At the beginning of this school year I attended a Language Garden Project at Columbus Global Academy (CGA – a school for refugee and immigrant children transitioning to life in America). This effort is run by  Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) – a refugee resettlement agency in Columbus, with the goal of  turning the school’s courtyard into a therapeutic garden complete with a mural featuring flags as well as flora from the different nationalities represented at the school.

Mural at the CGA courtyard

Later, I was invited to be a part of a committee to form an on campus student organization for CRIS – CRIS Connect – that will serve as a liaison between CRIS, the Ohio State student body and growing number of OSU mentors in CRIS, and the Columbus community. It’s been interesting being a part of an organization that is still in the process of being formed. At first I was intimidated, because I wasn’t sure how I could be of help as a freshman. However, the other members of the committee have been absolutely welcoming. I’ve been inspired by their accomplishments and leadership abilities as upperclassmen. I’ve also learned so much, not only about the work done through CRIS, but also about how student organizations can be formed at OSU.

Having recently moved to the United States, I can understand the strangeness and scariness of cross-cultural transition. My own transition has been far different from those who have been forced to leave their home countries due to traumatic circumstances, but it has fueled my value of CRIS’s core mission – to provide support for Columbus’s international community.