.
to have better opportunities.
"I wanted them to pick what they wanted to study and pursue," she said. "I think that was my motivation."
Maritza said Panama had as much freedom as the U.S.
"I have the
Mindv Ricketts/KANSAN
José is taking advantage of being in a university that offers many opportunities to its students. He is majoring in East Asian languages and cultures, studies Japanese, plays in the KU marching band and is a
same freedom I had in my country: the freedom to pursue my work, to pursue what I like doing," she said. "I won the scholarship and I came to study. Many things changed and I had to stay. But I had many opportunities in my country, too."
Panama celebrates the day of Separation from Columbia with music and parades. José Espinosa-Machado came from Panama to the U.S. in 1988. He said, "I remember random things. My mom had a garden in the back. She grew tropical fruits and vegetables."
She said one of the main advantages of the U.S. was its people who accepted different ideas and struggled to search for what would develop the country and make a better life.
"People are always thinking outside the limitations," Maritza said. "I think that is why the country is so great and progressive."
Panama has several holidays in November, including the day of separation from Columbia and the day of independence from Spain. Maritza said the separation from Colombia was the biggest holiday among them. She said the whole month was busy with parades and parties. Panamanians celebrate the country's independence in high school, neighborhoods and in the streets.
Services, web services for AIESEC and teaching salsa dancing lessons at the University.
member of the Ballroom Dance Club and DanceSport. His jobs include working at Supportive Educational
Despite all of his activities, José said he still felt like he didn't belong anywhere.
He has been in the
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attracted people from around the world.
However, he said he occasionally faced rejection or discrimination. He said people stared at him when he was the only non-white in a group of his white friends. People have been impatient with him even though he
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He has been in the U.S.for almost 20 years and likes the country's diversity. He said the U.S. offered opportunities that had
speaks English fluently. He said in restaurants some waiters and waitresses did not treat him as well as