After the terrorist acts of Sept. 11, the fear of war in the United States grew.

The uncertainty sparked many students and citizens to wonder if such a thing could happen.

But could something or someone invade our homes?

For some students, that question has already been answered as the Iraqi conflict is literally in their backyards.

“Last Friday, a missile landed a mile or two from my house,” said William Olaprath, an international student from Kuwait, who said he found out about the missile from talking to friends on the Internet.

“The explosion was so strong that, when it exploded, all the glass shattered and the house shook.”

Olaprath admitted spending every moment of spare time he had watching CNN.

At least for one night, at the International Dance Music Night Monday, the house shook in another way.

The music blared throughout the dark confines of 7th Street Underground. A group of international students danced to the rhythms and beats of dance music, some forgetting their concerns for Kuwait or Iraq.

Stepping away from the dance floor into a stairway, Rahul Bhalla, a 19-year-old Kuwait native, talked about his family in the American war zone.

“Only a few missiles were shot at Kuwait,” Bhalla said in a normal conversational tone. “The missiles landed about a 15-minute walk away from my house. Until the missile hit, I wasn’t afraid at all (for family), but that really shook me up.

“I was completely shocked wondering ‘How could this possibly happen?'”

Foreseeing potential problems, the International Programs office quickly scheduled a meeting after President Bush delivered his ultimatum speech March 17. Students asked questions to members from the Counseling Center, faculty, security personnel and administration at the meeting.

“We really are a close community,” said International Student Adviser Sue Songer. “We care for each other, and this conflict causes a great deal of anxiety – it’s a very complex, emotional experience.”

Olaprath, who talks to his family every day via the Internet, knows all about complex emotion.

“(My family) doesn’t know what to do – if they leave Kuwait, they leave secure jobs,” he said.

And about his family’s course of action if missiles or biological warfare occur: “The people will go put on gas masks – if they even have them – not everyone has them and only one does in my family.”

Krishna Ignalaga, 18, and native of Bahrain, said her mother and father both have contingency plans through their jobs to evacuate if their safety is in danger. She also said her sister’s school building had been boarded up, and safety and evacuation drills were being taught.

“My family is doing pretty good considering there are a lot of riots,” Ignalaga, who was born in the Phillipines, said after the dance. “I know my parents are really trying hard not to tell me stuff.”

Ignalaga then took a deep breath and said: “It’s still pretty hard.”

Another international student, a 25-year-old native of Omar who spoke on the terms of anonymity, said he is fighting another battle: one here at Eastern.

“My family isn’t worried about themselves, but for me,” the student said. “They are worried about someone bothering me here, so I listen and stay at home.”

The student has heard discriminatory remarks at Eastern.

“I don’t want to leave my place and go out – I don’t want to make any problems,” the student said. “My parents told me if I ever had any problems (with discriminatory remarks) that I should just come back.”

Eastern has taken a strong stance on this topic.

“Eastern Illinois University will not tolerate the harassment or intimidation of students, faculty or staff based upon religion, national origin or skin color,” Cynthia Nichols, director of civil rights and diversity, said in a March 18 press release.

“Such violence should not happen at Eastern. The University takes these reports very seriously and will act promptly on this information.”

The press release stated that no hate crimes had been reported to date.

The international students held both pro- and anti-war views.

“I don’t know why the United States is even in Iraq,” Abdul Sani, 26, and native of Pakistan, said. “Does that mean if I have power I can go to your house if it is dirty and try to clean it?

“And is saying they are only trying to go after Saddam Hussein, we cannot only hurt one person. A bomb is a bomb – it kills anyone.”

Bhalla disagreed.

“I’m kind of for (war) because this thing has to come to an end,” he said. “Kuwait can’t survive with danger surrounding it all the time.”