Contact Information
The Spectator
From Where I Sit: Hamilton's International Perspective
by Lennox Chitsike '13Features Contributor
October 30, 2009
August 12, 2009 was just a new day, a day of a towering accomplishment, and the dawn of a new life full of promises and dreams. I found myself for the very first time leaving Zimbabwe and getting on a plane to America.
My life was in a state of a dramatic transformation vis- a-vis those ordinary and humdrum days of my life roaming the streets of my 'ghetto-hood'. I still recall the sense of triumph that gripped me during that jet lagging, albeit exciting, 24- hour journey. I enjoyed every moment as I had beautiful thoughts of meeting people in a world of different cultures and races at Hamilton College, on the Hill. I was on a launch pad to success.
The road to Hamilton, however, was long and tortuous, which made me realize my abilities and who I really was. All this excitement that I have today can't dim the memory of the devastation and heartbreak that I felt in April 2008. Hamilton College had waitlisted me! It was during that period that my country was going through an unprecedented tailspin and most people were giving up on their dreams. For me hope was the only thing I had left. I reapplied to Hamilton because the waitlist option had yielded nothing. I had to wait again in another painstaking limbo until the fateful day when the early decision Hamilton applicants were notified about whether or not they had been accepted to Hamilton. I remember walking briskly across the streets of Harare to meet my educational advisor who had left a mind-blowing voice message on my father's cell, "Lennox is going to Hamilton, and he should come to see me ASAP."
The joy continued as I embarked on my AA trip. Even in that short time, I learned a lot about them and American life. I told them anecdotes about my life back home and the culture of Zimbabwe. The AA bubble sadly, suddenly popped when classes began and I was surrounded, again, by new faces on the Hill. I could not speak to my 'old' friends because they were scattered all over the campus. The social atmosphere felt so oppressive, the food tasted terrible and the language barrier made my situation even worse. I sorely missed the good times I had spent with my family, friends in Harare and the days I had gorged myself on sadza (Zimbabwe staple that can I comfortably eat 24/7).
A false start was just what it was. After all, life itself is not always a triumphant procession along a primrose path. I will always remember the challenges I experienced during that transition. What matters today is whether I am brave enough to say, "Bring it on!" I never really thought I would live to see the day when I would have a bunch of friends go to a party like the Farm Party and have fun or look forward to every meal in McEwen. If you want to remain friends with me then don't try to make me share my salmon from Commons or chicken wrap from the Diner. You are warned!
Ever since the day the plane took off into the blue sky from Harare International Airport, I have been transcending barriers and life has been an exhilarating adventure. I have seen my old self fading away, reforming itself into a better someone. I have had times when I was convinced that I had to move out of my cocoon and comfort zone to explore this new nexus to the good life.
My mind used to be boggled by certain social practices but today I have become part of them because I have grown to gladly embrace challenges. I used to wonder why Americans greet you when you are still far away, sometimes when they do not have the vaguest idea who you are. Today I find myself parting my lips to smile to someone I do not even know. All my life I lived by a social commandment, "You shall not speak to a stranger unless you are spoken to," and I restrained myself from expanding my horizons. I used to think sciences were the only subjects I should take, until someone changed my mind. One thing Hamilton has taught me is to be responsible, to think independently and to have aesthetic appreciation even for the seemingly simple things around me.
Every now and then I encounter someone who questions my beliefs and principles. Such moments give me the chance to soul-search, to say what I really think and feel, and right those wrongs that people think about my country. There have been several occasions when people have asked me what I thought about many aspects about my life, where I come from, my stand on the president. I wonder how many students can be asked those same questions and be prepared to answer them on the spot. Yet if I were not here then I would never get the chance to respond to these questions. I am learning about the beauty of multiculturalism, and it is finally dawning on me that you learn to respect people first, show compassion in discord, and you live and let live. You appreciate that mutuality because people just love you back for who you are and not what you are.
During my first days on the Hill, a friend decided to share her cake just because we had the same birthdays. The miracles kept on happening on that day as I got another present that read "Happy Birthday Lennox. From your Root Hall Family." Well, that's so sweet; but how did they find out about my birthday? Well, it doesn't take long to find out for people who really care! I felt loved and welcomed.
Now I understand that it is not only what you achieve on your own that gives you a reason to live but sometimes those new souls you meet and now cannot imagine a life without. In Economics, a class outside of my comfort zone, I have learned about the positive 'externalities' that a neighbor can bring upon your well-being, and it is along those lines that I have come to appreciate the selflessness, friendliness and altruistic nature of the Hamilton Community.
The very first time I called my family the first question they asked me was whether the people were friendly. That was the fear that haunted my family before I came here. My little sister wept bitterly because she felt I wasn't going to blend with the new people. My grandmother, althoughhappy that I was coming here, was also apprehensive about my new life in a different world.
All my life I have depended for strength on my family and my wish is that one day they will see that the meandering journey to Hamilton was worth every step I took. How I would have loved my mother to live long enough to see one of the great fruits of her womb: my monumental achievement to become a Hamilton College student.
Today I am in a world with folks that inspire me to put effort to every little thing that I do to put a smile not only on my face but theirs too. I still live by one principle:"I might not be the best in the world, but where the best go I shall strive to go and whatever their great exploits are such I shall try to perform."