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Hell - o - Hilo: A Semester
in Hilo, Hawaii; Miss Anguilla Kafi Gumbs shared her
student exchange experience with AnguillaLNT. |
 December
11, 2007: Following her successful capture of the
coveted Miss Anguilla title in August, Miss Kafi Gumbs left
the island, eager to continue her tertiary education which
was ongoing at the University of the Virgin Islands. This
semester was to be different however. Rather than travel to
St. Thomas a short flight away, she ventured to the Pacific,
where, as a part of a Student Exchange Program with the
University of Hawaii, Hilo, she was to start a one year
program. She looked forward to the exciting change and stood
ready to embrace a wonderful chance to expand her life
experiences. It was a tremendous opportunity and with all
her anticipation she still had no idea, how much of a
valuable education it would turn out to be.
By September, the confident, young and talented, beauty was a
world away from Anguilla. She
fervently anticipated getting involved in extracurricular
activities, meeting and engaging students of Hawaii and sharing
with them the unique aspects of Anguilla and
its people.
An on-campus advertisement seeking models, therefore,
attracted her attention as a good way to get involved by
doing something she enjoyed. She phoned the advertised
contact number and was utterly shocked when, upon hearing
where she was from, the person on the other end of the line
asked with a negative undertone if her skin tone was "dark
blue black color " - intense black was not a desirable
quality.
On campus the experiences weren't much different. Similar,
less than subtle, racial over and undertones marred her
semester, which she summarized as simply "horrible". Be it
the science labs or cafeterias she found that her
willingness to embrace variety was not reciprocated.
Exacerbated by seemingly fruitless attempts to engage fellow
school mates, yet eager to make the most of the experience,
she attempted to volunteer with a local Girls Guides
association, only to be greeted in a similar manner.
The entire experience has left the young Anguillian keen to
return to the Caribbean for Christmas and utterly emphatic
about not returning to "Hilo" in the new year.
Taking it all in stride she assures us that this in no way
stems her passion for life, her appreciation of diversity or
the pursuit of her goals. She is also happy to say that
through it all, she expects to maintain her high standard of
academic achievement. "It was not the best experience but it
was a learning one and I fully expect it to be a successful
academic one," said Ms Gumbs, in communication with
www.anguillanews.com
Early in the Semester. Filled with eager anticipation of
cross cultural experiences, Kafi enjoys the moment with a
Japanese resident of Hilo. |
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