No place like the Midwest

For some Otterbein students, home for them is down the street in the quiet suburbs of Westerville or the bustling streets of Columbus. For sophomore musical theatre major Gavin Juni, home is over 2,000 miles away in Moraga, California. 

"I’ve never been a big city person. So, the idea of being in a small town was comforting to me, especially when you are so far away from home,” Juni said.

Musical theatre, acting, and zoo and conservation science are the three majors with the most out-of-state students. One out of every 10 students attending Otterbein is from out of state. As of the 2025 fall semester, there are 235 degree-seeking out-of-state students at Otterbein.

Moraga, California, is situated in the San Francisco Bay Area. Moraga is known for its steep hills of green that slope down to the coast. The California poppy, a bright flower that can come in orange, red, or yellow, shimmers in the bright Californian sun. According to Moraga’s website, the rock is over 15 million years old and bears footprints of long extinct animals, such as the mastodons and the three-toed horses.  

“It’s very flat [in Ohio]. In San Francisco, you’re either going up or down. Here, you can see a lot.”  

According to the United States Census Bureau, the median household income in Moraga was $216,913 in 2024. More than double Ohio’s median household income of $99,122.

Juni said that Moraga has a “bubble” that fostered “holier-than-thou attitudes.”

“A lot of the houses in Moraga are nice, big houses," said Juni. "There’s one section on a hill. The street’s called Ascot — it's where I live. It’s made up of smaller townhomes. What’s crazy to me is that a lot of my friends are also on Ascot. It’s a lot of people of color. The majority of people of color ended up on Ascot, and everywhere else is predominantly white.”  

Juni recalled a time a resident of Moraga talked about her experience living on Ascot Court. The resident said she was “embarrassed to have lived on Ascot.” 

“Just because they’re smaller homes, doesn’t mean they’re not so expensive."

Since coming to Ohio, Juni said he does not feel that same scrutiny from other people. “My friends live off campus, and sometimes they have people over," said Juni. "Back during the summer, they had their fire pit in their backyard. Their next-door neighbor just came over and asked, ‘Do you guys just want to use my firewood?’ They were like, ‘Oh, we already have other people coming over and don’t want to intrude on your space.’ The neighbor said, ‘Well, the more the merrier.’”  

“I’ve never had anything like that happen back where I’m from,” Juni said.   

What many Ohioans perceive as mundane can be a breath of fresh air to an out-of-state student.  

"There are so many connections you can make because all these states are so close to each other,” said Juni. 

Ohio shares its borders with Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana. In contrast, California borders Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona. A 5-hour drive to the west of Ohio will take you through two states. Meanwhile, driving 5 hours in California will leave you in the same state.  

Juni said that Ohio had a reputation for being a “bunk” state, but found that it did not match his experience. He pointed out the Columbus Museum of Art and North Market as places he enjoys visiting. “Over winter break, I went to the Christmas Story house – that was awesome – and I went to Playhouse Square in Cleveland.” 

“People are always so surprised, like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re from California? Why did you come here?’ It’s not that bad. Of course, there’s a lot to do in California, but it’s not like there’s nothing to do here.”   

“I think snow is really fun still," said Juni. "The coldest day in Moraga is, like, 44 degrees … that’s like, insanely cold to everyone over there.”  

Although, there are some things Ohio just cannot replicate.  

“I’m Filipino, so my family loves cooking Filipino food, and we love going to Filipino restaurants," Juni said. "There is a dish that my family makes called Kare-Kare. It’s oxtail in this peanut sauce, and you have it with rice. It’s so good. Food like that, I can’t find anything like it in Ohio.”  

One of Juni’s favorite restaurants is Jollibee, an Asian restaurant company known for its fried chicken and their Filipino spaghetti, according to Jollibee’s website. Filipino spaghetti is distinct for its sweet-tasting sauce called banana ketchup, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.  

There are 33 Jollibee locations in California. To Juni’s dismay, the closest Jollibee to Westerville, Ohio is in Detroit, Michigan. 

Back in Moraga, Juni recalled a time when his friend, who attends California State University in Sacramento, invited him to a meeting hosted by the Samahang Pilipino club.  

“When I visited him, I joined them for one of their big events," Juni said. "We were on the top level of this parking garage, and we filled up that whole level. We were like, ‘Oh my god, there are so many Filipinos here,’ But then I come back here and see one or two every other day."

No journey from home comes without a price. In between semesters, Juni recounted getting through the airport as a significant hurdle.  

"I went to the airport, and one of my bags was seven pounds [overweight]. And I’m trying to distribute the weight. My backpack is full. My carry-on had my PlayStation in it, so I can’t really fit anything in there. So, I'm like, ‘Oh shit. What am I going to do?’” Juni said. He had to pay a hefty fine for bringing an overweight bag.

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