by Francesca Pieter 

From a Caribbean Island to New York

My name is Francesca Pieter, and I am an international student from the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Since I was a child, I always talked about wanting to live in the United States. That dream came true when I moved to Batavia, New York, in the fall of 2019 to study Theatre Arts at Genesee Community College (GCC). 

I first heard about Genesee Community College from the annual college fair that my island organizes. There are local colleges and universities and many others from all around the world at the fair to give information about what their schools offer. Out of all of the colleges, I chose GCC. 

Location that is conducive for learning

The thing I liked the most about GCC was the location. I wanted to be somewhere where there would not be too many distractions so that I could mostly focus on my studying. But the campus is still close enough to cities like Rochester and Buffalo, where I could go for a weekend and have fun. 

Diverse and welcoming community

The staff and students at GCC are very nice and welcoming and always ready to help. There are also a lot of international students from all over the world, so I got to meet people from different backgrounds, and we learned things about each other’s cultures and traditions.

A place of growth and independence

Enrolling at GCC has opened my eyes to the world and all it has to offer! I have grown as a person and come out of my shell. In addition to my studies, I have two jobs at the college. I work in the admissions department as a student ambassador, where I make and answer calls, give tours to students interested in possibly attending GCC, and learn about how an office operates. I also work as a resident assistant (RA) in the college’s residence halls called College Village. As an RA, I am in charge of a building and its residents. I am usually an introvert, but these two jobs have helped me immensely to be able to talk to people and be more sociable. 

When I am not working or studying, I enjoy reading, painting, baking, shopping, and hanging out with my friends. I look forward to sharing with you all the experiences I’ve had at GCC and why choosing to pursue my education abroad has been the best decision! 

Francesca Pieter, from the Caribbean island of Curaçao, is studying Theatre Arts at Genesee Community College.