International students to share Western experiences May 16

In celebration of Scholars Week at Western Washington University, the Center for International Studies invites the Western community to hear from two international students about their cultural adjustments and studies at Western.

The presentations will take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, in Miller Hall Room 258. This event is free and open to the public.

“Living at Home Far from Home” - Shilla Adyero, from Uganda to Western

Adyero is a human rights activist from Uganda who is currently a student at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies. She has spent the past academic year studying and living at Fairhaven. She will talk about her experiences adjusting to a new life style, food, and culture in a foreign land. She will also reflect on how one can manage the cultural differences encountered when you’re at home but far from home.

“My Fulbright Moments at Western” - Karina Pokoiakova, from Russia to Western

As a Fulbright Scholar from Russia, Pokoiakova has spent the past nine months at Western conducting research for her Ph.D. thesis in linguistics. Learn what led her to choose Western and her reflections on living and learning in the Western community. Karina will also talk about her research to identify the ethno-cultural peculiarities of gender stereotypes in different cultures which may lead to failures in cross-cultural communication.

The Center for International Studies sponsors this lecture series so that Western faculty, staff, and students who have had significant international experiences can share the perspectives they have gained with the larger community. For more information contact CIS at 360-650-7544.

Pokoiakova