Midterm

Michelle Matthews has not had a typical childhood. She was born in the United States in 1900 and before her first birthday she moved over 3,000 miles away to Indonesia. Since then she has lived in four countries and has traveled to over 30.

The University of Oklahoma sophomore came to the United States when her parents decided she should have a "normal" college experience. She is in a sorority, economics club, and tutors student athletes at the university. She appears to be like every other student, but she can speak three languages and has lived in the United States for less than two years.

Norway has 7 universities with about 24,500 attending each year. There are 34 public and two private colleges in the country. They are based on three-year programs, unlike the United States four-year program. The United States has thousands of Universities and colleges, which appealed to Michelle and her family. Her parents wanted her to have more options and be able to explore different cultures.

Michelle sees her family two to three times a year during the Christmas holiday and in the summertime. She contacts her parents through Skype, postcards, and phone calls. Her parents currently live in Indonesia and she spent her Christmas break there last winter. She is traveled all around the world with her family and has experienced different types of cultures.

Her friends in Norway are very different than her friends in the United States. The types of clothing, music, and slang are completely opposite. One of her favorite parts of going to school in the United States is the school spirit.

"It is really nice to go to a large school with school spirit because we definitely didn't have any school spirit in Norway and I've never seen a football game or anything before," said Michelle.

School in the United States is similar in some ways to Norway, Michelle said, but for the most part it is different than anything she has ever experienced. She said before she arrived she expected college to be similar to the movie Legally Blonde. 


Her roommate, Amanda, did not realized Michelle was not from the United States when they first met and thinks she adjusted well.

"If I didn't know Michelle as well as I do I would just think she's a normal American 20 year-old girl," says Hall, "she's just like anyone else, except she's traveled the world and she's only 19 years old."

Michelle plans to major in economics and international business and go into the Foreign Service and possibly work in an embassy. She hopes to travel to every continent, but wants to graduate from college before she starts traveling again. She hopes to give her kids the same experience her parents gave her.

"I don't know where I'll be when I have kids so I can't say where I'll send them to school. But I do know they'll be lucky if they can get an education in the United States like I have."


Michelle Matthews has traveled to over 30 countries and is only 19 years old. She has spent her first two years in the United States adjusting to college life and learning how to adapt to a new culture.



SLIDESHOW: Kate Brandon, Runs: 1:51

University Professor Raises Awareness of Human Trafficking

Professor Alavi Roksana spoke to students at the University of Oklahoma about human trafficking in the state.  Human trafficking is the illegal trade of humans for use of sex, labor or slavery.

The United States is ranked the number one country in sex trafficking in the world and eighty percent of those are women and half are children.

“300,000 of our own children in the United States are in danger of getting into the sex trade,” said Professor Roksana, “and seventy percent of homeless or runway children come into contact with traffickers in the first 48 hours.”

Oklahoma has the fourth largest number of trafficking cases in the United States. Roksana told stories of trafficking in Tulsa and a nineteen year old in Mustang.

            “So it is happening in our backyard, you might even know some of these people,” Roksana said, “it is very disturbing.”

Roksana encouraged students to look for human traffickers in Oklahoma because they are in the area. She said they could be at a local nail salon, grocery store, or working at a convenience store. In the cases of sex trafficking, they are more difficult to find than others.

 “There is visually no difference between what we would call a willing prostitute for someone who is being trafficked. No difference,” said Roksana, “So it is really convenient for those who use them that say they’re using the ones who choose to be there.”

Roksana reminded students to be aware of the psychological and physical damage that victims have suffered from before trying to help.

“Remember they have been scarcely betrayed and their trust is gone and they really have no trust in anyone,” said Roksana.

Visit oathcoalition.org or call (918) 855-1764 for more information on human trafficking in Oklahoma.  

My slideshow

     This is a lounge in my sorority house. It's nicknamed the "Carnation" because of a rug with the flower on it. I spend a lot of time in here. It's a great room for relaxing and watching TV. I attempt to study in here, but it's almost impossible because someone is always there to distract me. The TV is always playing channel "E" or "Bravo". You always know when someone is about to come in because the squeaky floors are so loud. Sometimes the room is silent, but most of the time there is a phone beeping or a door slamming in the hallway. VIDEO: Kate Brandon, Runtime 00:43