Home Away from Home

By Chase Godfrey Staff Writer

Everyone has their home away from home, whether it is a friend’s house or another family member’s place. It can even be in another state or even another conutry, in all we have a place that we can look to and think of home in our lives. In this story I have two warmhearted students who found a home away from home here at East Central. 

There are hundreds of kids who moved from cities, states, and even countries away, to attend East Central. But today I want to talk about two individuals, Patrick Harrison, and Koen Gemeri who are both foreign Exchange Students. These two amiable men play for the soccer team at East Central. 

 Pattrick Harrison is an 18-year-old freshman first-year student at East Central who is majoring in nursing and plays on our men’s soccer team with his older brother James Harrison. who is a sophomore second-year student, Pattrick Moved here from Quebec, Canada. In July of this summer and went attend East Central right after getting settled here in the U.S. Patrick’s plans for after East Central is to attend a four-year college for soccer. 

Now Koen Gemeri, Koen is a sophomore second-year student at East Central, who moved here from Gold Coast, Australia, Koen is majoring in business. Along with playing on the men’s soccer team at East Central, Koen moved to the U.S. In August of 2023 but attended a transfer college in Mississippi, to then transfer to East Central the start of the school year. Koens plans for after East Central is to go to a four-year college to play soccer.  

These two driven boys left their home countries to pursue their dreams of playing soccer in America. I had the remarkable opportunity to talk to both these fine gentlemen, about why they wanted to move here to America, and what factors like school, sports, home, and social life make a difference or impact on where you are today. And these two boys’ answers were noteworthy to say the least.  

When talking to both boys, I asked them what made them decide on moving to America, especially at their youthful age. They both responded with soccer, they made it clear to me that they both wanted to play soccer in America. Like Koen for Example he expressed to me “I was not too sure on what to do after I graduated high school, so I just attended a University in Australia after being there for a while I could tell that it was not for me, and that I inevitably wanted to go move to America to play soccer.” After he came to that decision Koen got together with his agency. An Agencey is workers from there conutry who have experience playing sports in America, which gives them connections to American colleges that help network their students to play in America, which most international students have.  

Well, this was not the same for Patrick’s case, when I asked Patrick if he had an agency and that is how he got connected to East Central he told me. “My main reason for coming here was that my brother already being at East Central and playing soccer here. He really recommended me to come join him here and made a big impact on my decision.” Unlike Koen, Patrick’s brother James played a key role in his enrollment here at East Central and sports career too.  

Along with that, we talked a lot about their transition here, after they made their decision on coming to East Central. Both boys had similar responses to this. Patrick conveyed to me “It is kind of the same format and aspects, ideas. For me it really felt like a fresh start since I took a leap year after I graduated high school, to focus more on soccer to then transfer here.” He also stated to me that his brother James helped him out a lot, Patricked pointed out to me that his brother let him find his way around campus on his own. So, he could naturally find his way around.  

As for Koen, he felt and had a similar experience, on campus and campus life. He indicated to me “It an easy transition from Australian school system since I already went to a university, the differences were that a lot of classes in Australia are more complex then here. Like a lot of classes that I took in high school or being taught here at the college, which made for an easier transition into college.” Both boys had a trouble-free transfer to East Central and have adjusted well to the campus life and school itself overall.  

One thing they both were very admit about was the soccer team, and how they helped their transition into the school much easier and more wholesome. Koen proclaimed to me “Having people from all around the world playing on team was not that hard to adjust to, since we are all playing for one goal, and its soccer. The team hyped us up and made us feel very important and involved they were very welcoming to me, and I really appreciate and thank them very much.” Koen made it clear that even though everyone is from various places, it was easy to adjust since many of them were in the same boat, which helped Koen connect with his teammates more.  

As for Patrick, he had a similar response and answer when it came to this, “Yeah having the soccer team made it easier to transition, seeing familiar faces on campus, twenty-two brothers to come to when I need something or someone to talk to. With having at least someone on my team in each of my classes to look to and be able to talk to.” Patrick was deeply passionate about his team and players; he deeply cares about them and sees them as family. 

When it came to transitioning outside of schooling and sports, both the boys had some exceptional answers and unique hobbies. For Koen since he is form the coast, he really misses the weather and the sea and beach. But outside of that in Koens free time he enunciated that “it was difficult find things to do in my free time, especially at first, living with the soccer team really helped, since there were four of us living together it made it easier and more comfortable to hang around them, when I had free time outside of school and soccer.” When talking with Koen, he is an independent and motivated person. He prioritizes his schooling and soccer and is highly organized with his thoughts, words and works.  

As for Patrick, adjusting for him at first was something to get used to, but living with soccer boys slowly got him out of his shell and did more activities with them in his free time. When talking to Patrick over the phone I could hear his roommates having a ball in the background, laughing, and joking around with each other. Patrick disclosed to me “It is new living with the other guys, I’m somewhat used to living with new people. Since when I played soccer with a program in Canda, I was actually with a foster family for the time I was there. So, when I moved in with the boys and teammates, it was funnier now and is always a fun vibe having someone to hang out with and create a fun environment.” Patrick also expressed to me that in his free time he and his teammates would go out to eat and find things to do in Union or just usually hang out around their apartment complexes and get to know the other students living there. He and his friends are excited about Piccadilly’s new golf and go kart course that is being built right across from the apartments they live at, he expressed that he was excited to able to go there and do things with his friends.  

Some of the last topics we talked about were overall how they have enjoyed their time here in America and favorite things here. Koens was the food he revealed to me “The food here is a lot of fast food, it’s nice to get something quick and easy to get food and it’s very convenient.” He went onto to tell me that a lot of the food in Australia is healthier and less processed here in America. He appreciates the food, and culture, but overall, he loves the sports and his soccer opportunity that he is able to express here and show off in America.  

Patrick voiced to me that overall, he appreciates the American culture, and fast-food chains to elaborating that in Canda they do not have as much fast-food places to eat at. Mostly because a lot of the food there is more fleshier and home grown, he goes into more that “Where I grew up in the country so going to St. Louis, and seeing the social life and nightlife, was really cool since I did not really have a lot of that where I used to live. Also, the Sports aspects is much better in the U.S. it has a way bigger view on sports, along with how much opportunities America gives for sports.” He went into detail that where he was at school, all the sports that were offered, you had to pay to play, which limited a lot of people could not afford or balance it. But he said that when he found out that a lot of American school sports came with going to that school, he found it more inclusive that way.  

Lastly, I asked both the boys one last question. Theoretically, putting everything aside would you rather live in America? or move back to your home Conutry? And the answers they gave me were memorable at that. Koen started off by stating that he is a big family person, and he loved to be closer to them and visit them more often, so for that he would have to choose Australia. He goes into more detail about it “Australia, everything it offers and everything they have. Like I said before I like the beaches and coast and I don’t really get to do that here, also I’m just more used to the lifestyle and way of life in Australia and it feel more home to me but overall America and Australia are pretty much the same, so I wouldn’t be missing much.” He really talked a lot about the weather and coast in Australia being prefect and misses it a lot, which for him played a big part in his decision.  

Patrick on the other hand, had a different answer than Koen. Patrick well expressed that he would choose to live in America rather Canada, Patrick illustrated his reasoning why “I would say America, Canada is very nice place do not get me wrong, I just do not care for their government, income, tax, in Canada. I would like my kids to grow up with things and opportunities that I did not have when I was younger, sports, schooling. I wish I grew up here and experienced high school that you have here in America and give them the life that deserve.” Patrick went into more detail with this by saying how schooling and sports played such a crucial part in his decision on this question. Like he said above having that American high school opportunity was something that he wanted to participate and be a part of, which goes hand in hand with sports and sports opportunities that America offers that other countries do not. 

Thus, after talking two these two gentlemen, they were very mature and versatile boys that will keep shooting for the future they want for themselves and their future self’s. Both these boys were outstanding speakers and were thoughtful and sincere with each of their answers a thought. You can see all the demanding work they put into their schoolwork and sports; I personally go to see the other side of these boys that is not really shown. I have a class with both of them and they light up the room with their sociable and welcoming attitude, they are always joking and laughing with their friends and professors putting a smile on everyone’s face. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to show off this colorful gracious side of them, and know they have a home away from here at East Central.