What they carried

With our favorite items by our side, even a room the size of a closet can feel cozy. Inside talked to four international students about the items they brought from abroad to make Bloomington feel more like home.

The Grad Student

María Martínez didn’t know her four roommates before arriving in Bloomington from Spain. She found a room to rent through a OneStart ad and hoped for the best. “They were so great,” she says of her roommates. “They helped me get furniture and gave me things to borrow while I bought everything.”

María, a graduate student in the Jacobs School of Music, comes from a flat in a quiet neighborhood 20 minutes outside of Madrid. Though Bloomington’s nightlife is lively, María says it doesn’t compare to home.

“Life in Madrid is very much in the streets,” she says. “No matter what time it is, there are people walking around. Even if it’s midnight, there are children running around and families outside.”

María only brought two suitcases – mostly filled with clothes. She bought sheets, furniture, and other practical items once she arrived on campus.

Because she lives in a house, María can leave her belongings here over the summer. During the year, she decorates her walls with photos and postcards from friends and family overseas. “I haven’t lived here long enough, but I think of Bloomington as my independent life,” she says. “Home is where my parents are.”