Sometimes I find myself having writer’s block. Most writers know what I’m talking about when I say this because it happens to all of us at some point. I always tell myself I need to get inspired by something in order to write. But Jack London says, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club,” and this quote takes my writing ideas to a whole new level. It reminds me that I can’t just sit and wait for something inspiring or interesting to cross my path; all I have to do is look around me. Inspiration is everywhere.

My roommate and I have become friends with a lot of the foreign exchange students that are enrolled at PC this semester. Spending time with them is inspiration enough to write a whole book! It’s amazing to see people from all over the world come to your country, state, and small town. Not only do you see them getting used to the different cultural aspects of your country but you also get to know them and how life is where they are from.

Language is another huge learning experience for me and my foreign exchange friends. Sometimes I find myself helping them understand what something is called or how you say something in English. On the other hand, I also learn a lot from them as well. I am learning to speak French and some of our new foreign exchange friends have come over multiple times to help me with homework or study for a test.

One night, my roommate and I were hanging out with two of our friends from Paris and some other foreign exchange students walked by and invited us all to CIH for a surprise birthday party. The birthday party was actually for our suitemate, and she was so surprised to see us! A lot of students don’t venture out and make friends with the exchange students simply because they think that the international students keep to themselves, but that’s not true at all.

They are some of the nicest people I have met at college. They do all hang out together, and I see them all as one big family even though they are all from different countries all over the world. That in itself is beautiful. The fact that college students from all over the world can come together at this small private college in an even smaller town and make such great friendships is a lesson we should all take notes on.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that we, as American college students, should never put off the opportunity to make friends with students from schools in other countries. It’s one of the greatest experiences that you could ever have while in college and you will cherish it for the rest of your life. And who knows? Maybe they will inspire you to study abroad in one of the countries where they are from like they have me. Venture out and make new friends—we have much to learn from one another.