Rashika Perera is a psychology major from Sri Lanka, although her family recently moved to Australia. She is passionate about music and has sung and played the cello at Carleton. She in an intern in the Office of International Student Programs and recently has been active in raising funds for tsunami relief. She was in intern in Minneapolis at the Center for Victims of Torture, where she created an online resource manual for teachers of refugee youth. She plans to attend graduate school in Australia and hopes to pursue a career in clinical psychology or music therapy.

What drew you to Carleton?

I was frustrated with the education system in Sri Lanka because it is very streamlined-you do medicine or law or whatever. I’ve always had a passion for music and I didn’t want to give that up to pursue something else, and music isn’t really a feasible line of work in Sri Lanka. I was looking for a broader education. I also wanted a friendly, small campus where I wouldn’t get lost in huge crowds of people.

How did your family feel about your coming to Carleton?

They knew all along that I was keen to come abroad. My aunt, who lives in Chicago, was always asking my family to send me to the States to do music. They’ve always had some idea that I might go abroad. It was difficult for them, but they were open to it.

How have you adjusted to life at Carleton?

The food has been the hardest thing to get used to-I pile a lot of pepper and salt on it, but it doesn’t make it any better. That’s something I really miss.

What about making friends and fitting in?

International students come a week ahead of everyone else for orientation, so you already have a few friends before you’re bombarded with all the other new experiences at Carleton. At orientation we learned about the different resources available for international students, we were shown around Northfield and taken to the mall to do some shopping, and we even went to the Minnesota State Fair. We did many things just to get a taste of the culture.

What is the atmosphere like for international students at Carleton?

It is very accepting. We have a ton of resources we can rely on and Petra [Crosby, director of international student programs] is a huge resource for us-you can go to her with any problem. It’s sort of like having a mother on campus. We’ve started meshing into the student body a little more since I started, too. There is more blending. As a freshman, you tend to stay close to what is familiar, but as you go on you move away from that safety net and make more friends outside of your comfortable circle. But I think that’s the experience for all students, not just international students.