MFIS Makes All the Difference

Everything felt new, loud, and fast. I had just arrived from India in Fall 2024 to study Computer Science and Data Science at UW-Madison, and it felt like I’d been dropped into another planet. I was excited, but also overwhelmed by the cold, by the silence in the dorm hallways, and by how much I missed home.

Then came Thanksgiving. Or rather, Friendsgiving at Sarah’s house. She was warm, welcoming, and had made delicious vegetarian food, something I didn’t realize I had been missing until I took the first bite. I tried pecan pie bars and pumpkin pie and surprisingly, I loved them. (I used to hate pumpkins, but she changed my mind!) We played Secret Hitler, a game I’d never heard of. We laughed so much that my face hurt. That day, I didn’t feel like a guest. I felt like I belonged.

Later, through MFIS’s Global Friends program, I met Dan. We got coffee, and he told me stories from his life in Madison. Through Dan, I ended up at a Capitol Reception, met Chinese students, tried real Chinese food, and even found people to play badminton with.

MFIS didn’t just help me know Madison, it helped me feel known. That makes all the difference.