The benefits of higher education outweigh the price of leaving family, losing titles and facing negative stereotypes.
Clemencia Zambrano and Yors Garcia are just two of the students from Colombia studying at SIUC. Both are pursuing doctorate degrees, but have been stereotyped as being involved with drugs because of where they are from. The lack of family support doesn't make the transition any easier.
Zambrano, who studies plant biology, came here because there are more research resources available.
"I love research, but in my country it's hard to do research work," she said. "For us, the Colombians, for people studying biology the science and technology is in the United States. So if I came here, it was like realizing my dream, because here you have all the materials and laboratories for research."
Zambrano said she doesn't have to wait as long for research results or project funding in the United States. She is currently researching the use of plants to remove damaging material from soil.
Garcia said he came here because the area of his specialization isn't offered in Colombia.
"I wanted to get my doctorate, my Ph.D., in rehab services, but I wanted to specialize in behavioral analysis," he said. "There isn't that program in my country."
Both Garcia and Zambrano obtained degrees in Colombia before coming to the United States. For four years, Zambrano studied at the Fransisco Jose Caldes University in Bogota and received an undergraduate in biology. She said she could have used her degree to teach, but wanted to do research instead.
Garcia, meanwhile, studied psychology at the Catholic University in Bogota for six years. Before coming to SIUC he was a licensed psychiatrist in Colombia.
Although Garcia was licensed in Colombia, he can't practice psychology in the United States because his certification isn't recognized. Zambrano said that problem is faced by many Colombians, and deters many from coming to the United States.
"The majority of the people say, 'Why would I go (to the United States), to wash dishes?'" she said. "It's like our titles are just a piece of paper. It's like being Columbian negates your authority and you're not on the same level as an American."
Although Colombian titles aren't recognized in the United States, American titles are recognized in Colombia, she said.
Due to the publicity given to guerilla warfare and drug trafficking in Colombia, Garcia said Colombians have a negative stereotype.
"When I came to the university, we have to come two weeks before classes start to take a citizenship class. When I entered the room they asked me my name and where I was from, and I said Colombia," he said. "The first thing they said was, 'Ah, drugs?' referring to cocaine."
Garcia said he has dealt with the stereotype many times. Once, when talking with colleagues, Garcia was offered coffee. Garcia declined and was told, "there's cocaine on that table."
The strains of living in a new country are also made worse by the separation from family Garcia said.
"My family is there is Bogota, and I feel bad to be so far away from them," he said.
Garcia's father and sister don't have visas, so they can't visit him. Family is the first priority in Colombia he said.
"It's number one. When you have one another, you can motivate each other," he said. "But when someone is here by themselves, without a relative close by, it's very hard."
Zambrano said families are closer in Colombia and live together longer.
"I was living with my family until I was 29," she said. "Usually the kids live with the parents until you get married and you move or you move to another city. You can find people living with their parents until they are 35."
Garcia said many people live at home to save money as well.
Besides the strong family ties, Zambrano said she missed cultural aspects of Colombian life like dancing and the food.
"I love to dance, a party without dancing is not a party in Colombia," she said.
Zambrano said a friend invited her to a party where there was no music or dancing. She asked where the party was, and was told that was the party.
"No this is just food and talk," she said. "This is a meeting."
Daily Egyptain Writer Danny Wenger can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 258 or dwenger@siu.edu.
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