(From left) Bari, Abood and Anwar say they enjoy living in Kent, but also have fond memories of growing up in Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Dale Dong)
Every year, the International Institute of Akron helps hundreds of people resettle to life in the Akron area. We recently sat down with a few children from a local family who moved here from Saudi Arabia. They say they enjoy playing in the snow (a scarce commodity in the Middle East) and they’re proud of their mother, who received a master’s degree from Kent State University. Below are a few excerpts from their video interviews.
Anwar, 15, talks about hoverboards, watching YouTube and
visiting a nearby waterpark. She also discusses the joys of having a pet cat and shopping with friends. Her family moved to the Akron area from Saudi Arabia, and she shares the similarities and differences of the two places. For example, girls and boys attend separate public schools in Saudi Arabia.
Abood, 12, has aspirations of becoming either a biomedical or software engineer and wants to make the first human drone that can think for itself. He likes going to an indoor trampoline park and bowling. He also enjoys playing in the snow here, something he was unable to do when he and his family lived in Saudi Arabia.
Bari, 12, says one of his happiest memories is watching his mom get her master’s degree from Kent State University. When he first visited the International Institute of Akron, he says he saw a homeless person and adds that he would like to do more to help people who are homeless.
