by: Emma Fleming
Nour Kibech, a dedicated Parkland student and mother of two, is not a traditional college student. Nour was born in the United States after her father moved to Colorado from Algeria to study during the 1980s. Although born in the U.S., Nour grew up in northeastern Annaba, Algeria. Nour began taking classes at Parkland last September and is currently striving towards a degree from the Dental Hygiene Program.
Nour longed to travel back to the U.S. “From a young age, I always dreamed to be back in the States to study and have a better life,” Nour said. “My father said that once I graduated, he would help me get back to the States.”
Nour received her baccalaureate in Algeria, what Nour describes as the equivalent to a high school diploma. As Nour prepared to travel to the States, she noticed that her family was hesitant to let her leave. “My father couldn’t imagine me moving all the way to the United States,” Nour said. “So, I decided to try to travel on my own. I was able to borrow money from a good friend since I was broke and convinced my mom to let me go, so she helped me too.” Nour’s mother sold a piece of her own jewelry to buy Nour’s plane ticket, supporting her daughter’s dream of studying in the U.S. It was not easy for Nour to leave her family in Algeria. “My father did not have a choice but to face the bitter reality,” Nour said. “He drove me to the airport, and it was the first time in my life that I saw him cry.”
After her parents reconciled with the fact that she was headed back to the States, Nour realized that traveling alone was much harder than it appeared to be. “I didn’t make it completely on my own,” Nour said. “I didn’t have any money and I couldn’t speak the language. At this point I started to look for someone who could host me. I tried to reach some of my father’s friends he knew back in the 80s, but those few people just ignored me.” With financial and language barriers impeding Nour’s travel process, she turned to the internet to find help. Nour ended up finding help from people she found on a chat website. “I did not have a choice but to search for help online. I was able to find Moroccan girls who opened their home to me,” Nour said.
Nour finally made it to the United States in Oct. 2009, where she worked as a waitress in Arlington, Virginia to earn money so she could file for her family to live with her in the States. “The reason why I did not start school in the states when I first came was that I had to choose between either bringing my family with me or going to school. For me, family came first,” Nour said. In the meantime, Nour married and had her two children. “This was another obstacle that blocked me from starting school when I got here,” Nour said.
“Parkland College, to me, is a dream come true. I call it my second home”
After nine years of waiting for an American education, Nour was finally able to settle herself, her husband and children, and her family from Algeria, in the Urbana Champaign area and begin studying at Parkland.
“Parkland College, to me, is a dream come true,” Nour said. “I call it my second home since I spend more time at Parkland than in my own home.” One of the most important and influential places for Nour is Parkland’s Center for Academic Success (D120). “I am so thankful for everyone who works there [D120],” Nour said. “Mrs. Taylor who always welcomes me with her wonderful smile, Sue Jones who I drove crazy with questions last semester, Omar who answers any of my math questions, and the peer tutors who are also amazing and always willing to help are why I love D120.” Nour utilizes CAS in hopes of fulfilling her educational goal of being accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program in the future.
Although Nour’s dream has always been to live in the States, it did not come without hardship once she arrived. “The transition was difficult since I used to depend on my parents in Algeria,” Nour said. “I never worked over there, and I did not have to worry about paying for food or rent. Taking on such responsibilities was huge for me and I was not even able to go to school at that time.” Nour also acknowledged that there were many differences between American and Algerian ways of life. “There was a difference in mentality and culture,” Nour said. “Everything was different here compared to Algeria. But I was mentally prepared for this big change and made my dream a reality.”
