Jaclyn Figg
Staff Writer
Being thrown into a culture different from a person’s own, across an ocean, where the natives speak a foreign language during the first years of adulthood can be a tough endeavor.
Many students from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait take this journey eagerly to be immersed in a different culture, learn about the world and get an education at the same time.
For some, the small town lifestyle of Pocatello, Idaho is hard to get used to.
Sultan Alharbi is a civil environmental engineering student from Saudi Arabia; he previously spent time in Staten Island New York where he was studying English as a second language.
“I came here because I am stuck here; back in Saudi Arabia I had to get an approval letter from the institution here, the English language center and the university.” He added, “I told them ‘I don’t want Pocatello, throw me in Boise it’s okay,’ and then I got an approval from Pocatello and there was no time.”
Pocatello is growing rapidly, but the community is still not as diverse as you might see in larger cities.
Ahmed, a student who wished to only be referenced by his first name, went to school in Cleveland, Ohio. “They are multicultural, more open minded than here, so it is much nicer there than here. So are the people,” Ahmed said, who also expressed a love for the city life.
Pocatello is home to approximately 54,350 people, compared to 214,237 in Boise, Idaho, 390,113 in Cleveland Ohio and 472,621 in Staten Island New York; with smaller populations, there are lower crime rates usually associated with them.
There are people who prefer the city life, but just as likely there are going to be people who prefer the safety of a small town.
“I feel comfortable; if you asked me to live in another place in America I would say no, I feel safe here with my family and my kids,” said Awwad Alotaibe, a student from Saudi Arabia studying computer information systems.
Although Alotaibe feels most comfortable in Pocatello, he has come across people who have treated him unfairly.
“Someone in WinCo put their finger in my face, my kids and my wife and said, ‘Talk English! Speak English!’” said Alotaibe.
He said that he did not mind as much because it was an elderly person and he was taught to respect his elders.
“For old people I don’t care. For an old man I just ignore it because it will take long time and it’s a respect thing,” Alotaibe said.
The Idaho State University Policies and Procedures Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment states, “Idaho State University is committed to maintaining a working and learning environment that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment and in which every member of the campus community is treated with dignity and respect.”
It prohibits discrimination and harassment due to a person’s race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin and any disabilities among others things.
“The other day I met with my instructor, and he is not a good instructor, actually in my opinion he doesn’t like the Arabian people. He told me ‘all of you Kuwaiti and Saudi Arabian people came here to cheat.’ It’s not good, that’s why I don’t like this state,” said civil engineering student Bader Almutairi who is from Kuwait. He studied in Florida and explained that the people there were much different, they were nicer and he felt welcome.
There are Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti students who have felt comfortable with the community surrounding ISU and there are those who haven’t.
How a person treats another day-to-day is up to them, but like the golden rule reminds us “treat others how you want to be treated.”
“I like the town, I have no problem with the town,” said Alharbi, “98% of the people, no problem.”
