Meet Marie-Martine Uwera, an incoming Wilson dorm resident from the Musanze District in Rwanda. This interview is part of a summer blog series profiling one Class of 2018 member from each of the 13 East Campus dorms. Look out for the rest of the blogs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays leading up to Orientation Week.
Major: Double major in global health and psychology
Pre-orientation: International orientation
Summer plans: "I have been working with a high school since February tutoring students in chemistry and biology, and aiding students applying to U.S. colleges on how to write their essays."
Favorite type of weather: "I like cold weather."
Favorite book or literary work: "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld.
Guilty pleasure: Dancing by herself.
Impressions from first visit to Duke: "Never been to the U.S. before!"
What she will add to the Wilson community: "I want to enhance strong friendships and a sense of belonging. I want Wilson to be a community where we live like brothers and sisters, where everyone know that they can reach out on you for help."
Things she's excited to try out at Duke: "I want to try out tenting and I love basketball so much, so I want to tent for basketball seasons at Duke."
What she is most nervous about at Duke: "I’m most nervous about leaving my family here. I will not be able to use my local language. Imagining being in a community here, spending four years without being to Rwanda. Speaking English all the time."
Her native language: Kinyarwanda. "I can also listen to French."
If she could be famous for one thing, what it would be: "I would wish to be famous as a generous person who always puts a smile on people's faces."
Weirdest thing she plans to pack: "A traditional carpet to hang in my room."
Essential dorm decorating item: "I love decorations — pictures of my family and friends."
Any last thoughts: "All I want is to make our first year dorm life in Wilson one of most memorable experiences of my life. I know have been chatting with friends on Facebook but I'm very excited to meet them in person and be myself, enjoy my time at Duke with them."
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