Dear Diary,
I am thrilled to share my journey as an African PhD student at Rice University, living in the vibrant city of Houston. It has been an incredible experience, full of fun and captivating moments, and I want other Africans to know that they can feel close to home here in Houston. Join me as I explore the sights, sounds, and cultural tapestry that have made my time here unforgettable.
After the excitement of being accepted into Rice University, getting my visa approved, and finally landing in the USA, I faced the reality of making Houston my home for at least the next five years. Leaving my family and cute dog behind in Ghana was tough, but the adventure awaited.
One of the first things I noticed upon arriving was how big everything was—wide roads, big trucks, and fancy cars. It’s true what they say: “Everything is bigger in Texas!”
Fun and Entertainment
You know what blew my mind during my first week here and made me feel right at home? Afrobeats lounges! Discovering them on my first weekend was amazing. Aura, Xhale lounge, Rumors and O2 lounge are a few popular ones I have been to. Afrobeats helps me release stress, so I knew I was in the right place with countless Afrobeat hangouts just around the corner from Rice. Experiencing authentic Afrobeats music here is just like back home in Ghana, where we party till the next morning. Apart from the lounges, almost every weekend comes with an afrobeat/ amapiano party or concert in town, which I usually find while browsing on Instagram or through other friends.
African Food and Shopping Scene
And the food! There are so many excellent African restaurants with good prices and large food portions. They all taste amazing. Even though the Jollof debate is still ongoing, Houston offers delicious and spicy Senegalese, Ghanaian, and Nigerian jollof. We’ll need a separate blog for African food in Houston, but to give you a sneak peek, here are some places I’ve visited: Aria Suya, and Afrikiko Restaurant. There are several African stores like Makola Market, SouthWestFarmers, and Wazobia Market, which have all the African foodstuff and groceries you can think of. It is such a joy to have access to African groceries and foodstuff while over 6000 miles away from home. Rice organizes a lot of events with so much food, like Culture Night, where groups showcase various staples from all around the world.
Church
Being a Christian, on Sundays, I connect spiritually, and it satisfies me to have a Ghanaian church where I can feel close to home. I’ve visited two Ghanaian churches, CPIM and The Church of Pentecost, and from the praise and worship to the sermon, it simply reminds me of home. You also get to connect with other African individuals and families when you visit.
People often ask how I balance exploring Houston and studying at a prestigious school like Rice University. Rice has an amazing work-life balance system, encouraging extracurricular social activities even for graduate students. All these fun experiences wouldn’t have happened if I stayed isolated. I’m an active member of clubs like the Rice African Graduate Student Association (RAGSA), Rice Graduate Christian Felllowship(RGCF), Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), and Computer Science GSA. I look forward to the RAGSA events because we enjoy African food and culture at Rice. Orientation week social events were a great help, allowing me to meet other Africans and students from around the world. Rice’s international student body is fantastic, and everyone is so friendly and approachable, letting me experience diverse cultures.
I can’t believe it’s been a year already. I’m living my dream, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years of my PhD journey have in store for me.
Watch out for my next blog, “Houston’s Food Scene: An African Foodie at Rice University.”
About the author:
Natalie Kokroko is from Ghana and is currently a PhD student in Computer Science. She got her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Ghana. Read more.
Further Reading:
Houston Without a Car: How to Navigate Rice University and Beyond