Freshman Mohammed Hussien moved from Sudan to the United States. Hussien says he adapted, and it continues to affect his life.  

“The biggest change is getting to know a lot of people and learning a second language; but now, I can speak English fluently, and it’s a lot easier to talk to people now without stressing myself out,”  Hussien said.

Hussien was born in Sudan and lived there until 2015. Then, he moved to New Jersey. In 2017, he moved to Harrisburg, and to Altoona in 2021, but he found a home in Sudan. 

“Home was like, I was always around family and friends, and it was a great time in my life. What made it a great time was I had a lot of time to spend with my family and friends. Everyday I would wake up and see my family, it’s different from now,” Hussien said. 

Hussien agreed that moving from one country to another was a big change, but he found a way to adapt. 

“I adapted by involving myself in a lot of things and getting to know the country well, the people well and just how to live here,” Hussien said. 

 Even with his friends by his side, there were still some ups and downs. 

“The easiest part was when I moved, there were a lot of people from where I came from. We would talk in Arabic, and they taught me English. The hardest part of moving was of course, learning a new language and talking to people I’ve never met before,” Hussien said. 

Hussien admits that  though he likes it here he misses home, even if there are differences between Sudan and the United States.

“It’s different from now because I don’t see my family much. So now we just stay in contact, but I can’t really see them in person. Some of the things I miss though are the things I would do with my friends and family. Everyday we would wake up and go play sports; now I can’t really do that,” Hussien said. “Things that are different from my country here like I said about health care and education. In my country, if you wanted healthcare, you had to pay a ton of money. With education, you would have to pay a lot of money every year. Similarities are the people, when I came here I met a lot of gentlemen and nice people and that’s how it goes in my country. Everyone you meet is really nice to you, genuine and honest.”