I cannot believe that I have been in the United States for almost eight months; it feels like I just arrived yesterday. Anyway, I am in my second semester now, which in the United States, they call it “Spring Semester.” Before we talked about this semester, I would like to share a little bit of my experience in the previous semester. It had its ups and downs because I was new and still adjusting with the process. Moreover, the language was also one of the barriers for me, and sometimes it took a bit of time to understand the lesson. However, I managed it in the end and got a satisfying result.

So far, this second semester is my favorite because we have a theory and practical class. My cooking class is amazing and enjoyable because I can learn different cooking techniques and cook various foods from all over the world.

In another class, I also did a presentation about Timor-Leste to students and staff at the school. This event, called “Lunch and Learn,” occurs every month and features a new country each time. I did my presentation on February 18th, and it was well attended by students from various programs, international fellows, and staff. Apart from the PowerPoint itself, I also cooked Timorese food to serve, and surprisingly it came out well. Everyone loves the food, and they were so interested to learn about Timor-Leste. Some of my friends cried during the presentation; they said they got emotional, and they could see how much I love this tiny island from my eyes.

I had a plan to travel to Miami on spring break. Unfortunately, I canceled it due to the coronavirus outbreak. The school has had to transition to online classes for a couple weeks. It is not easy for me, but there nothing we can do besides stay home, stay healthy, and pray. Wish me luck for this semester!

Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Healthy!