Two residents of AKK study together on a sunny spring day in AKK’s front lawn. AKK’s parking lot can be seen in the back of the picture.

    
      I recently attended a lecture at the Iowa Memorial Union by Robert Kennedy Jr. He spoke mainly about environmental issues, but he mentioned something I had not heard before. He spoke of how it is only recently that the United States has been seen in a poor light by much of the rest of the world. Not just radicals from oppressed nations, but also average people in developed areas like Europe have a sour taste in their mouth when it comes to the United States. In the past we have been welcomed with open arms as a beacon of hope and a role model for the world. This saddened me as I feel that this is the time when “the world is becoming flat” to quote Thomas Friedman. We are becoming a global society and just when that is happening Mr. Kennedy Jr. was telling me that our country is being perceived as the bully on the playground.

        I believe that the greatest strength of AKK continues to be its affordable housing and flexible renting schedule. This allows AKK to play host to many visiting students. The University of Iowa recently began a student exchange program with Karolinska University in Stockholm, Sweden and University of Oxford in Oxford, England as well as a program with the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Last year AKK played host to the first student from Karolinska to visit the University of Iowa. In the spring of 2007 AKK hosted an exchange student from Tübingen, Germany and in the fall of 2007 AKK hosted a dental student from Denmark. AKK proved integral to acclimating all three students to Iowa. On a more personal note I might add that AKK was pivotal in having all three students leave with a very positive experience of the University of Iowa but perhaps even more important in this day and age, a positive experience of Americans.

        I am very proud to be a part of a house that has been so integral in promoting such a diverse and global network of professionals. The students who have come to AKK have not only been immediately exposed to 20 American students, but the American students living at AKK have a variety of experiences and bring to the table a plethora of American culture. We have residents from multiple faiths including Hindu, Islam, and Christianity. We have members of the house who were born as far away as Iran. We have a variety of languages Vietnamese, Chinese, Farsi, Spanish, and English are all spoken fluently in the hallways. We have a former Broadway ballerina as well as a former high school teacher from Miami. We all come to AKK from all over the country and the world and the best part is we have all become friends. That is probably what I’m most proud of, not that students from other countries come here and get a positive experience, in lieu of Mr. Kennedy’s comments, but more so that students come here and leave with 20 international friends.

Viva AKK!

AKK Website

Be sure and check out AKK’s new website, where alumni can post information about themselves, take a virtual tour of the house, view current resident profiles, and keep up on current house projects and events!

www.akkmed.org