Alana George, Campus Carrier Asst. Arts & Living Editor

Who does not like to talk about their hometown? And who has ever had a conversation in which a restaurant or store is brought up, and the other person has no idea what the place is? This happens often among college students, and is very likely to happen among students here at Berry. Many Berry students are not from Georgia. In fact, 32 percent of the total population of Berry consists of out-of-state or international students. With so many students from different places, there are many different sub-cultures and traditions represented among Berry students. In order to get a taste of the various areas of the world represented in the student population, students from different years submitted their stories. Each one represents the habits and traditions the students enjoyed before they came to Berry, and continue to practice on every trip home. One common theme among students, no matter where they came from, was that they missed the food of their hometown. Many of them, of course, miss their families. But each response was unique, and gave a glimpse into the lives of these students, the little things they miss about their hometowns, and what they have found different about the culture of Georgia. The students’ hometowns are compiled here in a map to show where each student calls home in the United States.

Daysi Casabona Rivas (sophomore) – Hayward, California

Casabona Rivas misses her mom’s cooking and the convenience of public transportation, as well as the fact that everything is within walking distance at home. She has noticed many cultural differences and diversity during her time at Berry, and she loves the deer and other outdoor aspects of campus.

William Knowlton (senior) – Eugene, Oregon

Knowlton misses the easy access to public transportation and the ability to ride his bike almost anywhere, as well as not having to pump his own gas. In Georgia, he has noticed a change in architecture from mostly wood structures to many more brick ones, and the people in Georgia are very friendly and helpful. He also noticed that many people in Georgia drive big trucks.

Alyssa Fowler (junior) – Dallas, Texas

Fowler misses the bluebonnets and sunsets of Texas, as well as the unique culture of Dallas. Before coming to Berry, she had never eaten collard greens, and now she thoroughly enjoys them. She also loves the foothills and the wildlife here at Berry.

Ashley Beaubouef (junior) – New Orleans, Louisiana

Beaubouef misses the unique, laissez-faire culture of the city, as well as having beignets with her parents and going people-watching. Being in Georgia made her realize that Southern belles are real and very important to Georgia culture. “Louisiana is a really poor state, so it really doesn’t matter where you go,” Beaubouef said. “We’re just swamp people.”

Tiana Arriaga (sophomore) – Los Angeles, California

Arriaga misses the authentic Mexican food of her hometown, as well as all the friends and family she left behind. She loves that Georgia has Cookout, which she called life-changing, and she loves the lower gas prices here. She also appreciates the many trees and higher air quality of the South.

Hannah Brunner (sophomore) – Danville, Kentucky

Brunner has found it hard being five hours away from her nuclear family, and she misses their home-grown eating lifestyle. She loves sweet potatoes, and she can’t get them all the time on campus. She loves the environment here in Georgia; the mountains and the clean air remind her of home.

Chelsea Mazies (sophomore) – Chicago, Illinois

Mazies misses the pizza and Italian beef found so easily in her hometown, but she says that the weather here makes up for it. She loves Georgia sunrises and sunsets, as well as the kindness and politeness of the Georgia locals.

Julia Oliveira (freshman, not mapped) – Curitiba, Paranà, Brazil

Oliveira misses the fresh fruits and vegetables that are readily available in her home country, and she misses the cultural emphasis on family, as well as the loud personalities of the people. In the South, she has found a similar welcoming culture to the one she came from, except that Americans are more punctual, ambitious and polite.