Photo and story by Jordan Howe, Icon intern

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When Tsedey Biru was on her way to Bluffton University to she thought she was going to be living in a big city, and then she started driving on country roads and was surrounded by cornfields. Biru's journey to Bluffton was not easy and was unexpected.

Biru was born in Ethiopia and moved to the United States when she was 16 years old. She lived in the capitol city of Ethiopia and moved to Washington, D. C., as Biru said "moving to a big city like Washington was kind of an easy move because I was already used to a city."

Biru said that she loves big cities and Washington was like home because there are so many Ethiopian restaurants and people. When she moved to Washington she barely knew any English, so she had to learn as she went along.

Biru went to high school at Wake Field High School in Arlington and had to squeeze four years of schooling into two because of having to learn English and her coursework from Ethiopia did not transfer. Biru took AP classes in high school and also played volleyball. By her senior year things were getting better for her, everything was easier, and she graduated on time.

When it came time to look for colleges she applied to 12 colleges throughout Virginia, as well as Bluffton. Her high school counselor attended Bluffton and recommended it to her.

Biru was going to have to pay for college herself because the exchange rate of Ethiopian money to the dollar is about 16 to 1 and her mother does not make enough to overcome the exchange rate. Also she could not receive any grants because the government does not award international students grants or loans.

Biru came to Bluffton because it was going to be the least expensive for her and she was going to be able to pay most of her tuition. She works four jobs while she is here. She is a hall director, works Marbeck desk, she is a student ambassador, and she is in a mentorship program.

Ninety percent of her pay check goes straight to Bluffton to pay for tuition.

"It is good I could sign to have 90 percent of my check go to Bluffton because I would spend it all as soon as I got it, go shopping more likely," said Biru.

Biru plans on going to grad school for public health with very little debt, and does not want to live in a city like Washington, D.C., or like Bluffton, but somewhere in between.

She wants to travel internationally to help people from other countries such as Ethiopia and give them the opportunity for better lives.

Jordan Howe is a student in a feature writing class at Bluffton University instructed by Mary and Fred Steiner.