Students from a Boston university visit Meridian on spring break

“Even though the United States of America is one country, you go from the North to the South, it’s a whole different world.”

Cultures vary across the world and even just in the United States Alone. A group of students from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts are spending their spring break helping Lauderdale County’s Habitat For Humanity build a house for a local family.

“See, I’ve got friends that are in Florida right now. Ya know, obviously the regular spring break thing is to go to Florida and go to the beach. But if I have an opportunity to help someone, I can never turn that down because I know there’s always people in need. I can go to Florida anytime I want, but I might not be able to come down to Mississippi. I might not be able to build a house. I might not be able to bond with the people I’m bonding with.” -Anye Knimbeng: Sophomore, Suffolk University

The students have been learning a thing or two about southern hospitality one piece of sheetrock at a time.

“Just the Southern hospitality here is beyond amazing. I feel as if I’m being treated as if I was born and raised here myself. So, that was definitely a change and a culture shock in itself of knowing, ‘wow, what I read and hear in the news is completely different than actual reality.” -Darlley Joselus: Junior, Suffolk University

Habitat For Humanity has had local volunteers working on this house recently, and the students express the hope they have after being surrounded by these local volunteers and what they call Meridian “a tight knit community.”

“We were able to meet the family that’s actually going to be living in this house once its completed, and that just sealed the deal for me. It was definitely fulfilling and knowing that every sheetrock we put up or every nail that goes into this house is definitely going to be appreciated and spoken for.” -Olivia Colantuoni: Senior, Suffolk University

Local volunteers with Lauderdale County’s Habitat For Humanity have been working on this home and will continue to do so until it is finished.