A flag that represents a country about three times the size of Connecticut was placed with reverence Wednesday among many other flags in the College Center representing a meaningful and powerful tradition at MHCC.

Stacy Ann Salesman attended MHCC from Jamaica, leaving a legacy she never intended. Salesman was killed before she completed all of her dreams at MHCC, but one still waves today. As the president of the International Friendship Club, Salesman dreamed of a flag displayed at Mt. Hood for each country that had a student represented through attendance.

The newest flag displayed represents the small country of Guinea Bissau. This country is located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal. It boasts a population of 1.3 million inhabitants, and the climate is described as tropical.

In 2002, Milce Da Silva moved to Oregon from her far away country of Guinea Bissau. Da Silva attended school in Clackamas before coming to MHCC. She is 20 years old, and all smiles. Da Silva has adapted to her new life and the culture shock with the help of friends and family. She says the greatest thing she has experienced since coming to the United States of America was “the Trailblazers, and the Lakers. I got to see Kobe Bryant play.” She also saw snow for the first time, and had “so much fun” inner-tubing down Mt. Hood. She added it would take nothing short of “a miracle for it to snow’’ in Guinea Bissau.

Da Silva is studying Hospitality and Hotel Management at MHCC. She plans to return to Guinea Bissau after she completes her degree to open her own resort. She says that resorts are “very rare” in her country, and that she hopes to be a “trendsetter.”

In a ceremony Wednesday in the College Center lounge, Milvia Amador, the director of diversity, gave a small speech inducting

Guinea Bissau into the flag hall of fame. Amador spoke not only about Milce Da Silva, but also general diversity. She said, “It would be boring if we were all the same. I’m glad people move around the world like Milce (Da Silva). It gives not only her, but also us a chance to experience a different culture.”