International Students: How ORCA Is Reshaping Their Lives

Oregon Charter Academy's student demographics are fairly diverse, more or less reflecting those of Oregon. The school is majority white (64% as of our last state report card) and 20% of the student population comes from a Hispanic or Latino background. And did you know that students here speak a total of 25 languages?

Two students, Muhammad Arhum and Bali Kishmali, have stepped forward to share their personal tales as individuals from international backgrounds.

Muhammad Arhum, a graduating senior at ORCA and a Pakistani from birth, expresses his experiences as an international student and the impact he has on the student body. The move to the United States brought fresh opportunity but it also introduced a new wave of concerns when it comes to education and cultural differences: brick-and-mortar learning.

He explains the struggles of living in a different country for the last three years and reflects on the opportunities he has been given academically.

“My parents had concerns about public school and all the danger it has and wanted their kids to stay home and study,” Arhum said. “My siblings and I started our educational journey online after coming to the USA.”

Arhum highlights the moments when ORCA became an option to not only pursue his remaining education online, but also to become part of a supportive community to aid in his learning. Inspired by his older sister, who graduated from ORCA last year, it motivated him to thrive in the same environment that supported her.

“I am not biased but from all the school research we did, we did not find a school like ORCA,” Arhum adds. “I love it!”

Taking part as one of many students in the Class of 2025, he expressed his enthusiasm for the future, as well as his appreciation to the academic community. 

Arhum isn't the only international student making his presence known at ORCA.

Bali Kishalmi is now a sophomore at ORCA and serving as a Student Government representative leading his peers. He shares about his personal experiences and the struggle he faced, adjusting to a new language, country, and culture, and how it opened his perspective widely amid the struggles that came with it. 

“I came from Hungary and went to the U.S. in 2017,” Kishalmi said. “Adjusting to a new country and language was challenging, but it shaped my perspective uniquely.”

Kishalmi’s experience not only helped him academically for the last six years, but has also helped gain the interests he has today.

“I have various interests, from woodworking to historical European martial arts,” Kishalmi adds. “And I enjoy gaming, especially Terraria and Stardew Valley.”

The stories of Arhum and Kishlami are two of many stories that allow ORCA to be culturally well-rounded in an academic setting. Journeying from Europe and Asia to Oregon, they’ve provided influence in a community striving for diversity.