Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

MARQUETTE -- Monday is the beginning of the fall semester at many universities across the Upper Peninsula. Some students are just a couple miles from home, while others come from much longer distances.

Northern Michigan University welcomed many new international students on Monday. Some are in Marquette to get a full degree, but other students are at the university for a year through an exchange program.

David Vieira started classes on Monday. He is in Marquette because he is looking for something new.

"I realized I didn't like the city too much, and this seemed like more my kind of thing," said Vieira.

The native of St. Martin, a small island in the Carribean, intends to get a degree in Zoology. He jumped right into those studies on Monday.

"I'm doing some introductory biology courses, some chemistry," he said. "My English is pretty good so I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that too much."

The 21-year-old student arrived in Marquette a week ago. The cooler temperatures aren't the only differences from home.

"Everything's a lot more organized here, happens quite quickly," David commented. "Back home, everybody's, you know, very chilled."

David has met many new people in the Upper Peninsula, including Lisa Kohnke. The 21-year-old came to Marquette on exchange for the year. NMU partners with Lisa's school back home in Bielefeld, Germany. She attended a variety of classes Monday.

"Basketball, like health promotions, in the morning, and then I have a Spanish class," said Kohnke.

Lisa is a native German speaker, but she has been taking English classes for nine years. She has a lot of practice speaking English after spending a year of high school in Australia.

"I just love being on the road and meeting new people and getting to know new cultures," she said.

Lisa and David are nervous and excited about a big aspect of living in the Upper Peninsula.

"I'm kind of worried about how winter is going to treat me," David said. "That's a bit daunting."

Lisa added, "That's another reason why I'm here because I would like to get to know that. Like, you probably have a white Christmas? We are hoping for it, but it usually never happens."