Culture shock: Worjloh sparks Bulldogs 4x400

By: 
Kristi Nixon

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DES MOINES — Running 400 meters is easy in the grand scheme of things for Hampton-Dumont junior foreign exchange student Mugabe Worjloh.
 
Running the lead-off leg for the Bulldogs in their state appearance in which they improved their standings from 24th in Class 3A to 20th in an unofficial time of 3 minutes, 36 seconds, the 17-year-old who was born in Liberia has been key to H-D’s success this season.
 
“I’m a foreign exchange student from Liberia,” Worjloh said. “It (America) is quite different from my home country. The languages, we speak 15 and in America, just one.”
 
The country, which had civil unrest for 14 years and ended shortly after he was born has affected him even to this day.
 
“From 1989 to 2003 we had a Civil War in my country, people suffer from poverty all the time,” Worjloh said. “I was one year old when the war ended, I was born in 2002. We saw one power change to another in our country.
 
“My grandfather died in the Civil War, my dad’s dad. I feel what he was going through. It’s tough.”
 
In fact, the country had two different Civil wars, from 1989 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2003.
 
Coming from his country to the United States and Hampton is quite different than his every day life.
 
“It’s absolutely a culture shock because like, when I talk to people I don’t talk to people the same as I do back home,” Worjloh said. “It’s different.
 
“We don’t have teams like here in track. I did this to get out of my comfort zone, you know? I didn’t have any friends, so I thought I’d come out and get friends. Track has helped me a lot.”
 
His teammate, senior Riley Flint, who Worjloh handed the baton off to during Friday’s 4x400 preliminaries, admitted he doesn’t know all of Worjloh’s story.
 
“I know this is his first time coming out for track and he’s really loving it with coach Aalbers and all the friends he’s made,” Flint said. “He’s really quick and I think he doesn’t really know his speed just yet, and he’s really fun to talk with and he’s a great kid overall.”
 
Worjloh said he was amazed to get to compete in front of the crowd that made up the Iowa state track and field meet.
 
“I can hardly believe myself right now,” Worjloh said. “I’m on the track at state, so it’s super-impressive.
 
“These guys are very nice, but sometimes, I’m homesick, you know? “I’m (going home) next month. (Running state track) It’s a big memory. It’s cool, we may not have gotten first place, but I think I’m proud of our work. We tried our best.”

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