BYU: The International College

Something interesting about my grandmother is the amount of time she spends in foreign countries. She is often gone weeks at a time, and so it's never a surprise to hear that she is not available. She participates in several charitable organizations, and has even helped create some. One of her accomplishments is the Rising Star orphanage in Chennai, India.

I recently had the opportunity to have lunch with my grandmother. Being the saintly woman that she is (wise, generous, and always good humored), I eagerly accepted. She asked if she could visit me while on campus, and she suggested we have lunch together in the MOA. We met each other around 1:30, and soon thereafter got started on our meal.

We talked a little about my new college life, and then the conversation about school quickly melted into a conversation about people in school. My grandmother asked if I've seen anyone from India. I wondered why I would, and she told me that they sent a young girl from the orphanage in India to learn here in America. If I saw someone that looked like they were from India, I should ask her if her name was Esther.

BYU has been known for years as a nationally diverse college. In fact, it is very hard to determine which state or country holds a larger percentage of the school proportionally. It is interesting to see the very idea of transnationalism taking place in my personal life, and I hope to meet Esther one day. I can tell her that she is a marvel of transnationalism and an answer to a homework prayer.