S2E14: Seattle Colleges Conversations with! International Student Sairah My Joy 'Noah' Paubert Yaviankasoa of Madagascar

In this our fourteenth (14th) episode of Season 2, Seattle Colleges host Evan Franulovich interviews international student Sairah My Joy 'Noah' Paubert Yaviankasoa of Madagascar about his experience here at Seattle Colleges and about life in the United States. 

1:37 - Meet Joy!

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Transcript

Evan Franulovich  0:05  
Welcome to Seattle Colleges International Programs and our show 'Conversations with!', where we talk to people that help you understand how you too, can be an international student in the United States and why Seattle Colleges should be your first choice. We'll talk to students and staff and agents and government folks, all kinds of people about what you can expect when you're getting ready to apply or travel here, what you'll experience while you're with us, and how it can all lead to an amazing life. Don't forget to check out the Seattle Colleges International Programs website at intl.seattlecolleges.edu where you can find a treasure trove of information about the school, the programs here and best of all, fill out and submit your application. Again, that's intl.seattlecolleges.edu.

Evan Franulovich  1:07  
Hey, everybody! It's Evan Franulovich here with Seattle Colleges. We are here today with a very special guest all the way from the island nation of Madagascar. Noah, welcome!

Noah  1:21  
Hello, Evan. Thanks for having me.

Evan Franulovich  1:24  
Well, thanks for coming on the show. It's such short notice.

Noah  1:27  
Yeah. Yeah, no problem. I'm glad to be here.

Evan Franulovich  1:31  
 Yeah. Well, it's funny. I just ran into Noah in the hallway. I was doing another project and I was talking to some of our new students. But he is not a new student. How long have you been here?

Noah  1:44  
I arrived late in late December. December. Yeah. During the winter quarter. 

Evan Franulovich  1:50  
Okay, great. 

Noah  1:51  
Yeah. I was not supposed to be here. But... it's a long story.

Evan Franulovich  1:54  
Alright. So you've done winter quarter, spring quarter...

Noah  1:59  
And summer quarter.

Evan Franulovich  2:02  
You did take classes?

Noah  2:03  
Yeah, I had to take classes.

Evan Franulovich  2:04  
All right. Cool. And then you're eligible after three quarters for vacation? Are you going to take a break?

Noah  2:09  
Yeah, I'm taking a break. Actually. 

Evan Franulovich  2:11  
Nice. What are you doing on your vacation time?

Noah  2:14  
Um, hopefully I will have... First I'm going to spend some time with my family. Yeah. And my sister will have a baby soon. So I might spend my time taking care, like helping her. Yeah. And hopefully if I get an authorization by the school, I might work some part time job too. Hopefully.

Evan Franulovich  2:37  
You're looking for some part time work.

Noah  2:39  
Yeah, but I have to get the permit first.

Evan Franulovich  2:43  
Sure. Well, to work on campus, I don't know that you need any special.

Noah  2:47  
Yes. But yeah, for that you have a... you need to have a good timing. And also, it's a bit competitive, because there's a lot of student looking for a job so far. So yeah, I've been trying for a little while. But it was always either it was busy or? Yeah...

Evan Franulovich  3:02  
Sure. Have you tried both Central and North Campus? 

Noah  3:06  
Oh, not not north. Yeah, I've been just in Seattle so far. Yeah. I just tried to look for a job.

Evan Franulovich  3:12  
Oh, yeah. Well, there's a couple other students that I know that work within the school. And then one of them actually had a job at North. And then she had a job here at Central. So it's so close. I mean, if you are...

Noah  3:27  
Lately, I've been I saw a post about their hiring, but I saw like, too late. It was too late for me, so I wasn't prepared for it. So I was okay. Maybe next time, I will try. All right. Well, I'm looking forward to work on campus.

Evan Franulovich  3:42  
Yeah. I know that. I know that Jim hires fairly regularly. Student Leadership, bookstore. Yes. You'll find something at some point. Yeah. Cool. Well, let's talk about how you got here. So you have been living in Madagascar, your youth went to high school there.

Noah  4:00  
Yeah. I was born and raised in Madagascar. And I've never been anywhere else since then. Yeah. So I'm, I'm a south there. I'm from the southern part of Madagascar. So yeah, it's basically a dry land and like, yeah, it's not very accessible city. It's totally different from what we have right now. But I spend like half of my teenage...

Evan Franulovich  4:27  
Your teenage years.

Noah  4:28  
In the capital. 

Evan Franulovich  4:31  
Okay. 

Noah  4:32  
Yeah, which is right in the middle Madagascar. 

Evan Franulovich  4:34  
Right. 

Noah  4:35  
And yeah, I spent quite a lot of time studying there, and then, after I got my high school degree, I went back to my hometown, which is in the south. And I've been studying online classes for two years. In B.A. Business Management. 

Evan Franulovich  4:35  
Great, wow. 

Noah  4:35  
Yeah, and right after that, I came I had an opportunity to, to come here in the United States. And those must have a very inspiring history. Actually, I was just volunteering for this association, which is led by my aunt. So the Association stands for young women that. Okay, let me let me take that. Yeah. So the Association stands for young women that gives our young women or young children an opportunity to study because, you know, from where I came, heading, access to education is a privilege. Yeah, it's a privilege. It's not for all of the for everyone. And especially if you're like, from the countryside, or you're from the, or your parents, a farmer or something like that, you will hardly get the proper education that you need. So my association... Yeah, gives those children's opportunity to go to school. And I've been a part of this. For two years, I've been voluntary teaching English, like the the leader that I know, I was not, I was not a proper teacher, but I just taught what I knew. So. But yeah, this kind of stuff. And then I got noticed that it turns out that my English was good. It's pretty good. I'm not sure about that. But yeah, I wasn't noticed by my aunt. And she, she was surprised because I've never learned English. Everything that or no, it just came from everything that I saw around me, like watching television shows. And so yeah, everything that comes with the American entertainment. And then, yeah, and that she she thought that maybe I will, it will be a great opportunity to, to bring me here. And this was quite long, actually. Because we planned this for like 2018. But due to some financial reason. It didn't happen right away. So we had to wait for for a little while. And then yeah, in 2022 it all it came...

Evan Franulovich  7:24  
Came together. 

Noah  7:25  
Yeah. Come together for me. And...

Evan Franulovich  7:26  
That's cool. 

Noah  7:27  
Yeah, that's, that's just amazing. 

Evan Franulovich  7:29  
That is amazing. So you, so your aunt lives in Seattle?

Noah  7:34  
Yeah. She moved here in the United States in 2007. So... 

Evan Franulovich  7:38  
Okay.

Noah  7:38  
Yeah. And got her American citizenship. I don't remember. Sorry. Yeah. But yeah, she moved here in 2007. With my cousin. Yeah, with her daughter. 

Evan Franulovich  7:50  
Right right. So do you. People always ask about housing options here, at Seattle Colleges. So are you living with your family then? 

Noah  8:01  
No. So my aunt is living in Tacoma. 

Evan Franulovich  8:04  
Oh, so a little ways away. 

Noah  8:05  
It's a little bit further if want... I wanted to study in Seattle Central. 

Evan Franulovich  8:10  
Right. 

Noah  8:10  
Yeah. I've been living with my sister for a little while. But she recently got married and moved with her husband, of course. So now I'm living with a roommate. We're sharing the rent. Oh, nice. Yeah, actually, him and my sister are sharing the right because I'm still not independent. So before now...

Evan Franulovich  8:32  
Which part of town is your apartment?

Noah  8:34  
I live in Chinatown.

Evan Franulovich  8:37  
In Chinatown. That's right. Wow, that's cool part of town. 

Noah  8:39  
Yeah, yeah, I really like it there. 

Evan Franulovich  8:41  
Yeah, that's great. So you arrived in the winter, you've done a couple, you've done three quarters now, which is really great. And what's your major? 

Noah  8:50  
So I was initially going to major in nursing, but then I sort of I figured out like, it wasn't really for me. So I might switch... It's not that I might, but I'm going to switch into Hospitality Management and also minor in culinary arts. Very cool. Hopefully, I can excel in both of those.

Evan Franulovich  9:13  
So do you so to do that, do you have to reapply? Or do you talk to your advisor and they just switch your major or?

Evan Franulovich  9:21  
Actually, it's already in the process all had to do is to talk with an advisor and they just gotta throw. Just update my, my F1 student, my F1.

Noah  9:32  
Oh, that's great. 

Evan Franulovich  9:33  
That's it. And you'll do that work here at Central or will you go to South because I know that program exists?

Noah  9:40  
Oh, yes. So for the culinary arts, I might go south. Okay. But I think strategically speaking, I will do that at last because I want to I still want to study hospitality management. So it's my major and I want to prioritize that one first. So I might spend a couple left a couple of years studying, just focusing on on that, and then maybe older Culinary Arts at last.

Evan Franulovich  10:06  
All right, yeah, that's cool. So a lot of students want to know about how, especially from Sub Saharan Africa, you know, getting a visa sometimes is very challenging. So when you went through the process, from the time you got your i 20, when you were accepted at Seattle Colleges, how long did it take before you were able to do your interview?

Noah  10:29  
Actually, for me, everything went smooth from the moment I started the process, but I think the most challenging part is gathering the financial document. Because especially it's going to, it's going to be more challenging if you came from a poor country, or you have no one living here in the US. Because in the financial document, you have to provide a statement from the bank. Saying that you have you need this amount of money for for for social, or expenses for the living expense, and tuition and all everything, right. And it always comes around 23,000 to $25,000 per year. Yeah, but the but for someone for people that don't have like, maybe high paid job or cannot don't have those savings, savings in their account, that can be problematic, because it might reduce your chance to get accepted into a college or in a university. But in order to get your visa, you need the approval approval from the college, or you need to be accepted from a college or university. 

Evan Franulovich  11:49  
Right. 

Noah  11:50  
And after that everything will go smooth with the embassy and all this stuff. 

Evan Franulovich  11:54  
Really?

Noah  11:54  
Yeah. As long as you have, as long as you're accepted in the... sorry, in a college or university, you have higher chance to be accepted to get your visa accepted right away.

Evan Franulovich  12:09  
Sure. And did you get your visa the first interview, like right away?

Noah  12:13  
And right away to like it was I thought that I had to wait couple days because usually it's from two to seven business days. But I got my visa right away.

Evan Franulovich  12:24  
Wow, that's amazing.

Noah  12:25  
That's right away. I was so surprised. I was so shocked. I was like, Okay, you're accepted. Congratulation and wish you the best. It was like, Wow, is that it?

Evan Franulovich  12:35  
How long? How long was your visa interview? How long did they talk to you?

Noah  12:41  
It was around? I don't remember. Actually it was so for I don't know, I don't want to, I don't know, maybe 20 minutes something? Because those were just basic questions. Like where, where? Where do you live? Where will you be living? And do you have any family here? What they're doing what their job? Yeah, I think my family situation here helped me a lot too, because my aunt is a nurse and my uncle's a pastor. So...

Evan Franulovich  13:08  
So they know you have the financial resources to be able to live while you're here.

Noah  13:12  
And we provided through those resources to to the college. So there's no, there's no. Yeah, reason for them to refuse.

Evan Franulovich  13:20  
Sure, sure. Well, you know, it's funny because I have other students from other parts of Africa. And you know, they have the financial resources, but sometimes they just don't get approved their first try. And like maybe they'll have to go back for a second try before they get their visa. And sometimes they have to wait months and months before they even get their interview. Like they'll get their I-20. And then it's like three months before they can get in for their appointment. 

Noah  13:45  
Yeah, I know that. But to me, I think I don't want to make an assumption. But most of the thing I think it's maybe, I'm saying maybe the lack of communication because I know a friend of mine, too, that had the same resources as me. They could provide it everything. But he couldn't align three sentences in English. Oh, so I got accepted. And he wasn't.

Evan Franulovich  14:12  
I see. 

Noah  14:12  
So maybe but I think the embassy will need, will need to make sure that you will be able to communicate and you will I think they're doing it if you get refused. I think you should check some some spoil the some something that might you said wrong during the interview. 

Evan Franulovich  14:32  
Right.

Noah  14:32  
Because my English right now was not far from where from my level back then. Gotcha. So I'm not saying I'm really good at English, or it's perfect, but it's decent. 

Evan Franulovich  14:44  
It's pretty good. 

Noah  14:44  
Yeah, it's a decent level. So I communicated well, my point and what was my goal and everything that helps a lot. Yeah. And I was well prepared to so I think it just may be a random advice, right? Yeah, maybe you want to check, what do you did wrong during your interview? And make sure if your English is really good. 

Evan Franulovich  15:05  
Fair enough, good. Did you? Did you apply directly yourself? Or did you use an agent? 

Noah  15:11  
I applied myself. 

Evan Franulovich  15:12  
You did. Okay, that's pretty easy. And so people ask about the English piece of it, because a lot of people come here, and maybe their English isn't 100%. So they have to do a little bit of English before they can start taking their college classes. That was the case for you. 

Noah  15:26  
Yes. 

Evan Franulovich  15:26  
All right. So you got into the Intensive English Program. And what level did you start at?

Noah  15:32  
I started as level four. For listening, speaking three, and reading. Yeah, I started reading reading four sorry.

Evan Franulovich  15:43  
Yeah, that's good. 

Noah  15:44  
Yeah, I just finished my English 101. 

Evan Franulovich  15:46  
Well, very cool. And was it difficult?

Noah  15:51  
That was challenging. Yeah.

Evan Franulovich  15:53  
What was the most challenging piece of the class?

Noah  15:56  
I think it's writing essays using sources, because we had to read a lot of document and there wasn't, there was not easy. That was not pleasant. Yeah, yeah.

Evan Franulovich  16:12  
Was this a face to face class was in person class? Were you the only international student in that class? Or were there other international students? 

Noah  16:19  
I think there were. Yeah, there were more other international. I think there were less American students. There were more international students than American students.

Evan Franulovich  16:29  
Do you? Well, before you ask about that, let's go back to the English piece. So before you came to the United States, did you take an English test to see where your level was? 

Noah  16:43  
Not before because the school doesn't require any English proficient? I mean, you can provide you can provide, but it's not mandatory. 

Evan Franulovich  16:54  
Right.

Noah  16:55  
Which was my case. So I still had to take a test when... 

Evan Franulovich  16:58  
When you arrived here.

Noah  16:59  
... arrived here. And yeah, I was I was working in a... I believe that I could have done better during the tests during the Duolingo Test. 

Evan Franulovich  17:09  
Oh you did Duolingo. Okay. 

Noah  17:10  
Yeah. But I kind of did it under pressure. Because there was something that happened before that I was not supposed to come here in Seattle. Oh, yeah. I was supposed to study in North Carolina. Oh, really? But yeah, I missed my flight during the holidays. And I had to I had a test the next Monday. Yeah, I just wanted to see my family at first course. And I wanted to spend the holidays with them. And then I received an email and a call from the college from North Carolina and saying that Oh, you have to arrive here. Next, on Monday, or else your your, your F1 visa terminated. 

Evan Franulovich  17:49  
Yeah.

Noah  17:50  
And I couldn't make it. We had a flight, but I missed the flight. Oh, my gosh, yeah. That's stressful. And yeah, that was. Yeah. And, of course, I missed it. And my F1 visa was terminated. 

Evan Franulovich  18:02  
It was?

Noah  18:03  
Yeah. So I had to find a solution... No, it was not like, it was not terminated, like right away. But they gave me an opportunity to look at to... to get accepted in another college. So I can be saved. Or else I have to go back to my country if I don't get accepted.

Evan Franulovich  18:20  
Oh my gosh. So you originally were going to go to school in North Carolina? Which school?

Noah  18:26  
I don't know if I can mention that here. But take with the community college.

Evan Franulovich  18:30  
Okay, so you were gonna go to a community college in North Carolina and you missed your flight. Yes. And then. So you scrambled? And you applied to Seattle Colleges? Yes. And of course, you got accepted. 

Noah  18:42  
Yeah, I got accepted. Thankfully, it was very fast process, or else. Oh, man. I wouldn't be here because of that would be hard to come back again. Come back here. Sure. Yeah, though. And yeah. Back to the Duolingo Test. So I've been I've been taking I had to take the test. And yeah, it was still under pressure. Even it was impressive. Because it was the holidays. And the school where it was going to close soon. 

Evan Franulovich  19:09  
Right? Of course. 

Noah  19:10  
And yeah, I had to do it like super fast. And it didn't go. I still had a decent score, though. I think it was 105. 

Evan Franulovich  19:19  
All right. That's pretty decent. Yeah, yeah.

Noah  19:21  
That's decent. Well, but yeah, I think I could have done better maybe. 

Evan Franulovich  19:26  
Okay.

Noah  19:27  
Yeah. So yeah, that's what happened.

Evan Franulovich  19:29  
So if you guys are out there listening to this show, the rules have changed since you did it. So now when you apply providing English level scores, you know, whether it's, you know, IELTS or Duolingo is required at the time that Noah did it. It wasn't required, but now you need to have taken a test. So it's changed since you did it. So I just want to make sure everyone who's listening is aware that if you're getting ready, if you think about coming to Seattle Colleges, part of your application is Providing English test scores. If you don't provide if you don't provide scores, you won't be fully admitted. You'll get conditional acceptance until you provide the scores but you can't get your i 20 until you get your score. So, yeah, but it's yeah, you can do Duolingo. Now you can DO IELTS, you can do TOEFL, you can do all sorts of them. 

Noah  20:22  
I guess I got lucky. 

Evan Franulovich  20:23  
You did get lucky. And it's changing it a little bit for some people, but not too much. Like we have quite a few people coming in this fall. So...

Noah  20:30  
Oh, yeah. So we have to provide a Duolingo result, or is that a TOEFL or IELTS?

Evan Franulovich  20:36  
Any of those types of tests? Yes. You take one of them and then provide the scores. 

Noah  20:41  
You can do it online? 

Evan Franulovich  20:42  
You can. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. From anywhere in the world, really. So yeah.

Noah  20:47  
I don't know how it was in my, in my country. But I was trying to take the TOEFL. But we had to wait for a certain period.

Evan Franulovich  20:57  
Right.

Noah  20:57  
It wasn't always. Yeah.

Evan Franulovich  21:00  
So if you started at level four, so you're done with the English Intensive English now now you're just fully college class. 

Noah  21:07  
Yeah, I started my college program in summer. 

Evan Franulovich  21:10  
Perfect. Nice. Cool. Now, a lot of people that are listening, you know, we have people that are domestic students, people that live here. A lot of people don't even know where Madagascar is. They couldn't find it on a map, you know, so, yeah, I mean, I think you know, it's one of those countries, a lot of people don't think about too much. What is your first language then?

Noah  21:31  
So the first language is my like, Oh, my God, the Malagasy. Ah, very cool. And also, the people from Madagascar are called Malagasy. 

Evan Franulovich  21:39  
Okay. Yeah, Malagasy people, very nice. Yeah. 

Noah  21:42  
Malagasy, please. 

Evan Franulovich  21:44  
Is it pretty different weather than Seattle. 

Noah  21:48  
Oh, a lot different. A lot different. It's more than tropical. Weather. So it's, yeah, of course. We have. Winter we have summer. 

Evan Franulovich  21:57  
Sure. 

Noah  21:58  
Well, the difference we don't have full and during the winter. We don't have snow either. 

Evan Franulovich  22:04  
Okay. Yeah. 

Noah  22:04  
And also, the sun is always with us. Whether it's whether each seat. Sorry. No worries. Whatever season it is. Sun is always present. In the south. It's almost it's always summer in the South. 

Evan Franulovich  22:20  
All right. 

Noah  22:20  
Of course we have some... we have winter but in the winter it's only called in the morning like the early in the morning. After that. It's it's something else.

Evan Franulovich  22:29  
Sounds like a great place to vacation. 

Noah  22:31  
Yeah, it's anytime you feel like if you're lucky for the sun. Personally for like the sun or summer person. Yeah, Madagascar is the best choice for you.

Evan Franulovich  22:42  
So how's it been coming to Seattle then for you? Do you? Do you like Seattle will tell us what you do in Seattle? 

Noah  22:48  
Yeah. 

Evan Franulovich  22:48  
For fun. 

Noah  22:49  
From a country that... that is always sunny and hot and extreme hot. extremely hot. I think it's kind of given me giving me a break because it's rainy. It's always it's most of time rainy here in Seattle. Perfect for me. I mean, I oh, I love rain. Like this. 

Evan Franulovich  23:10  
Sure. 

Noah  23:11  
Even if in my in my country. I prefer I always preferred rainy days than the sunny days.

Evan Franulovich  23:18  
But this summer has been beautiful. 

Noah  23:20  
Yeah, I know. 

Evan Franulovich  23:21  
But winter is definitely colder.

Noah  23:24  
I got, I got just tired. I just had sun enough in my life. You know? I just need something cool. And you know, and I'm in-door person. 

Evan Franulovich  23:33  
Yeah. 

Noah  23:34  
So imagine your... yeah, just spending your summer indoors at home with this heat? I mean, I yeah, sometimes I take a walk. I like to appreciate the sun but not always.

Evan Franulovich  23:47  
So in Seattle, how do you spend your free time like when you're not studying? What do you do for fun? Do you play sports? Do you go to shows do you like just what do you do?

Noah  23:57  
Yeah, so I'm a dancer. 

Evan Franulovich  24:00  
Oh, cool. 

Noah  24:01  
I spent a lot of time dancing. I mean, I'm dancing when I can and when I want. So I spent a lot of time dancing, either by myself or I auditioned for a dance club from the University of Washington lately. 

Evan Franulovich  24:16  
That's so cool. 

Noah  24:17  
Yeah, actually, they're just a student from University of Washington. And I'm the only outsider I think. 

Evan Franulovich  24:24  
And they'll allow students from other places?

Noah  24:26  
I mean, we're not training in the campus. We just going to some gym...

Evan Franulovich  24:32  
Yeah.

Noah  24:32  
... And we gather there together.

Evan Franulovich  24:34  
What kind of dance are we talking about? Is it?...

Evan Franulovich  24:36  
Hmm, so most of the members are hip hop and contemporary dancer cool. We gather together and we dancing this concept called Kpop. So it's, it's something that very popular is lately. 

Evan Franulovich  24:51  
Sure. Yeah. Yeah. 

Noah  24:52  
So basically, we're just doing cover so there are Korean artists. Publishing up releasing new songs. And the sound always comes with dance like... 

Evan Franulovich  25:04  
Right, Yeah. 

Noah  25:05  
And they also release a desk practice, which give more details about the dance and we learned it and then we shot videos of it work. 

Evan Franulovich  25:14  
Do you also do performances like it events at the university or like I know sometimes football games or basketball games, they'll have people who...

Noah  25:24  
They have done that. But for me, the only event I participate in so far is was united fair. 

Evan Franulovich  25:32  
Wow, that's so cool.

Noah  25:33  
I was I was, you know, I was a president of the dance club. I created a dance club in I think it was in winter, spring during spring. Yeah. And at that time, I was not that busy as I was in the summer. So I had a lot of time teaching. And yeah, leading those people. There's amazing dancers. And we formed a pretty community actually.

Evan Franulovich  25:59  
That's cool. 

Noah  26:00  
But then I got kind of busy. So I had to give up my position and give it to another person, but they're still doing a great job. And I'm going there time to time. I'm still part of it, just...

Evan Franulovich  26:12  
So we have, I mean, we have some current students that listen to this show. And if they're interested in dance, can they come talk to you? And... 

Noah  26:20  
Yeah, of course, but there's a new president and also we have an Instagram page. You can contact us through there, it's called SCC Dance Club. 

Evan Franulovich  26:30  
Very cool. 

Noah  26:30  
You cannot miss it. Yeah, and other than that, most of the, as I said before, I'm in-door person. But I yeah, I also enjoy few companies. I mean, good companies, I guess. Yeah, sometimes I spend time with my friends, we gonna be going to the cinema, movie theater theater, and we're going eating to cool and this kind of stuff. Yeah. And we also go for oh, just go for a walk. Something simple. Yeah, we're pretty basic.

Evan Franulovich  27:04  
Oh, you hear that. That means it's time for our trivia time. So a Trivia Time, we're gonna ask you a series of five questions that have to do with Seattle or with Seattle Colleges. 

Noah  27:17  
I hope i'm not gonna miss them. 

Evan Franulovich  27:18  
Nah, you'll be fine. If you if you answer them all, you'll be on our wall of fame. If you don't, it's not a big deal. 

Noah  27:25  
Yes. 

Evan Franulovich  27:25  
You don't have to cry or anything like that. So all right. Question number one. Question number one. Seattle Central College has an animal associated with the college its mascot. Do you know what the mascot for Seattle Central is the tiger. It is the tiger. Nice job. Very good. All right. Question number two. How many quarters per year do we have here at Seattle Central?

Noah  27:51  
Four quarters.

Evan Franulovich  27:51  
Four quarters. And that's also true at North? Yeah. And at South, very good. Great. Question number three. There are two bodies of water near Seattle. One of them is the Pacific Ocean. What is the body of water called? That is right next to the city.

Noah  28:11  
What I'm really bad at geography. Okay, I need to figure the Pacific Ocean and then...

Evan Franulovich  28:18  
Kind of ride along or? 

Noah  28:21  
Oh, I haven't. Okay, maybe the no, it's not the Antarctic right. 

Evan Franulovich  28:27  
No, no. It starts with a P... 

Noah  28:30  
Pacific. 

Evan Franulovich  28:31  
No, no, that's the Pacific Ocean. Then the water. That's like kind of right next to Seattle. We call it the pew...

Noah  28:39  
Okay. No, I know.

Evan Franulovich  28:41  
It's the Puget Sound. The Puget Sound is the body of water. That's alright. 

Noah  28:46  
This is my first time. 

Evan Franulovich  28:47  
That's good, now I taught you something today. That's good. Something. Alright, let's try another one. That's a little easier. Maybe. So question number four. We have three national parks. near Seattle in and around Seattle. Can you name one of the national parks?

Noah  29:03  
I don't want to say something stupid. No. Linkin Park?

Evan Franulovich  29:07  
No, not Linkin Park. The big mountain of Mount Rainier, Mount Rainier National Park. That's one of them. 

Noah  29:16  
So Linkin Park. It doesn't count? 

Evan Franulovich  29:18  
No. The three national parks, Mount Rainier National Park, the Olympic National Park, and then up north is North Cascades National Park. Innovate. Have you been out? Have you done any? Not yet? Yeah. It's hard to get out there if you don't have a car. 

Noah  29:35  
Yeah. I mean, we are planning to go there with my family but...

Evan Franulovich  29:39  
Oh, yeah, for sure. 

Noah  29:40  
Yeah. They, they ended... I think I had a hiking school. 

Evan Franulovich  29:46  
Yeah. 

Noah  29:46  
So if they were, yeah, they went there the same day. So. My bad luck.

Evan Franulovich  29:53  
All right. Last question. Since you mentioned movies. What was the last movie you saw? In the theaters?

Noah  30:02  
Was that Barbie? 

Evan Franulovich  30:03  
Barbie? Yeah. What do you think?

Noah  30:07  
That was? I think that was interesting. 

Evan Franulovich  30:11  
It is interesting. 

Noah  30:12  
Yeah, that was interesting. But I, I for the first thought I thought it was not for me like, it was too extravagant, I guess for me, but when i gave it a thought it was not that bad, it was. Yeah, there was still something you could have learned of it. Because first time I would have been watching it seriously, I think that was the main, the main part. And also, I think I fell asleep around somewhere. 

Evan Franulovich  30:41  
Oh, no!

Noah  30:43  
Yeah, yeah. But I think but I think it was, I only call movie. For sure. I watched it seriously because it was reflecting the opposite reality, the opposite reality. So of course, that for me, it was absurd if I was taking it seriously. So I get I give it a second thought. And yeah, I think there is a message that they wanted to share. Yeah. To share about it. And yeah. 

Evan Franulovich  31:11  
Well, it's a it's the quintessential American movie for sure. 

Noah  31:15  
Yeah. 

Evan Franulovich  31:16  
Barbie is very American. 

Noah  31:17  
Yeah, that was difficult. 

Evan Franulovich  31:19  
But I didn't even want to see the movie. But everybody was saying, oh, you should go. You should go. So I finally broke down and went. And I thought it was really great. I liked it. 

Noah  31:26  
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I liked it after it.

Evan Franulovich  31:30  
Well, by the time this podcast is published, the movie will probably not be in the theaters anymore. But yeah, check it out on streaming, or whatever. Because it's worth watching for sure. 

Noah  31:40  
Yeah, it's worth it. 

Evan Franulovich  31:41  
Cool. Well, good job pretty darn good. We got you on the question of the water. But that's not a big deal. We'll get you out there. Have you been like out on the water? Have you done any kayaking or get the chance? It's a lot of fun.

Noah  31:53  
I haven't touched the water so far. 

Evan Franulovich  31:55  
It's pretty cool water. 

Noah  31:57  
Yeah.

Evan Franulovich  31:57  
Well, the last thing we'd like to talk about, is we try to get advice. Since you've been here, and you've been through the process. You know, there's a lot of students overseas that are thinking about coming to the United States, but maybe they're nervous, you know, or parents that are trying to learn about what it's like to go to school in the United States. I mean, is it? Is it doable? Is it dangerous? Is it crazy? I mean, a lot of people want to know what your experience has been or what advice you might give them?

Noah  32:25  
Yeah, yeah, it can be challenging to move. In a new country, just in general, it's very challenging. And if you can do that, it's already a brave thing to do. 

Evan Franulovich  32:37  
For sure. 

Noah  32:38  
And I know you have to, I think one of the main advice, I will say is, be ready to unlearn everything. You know, because America is not, it's not like any other countries, like, just look how major stuff, it's totally different. Like, you go to another, you will go to another country, and you might go use the same thing. But here, you have to relearn everything. You have to measure everything by ounces. by inches and all this stuff. But yeah, and it just an examples, but there aren't a lot of things like that. Even your English be ready to unlearn everything you already thought you already know. And also, yeah, come prepared. Make sure you have good English because if coming to America is a part of your plan. I think the least you can do is have a decent English. So you will save money too by doing it by having a good English. 

Evan Franulovich  33:40  
For sure. 

Noah  33:41  
Yeah. And yeah. Also, make sure you pursue something you want to do and that people wants you are your parents wants you to do. I mean, if they're paying for your tuition, of course, that's fair that they're choosing for you. Yeah, at some point, you will figure things out for you. And I yeah, I think it's always better to do something you want that it's doing something. You never want it in the first place and just ending your life miserable. I'm sure. And yeah, it might be challenging to, to study to learn stuff. Especially when it's not your native language, especially when English is not even your second language, which is my case. It can be challenging, but just Just do your best every time. And yeah, but don't forget to have fun. Yeah, because that's the part of the travel. 

Evan Franulovich  34:44  
Right. That's all good advice. Definitely for sure. Wow. Well, cool. Just last thing I've been doing in season two is giving you a chance to say something in your native language to maybe some of the students back in your country or or your region, just giving them a quick message about whatever you think is important but in your own language it's kind of cool because a lot of people have probably never heard your language and also gives people a chance to hear something directly from you and it doesn't have to be long but whatever you want to do. 

Noah  35:17  
Okay. Oh, I have to I need to say in my native language ...

Noah  35:21  
In your native language, yeah, yeah.

Noah  35:31  
{Noah advice in Malagasy}

Evan Franulovich  35:58  
All right. 

Noah  36:00  
Do you need a translation? 

Evan Franulovich  36:02  
Sure. I mean would you have to say.

Noah  36:06  
I was just encouraging that you know, it's it's very difficult to get out from Madagascar. Right. Just to give you an idea, the flight ticket for around the just a simple flight. Madagascar tough to hear. It's 2000. 

Evan Franulovich  36:20  
Oh, my gosh!

Noah  36:21  
It can go from 1550....

Evan Franulovich  36:25  
Wow. 

Noah  36:25  
... to 2000. 

Evan Franulovich  36:26  
Wow. 

Noah  36:27  
And that's how hard it is. That is just the ticket. I'm not even talking about the process. 

Evan Franulovich  36:31  
Right, right.

Noah  36:32  
I'm just encouraging them that. Even if it sounds so hard, just stick to your hope. 

Evan Franulovich  36:40  
Sure. Sure. 

Noah  36:40  
Yeah. I know the situation of the country is really bad right now. So yeah, if you have like a glimpse of hope. Yeah. Just stick on to it.

Evan Franulovich  36:49  
Cool. So when you flew here, you flew from Madagascar through what? Like Amsterdam or Paris or something? What was the route? you took?

Noah  36:58  
I did quite a lot of stuff. So I might don't remember everything. I think I went from Madagascar to Addis Abeba. 

Evan Franulovich  37:05  
Okay. so ethiopia.

Noah  37:06  
And then from there I went somewhere else but don't remember. And then Ireland. 

Evan Franulovich  37:10  
Okay. Oh, wow. That was a lot of stops. 

Noah  37:11  
And then Chicago. 

Evan Franulovich  37:12  
Right. 

Noah  37:13  
And then Seattle. 

Evan Franulovich  37:14  
Very nice. That is a long trip. 

Noah  37:17  
That was a long one. That was almost two days.

Evan Franulovich  37:19  
Yeah. Crazy. And when I went to South Africa, not too long ago, I flew to Istanbul had like a 10 hour, which was really great. I had 10 hour layover, so I got to actually go into town. So that was cool. And then It was another. So it was like over 10 hours to get to Istanbul, then another 10 hours to get to Cape Town. It was a it was a big trip. There was a new layover. Just the Istanbul layover. Yeah. 

Noah  37:45  
How many hours? 

Evan Franulovich  37:46  
It was over. It was almost 11 hours. 10 and a half hours. But it was cool. Because... Yeah, I got on a bus. I went into town. I got to walk around the city, which was so cool. 

Noah  37:56  
Yeah, I wanted to visit Chicago. The weather was there. But it was just I think, two or three hours. Yeah, it's not...

Evan Franulovich  38:03  
Well, you can always go now that you're in the States, you can travel around the states if you get an opportunity. 

Noah  38:09  
Yeah, I will. Definitely. 

Evan Franulovich  38:11  
And even if it's just around Washington, the Northwest, Washington, Oregon.

Noah  38:14  
I went to Portland one time. 

Evan Franulovich  38:15  
Well, you did. Yeah. Oh, that's cool. What do you think?

Noah  38:20  
I didn't. I did not went to the nice areas. I'm sorry. I was yes. 

Noah  38:26  
That's okay. 

Noah  38:27  
So my aunt wanted to visit some people. And it was not the safest area of Portland. So... 

Evan Franulovich  38:35  
Maybe not. 

Noah  38:35  
Yeah. But it had great noodles though.

Evan Franulovich  38:37  
Oh, yeah. Cool. Wow. So many questions I have for you. Yeah, that's great. Go ahead. But we are out of time. Unfortunately. I will have to have another visit down the road. Yeah. So great to meet you. Thanks for coming on the show today. 

Noah  38:53  
Yeah, I really had fun. 

Evan Franulovich  38:54  
Yeah!

Noah  38:55  
That was very random, but kind of made my day.

Evan Franulovich  38:59  
Awesome.

Evan Franulovich  39:00  
All right, man. We'll have a great, great quarter coming up here in the fall. And we'll hopefully run into you around the halls. From time to time. 

Noah  39:07  
Yes. 

Evan Franulovich  39:08  
Alright, Noah. Take care. Thank you. Bye bye. 

Evan Franulovich  39:14  
Bye!

Evan Franulovich  39:14  
'Conversations with!' is painstakingly crafted for you by the Seattle Colleges International Programs department and supported by the lovely folks here on our campus. This show is produced and edited by me Evan Franulovich. We welcome your emails and questions about coming to Seattle Colleges. Please reach out to us via our website or just give us a rating and a review on Apple podcasts as this helps others discover the show. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube at Seattle Colleges Intl, that's Seattle Colleges Intl. And be sure to check out all of the shows here on 'Conversations with!' Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next week.