The Omnibus

Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: In the Spotlight

Media Credit: Zach Henderson Senior Chie Komamiya plays cello in one of many SBU orchestra concerts. Komamiya's senior cello recital is Friday, April 27 at 7:30 pm in Meyer Recital Hall.

Senior Chie Komamiya will perform her senior cello recital Friday, April 27 in Meyer Recital Hall. Komamiya's recital is the result of eight years of practice, a six-year hiatus from the cello and thousands of dollars in international plane tickets.
Komamiya comes to Southwest Baptist University from Tokyo, Japan. She first came to United States as an exchange student to Bolivar High School her junior year.
"I loved it so much, I wanted to come back," said Komamiya.
Komamiya explained that while most Japanese fathers are leery of sending daughters into foreign countries for an education, her father was able to see the benefit of his three daughters experiencing an international education.
Komamiya and her two sisters have all studied abroad; the oldest in Osceola, the middle daughter in Paris and Komamiya in Bolivar. Komamiya has even been able to live with the same host family that her oldest sister lived with in Osceola.
When she first came to the United States, Komamiya noticed that Americans were taller and drank more soda. She had a hard time adjusting to Bolivar's lack of Starbucks.
"There are not many places to go after nine," said Komamiya. "We need a Starbucks."
Komamiya also had a hard time adjusting to other facets of living in a small town: lack of places to shop and diversity of restaurants. Adjusting to American college life has also presented some challenges.
"At the beginning, I had a hard time with all my classes," said Komamiya, attributing her difficulties to her poor English. "I also had a hard time making friends because I was not a very open person, and I stayed in my room most of the time and studied to catch up with my classes."
Komamiya does, however, get to return home every break. Her deal with her father is that if she makes good grades, he will pay the money for her to come home for breaks.
When Komamiya goes home, she always catches up on the latest fashions.
"Japanese fashion is so fast to change," commented Komamiya. "Almost every girl [my age] wears very cute clothes so I have to catch up with them really quickly."

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