French exchange student likes HBCU experience

Foreign exchange student Thomas Grimonprez said adjusting to Winston-Salem State was easier than he thought.   

"I like being at a HBCU; it is a different experience," said Thomas, a junior political science major from Rennes, France.

He was introduced to North Carolina about 15 years ago when he visited his uncle, aunt and three cousins who live in Chapel Hill. 

Thomas became a student at WSSU through the International Student Exchange Program, a national organization. He liked the area so much that he knew he would return.   

Thomas said his school at home is like a small college with about 800 students. 

"You have to pass an exam to enter the school. At home, my classes have 100 to 300 people. So the teacher has to speak in a microphone." 

He said his school requires students to intern nine to 10 months or study abroad.

So when he was presented with the opportunity of studying aboard or working as an intern, he jumped at the chance to return to the United States.

Thomas said he chose North Carolina because of the weather.  He said weather at home is very rainy, and he wanted to spend his year in a country with good weather.

"WSSU was probably like my sixth choice, but I don't regret it," Thomas said.

He visited other schools including UNC-Greensboro and Wake Forest, but he didn't like them as much as WSSU.

Thomas said other colleges and universities have more than 50 international students at time. 

He said that may make it hard to get a full American experience.

Thomas said it is a lot more interesting attending an HBCU.  

"Here [at WSSU] I am speaking English all the time and discovering another part of American society that I may not have gotten in Chapel Hill or Durham. 

"At WSSU I really enjoy my classes with Dr. [Larry] Little my political science teacher. 

"I am learning a lot of things here.

"People outside of America have many different perceptions about Americans. I like people here for the fact that everybody is really friendly. One of the prejudice things that French people say about Americans is that Americans are really superficial," Thomas said.

Even though he said people in America are different, Thomas doesn't let that hold him back from getting to know other people. 

"Everybody is welcoming and trying to get to know you. That's something I really like about America," Thomas said.

Rickford Grant, international programs adviser, said he [Thomas] has adjusted well. He has many friends and participates in many school functions. 

Grant said Thomas doesn't let language barriers or cultural differences stop him from expressing his opinion or fully participating in the life of this campus. He said Thomas is a carefree person who likes to have fun and meet new people. 

Thomas said he misses some people at home, but it's just something he has to deal with. "There are things I don't like here as much as in France, but there is nothing here I just dislike," he said. 

He plans on returning to America one day. He wants to return and visit WSSU, after he leaves at the end of his semester on May 18. 

"I don't know if WSSU will be the same when I come back to visit in a few years," he said. 

If he could, he said he would go back home to visit for the summer then return to WSSU for another semester. 

There is one thing that he said he will take back to France that will not fit in any size suitcase. 

"The best thing I will bring back home is all the memories I got here. I will miss this place and all of my friends I have met here."