International PC graduate and Buc alumna checks in
Viewpoint by Evelyn Koumtingue
It was late fall and the time of the day provided just enough light to observe the characteristics of deciduous and evergreen vegetation: aspens, maple trees, junipers, conifers, ferns, dandelions, etc. in an environment swarming with happy little critters.
This was Mr. Tisch’s botany class happening in the idyllic environment, steps away from the classroom, at Peninsula College in 2003.
I was then an international student freshly arriving from Chad, with very broken English and utterly different worldviews, but I was filled with excitement for the world of opportunities opening up to me. It didn’t take me much to feel at home learning multimedia and journalism.
I still fondly remember and respect the expertise and passion of Ann Brewer, Jim Fisher, Ed Tish, Mia Boster and Rich Riski who all groomed me to seek excellence in my work and to continue to cultivate intellectual curiosity throughout my life. Vicki Sievert and my library cheering squad kept me laughing through it all.
I have been to places and back. I’ve worked for international organization giants around the world, International Rescue Committee, UNICEF and International Federation of the Red Cross, and yet, my humble beginnings at Peninsula College remain the treasure of my heart.
I still feel embarrassed thinking back on those days when, as a good Chadian lady desperate for more meat on her bones, I was ignored or outright rebuked for kindly complimenting the obese strangers on campus or on the streets.
Despite the myriad of naive cultural faux pas, my initiation to the American culture at PC eased me into my new life as a proud American citizen straddling different time zones.
There are images, smells, feelings, places and experiences that warm each one of us with nostalgia.
That special place capable of bringing up sweet memories in my heart is Peninsula College, standing majestically at the foothills of Olympia Mountain in Port Angeles. As I contemplate returning to school for a PhD program now, I feel even closer to my Pirates’ roots.
Peninsula College graduate and Buc aluma Evelyn Koumtingue with her children Togue, 10, Mantar, 5 and Robh, 9 at home in Geneva, Switzerland.