Have you ever wondered what it's like to come to the United States and study Urban Planning at the University of Iowa? First-year graduate student Kwame Owusu-Daaku, from Kumasi, Ghana, recently won an award for an essay he wrote on the topic. The annual essay contest was sponsored by the Office of International Students and Scholars and Kwame won while competing with 21 other international students, representing twelve countries and a wide range of majors from throughout the UI curriculum. Entrants were asked to write about their "experiences, cross-cultural encounters (good and not-so-good), insights, thoughts, and emotions upon coming to the United States and adjusting to new life as a UI student." Read Kwame's interpretation of what it was like to be a foreigner in Iowa City. If interested, all of the submissions may be read here.