8,000 miles from home

Michael Sibelu, our new geometry and computer programming teacher, was born and raised in Zimbabwe, Africa. Sibelu moved to America in 2003 to attend college in North Carolina at Campbell University. The transition to life in a new country was not without its challenges. He moved here completely by himself; he had no friends or family in the United States and he lacked some basic skills most Americans take for granted.

“I had to learn to become an independent person” said Sibelu. “I didn’t know how to cook or drive and it was just me by myself.”

At first he also had a hard time speaking and with the way he pronounced certain words.

“I would spell or say certain words in the British way and they needed to be in American English,” said Sibelu. “I would also draw out some words.”

He didn’t let that stop him though. His freshman English teacher helped him adjust and he listed to a lot of NPR.

He may have started off alone, but now he has a wife and daughter and speaks fluent “American” English although some of his students do note that he maintains an accent.

“He’s a really great teacher, in my opinion,” said freshman Kodi Charley. “You just have to understand him and what he’s saying.”

His students say they can talk to him whenever they need to, get extra help from him, and several mentioned they enjoy listening to his stories.

“He has a really good personality and he’s funny and caring,” said freshman Teja Angelo.

Sibelu gets along with his students and tries to build relationships with them. He listens to his students and therefore his students listen to him.

“He is an amazing teacher; he is also very funny and sweet,” said sophomore Makayla Parnther.

When he first arrived to America, it wasn’t like how he had imagined it.

“I imagined it like the movies,” said Sibelu.

Even though it wasn’t exactly how he pictured it, he says he loves it here.