ALU: Home Away From Home

ALU is not just a university. It is a family, not because of the student population, but as a result of our culture. Before coming to ALU, I was fidgeting because I was going to move from what I had known and called home for seventeen years - Nigeria - to an island that I only got to know of a few months before starting my application. I was a nervous wreck. Nevertheless, that didn’t hinder my excitement to interact, learn and live with some of the brightest young minds on the African continent who I was going to meet at ALU. I was, however, not oblivious of the challenges that such diversity may present. I was aware that such diversity in culture could either be a bane or a blessing.

When I finally arrived at ALU, I was immediately slapped with an overdose of exhilaration. I had never seen so much excitement from so many people at the same place and at the same time. The amount of talent that I saw in my fellow classmates every day inspired me to challenge my thinking and build myself everyday. Every day, I literally have to remind myself that I am abroad because I am surrounded by great minds who make me feel at home.

I thought that I was going to be picked on or marginalised because I was going to be among the youngest students (2 years younger than the average age of ALU students), but that was far from the case. I was made to feel like an equal, one who has equal intelligence to come up with creative ideas as my classmates who were three, four, or five years older than me. Equality and open-mindedness are two of the values that are held at highest reverence at ALU. This allows for a welcoming experience regardless of your race, age, gender, size, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or familial background.

The touch of paradise that the beautiful island of Mauritius adds to the equation sums up the home away from home experience that you will have at the African Leadership University.