September 9, 2021
Ducks everywhere have a story. Some come to the UO and leave finding the power of their voice. There are some students who arrive in search of an education and graduate knowing their exact purpose in life. Others land on campus through a series of serendipitous events and discover some of their most enduring friendships. For those who travelled from around the globe – they may find all these things. However, what is extraordinary is when they find much more – love. Hear from our global Ducks – in their own words - on how they found love at the UO.
Our story may be a bit different from other UO couples. We arrived together in Eugene in the Summer of 1977 to gain international degrees building on our education from Norway. As a young couple, we settled in our first apartment on Ferry Street and joined the Lundquist College of Business. Two years later, we finished our master's degrees and returned to Norway, where we got married and settled in with careers and a house. A few years later, we started our family.
In 1994, we brought our three children to Eugene. In 2015, the two of us returned once again to enjoy the campus, Taylor’s hamburgers, and the Saturday Market. We stayed at the Excelsior Hotel and revisited memories of our happy student days. It was a period which, in many ways, formed us as a couple and kept us together with a shared and profound experience.
[As students], I fondly remember traveling together in our Ford Pinto to visit lots of places in Oregon and on the West Coast whenever we had a break from our studies. We enjoyed concerts, athletics competitions, basketball, and football games with our fellow students whenever we could.
Next year we will reach retirement age. We are still married, and we still enjoy being in contact with UO students from the US and other countries, as well as other Norwegian UO students and alumni.
Yaeko and I met during foreign student orientation week, which is a great occasion to meet others who are in the same boat as you – even though students are all from very different backgrounds. I guess the international student experience creates a bond that crosses borders and cultures; you are all in this together, looking forward to a great time at the UO and in America, but also feeling nervous about being far away from home.
Let’s not forget that this was in the late 1980s, when calling home cost a fortune and the only alternative – letters – took weeks. Imagine preparing for such a change – even for just a year. We were both on exchange and without internet! I had to travel over a hundred miles (a big distance for a small country) to a bookstore that had any books in English just to find the one travel guide with a few pages on the state of Oregon. At that time, Oregon was, let’s say, a well-hidden secret!
Yaeko and I have been married since 1994. We have two children – one of them we named Eugene! Natascha is 24 and just started her first job. Eugene is 20, studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics here in Amsterdam. He had wanted to go to the UO on an exchange last year, but that obviously didn’t work out.
We’ve been married for more than a quarter of a century, so I guess we’ve done some things right. Perhaps the most important thing is to realize that marriage means being one together and that gives you great benefits but also limits you from time to time. Too much self-centeredness doesn’t work well. A healthy balance is best, coupled with a generous dose of patience for one another. Most fights are not worth their damage, so think before you speak and try to see the bigger picture.
From Norway to Eugene, and back again
Tor Eskeland, BS ’78; MBA ’79 (Norway) and Marianne Eskeland, BS ’78; MBA ’79 (Norway)
Our story may be a bit different from other UO couples. We arrived together in Eugene in the Summer of 1977 to gain international degrees building on our education from Norway. As a young couple, we settled in our first apartment on Ferry Street and joined the Lundquist College of Business. Two years later, we finished our master's degrees and returned to Norway, where we got married and settled in with careers and a house. A few years later, we started our family.
In 1994, we brought our three children to Eugene. In 2015, the two of us returned once again to enjoy the campus, Taylor’s hamburgers, and the Saturday Market. We stayed at the Excelsior Hotel and revisited memories of our happy student days. It was a period which, in many ways, formed us as a couple and kept us together with a shared and profound experience.
[As students], I fondly remember traveling together in our Ford Pinto to visit lots of places in Oregon and on the West Coast whenever we had a break from our studies. We enjoyed concerts, athletics competitions, basketball, and football games with our fellow students whenever we could.
Next year we will reach retirement age. We are still married, and we still enjoy being in contact with UO students from the US and other countries, as well as other Norwegian UO students and alumni.
Eugene, it’s more than just a place
Alexander Kohnstamm, Exchange Student ’92 (Netherlands) and Yaeko Arimura, Exchange Student ’92 (Japan)
Yaeko and I met during foreign student orientation week, which is a great occasion to meet others who are in the same boat as you – even though students are all from very different backgrounds. I guess the international student experience creates a bond that crosses borders and cultures; you are all in this together, looking forward to a great time at the UO and in America, but also feeling nervous about being far away from home.
Let’s not forget that this was in the late 1980s, when calling home cost a fortune and the only alternative – letters – took weeks. Imagine preparing for such a change – even for just a year. We were both on exchange and without internet! I had to travel over a hundred miles (a big distance for a small country) to a bookstore that had any books in English just to find the one travel guide with a few pages on the state of Oregon. At that time, Oregon was, let’s say, a well-hidden secret!
Yaeko and I have been married since 1994. We have two children – one of them we named Eugene! Natascha is 24 and just started her first job. Eugene is 20, studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics here in Amsterdam. He had wanted to go to the UO on an exchange last year, but that obviously didn’t work out.
We’ve been married for more than a quarter of a century, so I guess we’ve done some things right. Perhaps the most important thing is to realize that marriage means being one together and that gives you great benefits but also limits you from time to time. Too much self-centeredness doesn’t work well. A healthy balance is best, coupled with a generous dose of patience for one another. Most fights are not worth their damage, so think before you speak and try to see the bigger picture.
Every day is Valentine's Day with the right person
Syren Chen, BS ’13 (China) and Fiona Ran Wei, BS ’13 (China)
During the spring of 2011, Fiona and I met at a house party. We were also in the same accounting class for the bachelor’s degree in business administration.
We love watching movies and photographing. In Eugene, we went to the movie theatre and restaurants in Valley River Center for our Valentine’s Day. However, I believe in the saying “Every day is Valentine’s Day for the right person.”
Fiona and I are currently live in Beijing. I am working as an investment manager in Beijing Grain Group, and Fiona is working from home as a full-time mom and blogger. Our second baby was born few days after Christmas 2020.
Being romantic and grateful are significant in a relationship. We sincerely appreciate that UO brought us together. We look forward to visit the UO again and tell our children the love stories that originated there.
- By Katie Jo Walter, manager of international engagement for Advancement