Shock, disbelief and excitement were the feelings that Zanelle Willemse, sophomore, was feeling when she found out she was going to be moving from her home in South Africa to the United States.

Willemse was born in Pretoria, South Africa and later moved to Krugersdorp, a city about an hour south of Pretoria. She belongs to a family of four, which includes her mom, dad and younger sister, Leane.

The Willemse family began its move to the United States in mid-August of 2013. Willemse said, “The hardest part for me was saying goodbye to all of my family and friends, and leaving my pets and some of my possessions behind that we weren’t able to bring along with us.”

There are many differences between the two countries, one of them being the weather. Willemse explained, “In the winter, it doesn’t get as cold as in the U.S., and we don’t get snow. Average winter temperatures are around 60 degrees, and an average summer day’s weather would be 88 degrees.”

Another difference includes the traditional South African house. “The houses have fences around them, as well as security systems inside the house and outside the house.” As she pointed out, the only main similarity between South Africa and the United States is the popular and classic fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s and KFC.

Overall, Willemse believes that, although she misses her non-immediate family, close friends and “the nice weather” in South Africa, she thinks that, in the U.S., “the people are very friendly and “the education is great.”