Take three years in the United States away from a loving and close family in Japan, add unfamiliar cultural experiences along with some obstacles that can make living feel intimidating, and – presto – the life of Bakersfield College exchange student Nozomi Nagumo can be seen at a glimpse.

Nagumo is known for her contagious smiles, self-expression and being loud with family and friends.

“I’m a loud person,” she said. “I talk a lot and get along with everyone.”

After two years at BC, Nagumo is graduating and receiving her associates of arts degree in graphic arts this semester.

“I’m really excited to graduate and get that piece of paper that says I finished school here,” she said. “It’s like a dream come true.”

Nagumo’s mother, father and two uncles will be flying from Japan to attend graduation.

“They are so excited and so happy I’m graduating,” she said. “If they weren’t so open-minded, I would never be able to come here.”

But her journey to graduation was not always easy, especially when it came to obtaining her parents’ permission to come to America to study.

“It took me three years to convince my parents to let me come to America,” Nagumo said. “I came to the United States when I was in high school for a high school program and after I came back, all I would say is that ‘I’m going back there.’ And after telling my parents how badly I wanted to go, they finally gave me the go-ahead.”

During her stay here as a student, Nagumo was determined to break language barriers.

“Before I came to Bakersfield, I was a really happy, loud and talkative person,” she said. “But when I got here I couldn’t speak any English. Not being able to speak English changed my personality. When I was in school in Japan, I had no trouble to raise my hand and ask questions, but when I got here, I was so nervous and so scared. I didn’t want to make mistakes because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. So I would pick the easiest books, like Harry Potter, which is one of my favorites to read and it helps.”

Another hurdle she had to overcome was stereotypes.

“Every time I would meet some people and tell them that I am from Japan, they always ask me, ‘Is it true that Japanese people eat monkey brains because I saw it on MTV,’ ” she said. “But the answer is no, we don’t each such things.”

Nagumo said she gets homesick.

“We are very close. We call once a week and sometimes we talk over three hours,” she said.

Since her stay in Bakersfield, Nagumo has developed an addiction to movies, especially when it comes to her favorite actor Josh Harnett.

“In Japan, it costs over $20 to watch a movie at the theaters,” she said. “It’s so expensive. But now I go every other week because it’s so cheap. I can’t stop.”

After graduation, Nagumo will go back to Japan but hopes to return and stay permanently in America.

“I think I got a lot of experience in education since I’ve been here,” she said. “I now have friends from all over the world. I wanted to stay to attend a four-year university but have to go back to Japan and work in order to save up to get my bachelor’s degree here. I really wish to come back to the United States and get my B.A. and stay here for the rest of my life.”