Christian Montesinos, JD
- Director of International Programs and Services
- cmontesi@mtu.edu
- 906-487-2160
- Administration Building 200
The two-way street of Culture Shock: Approaching an International Student.
As I sat in my office thinking of what I would write about for this article as a representation
of
what the International Programs and Services Department (IPS) does, I realized that
most likely
most of the campus community does not know what it is that we do. Even as we cater
to all
aspects of support for International Students, I realized that sometimes even the
international
contingent of our university does not truly know what we do.
Much like every other department within Student Affairs, IPS handles the day-to-day
support of
students- for us, however, it is for the international students. From immigration
status, to
employment, to roommate issues and how best to engage with the community, IPS handles
it
all.
When seeking a topic that wouldn’t be very dry, but instead a unifier of all of us,
and something
that we could all understand, I resolved at Culture Shock. I’m not talking about the
culture
shock of, you decide to finally…FINALLY, take that semester abroad and learn about
a different
place that you’ve only ever dreamt about (which you can do through IPS as well). Moreso,
I
mean the culture shock that happens when we don’t even know that it is happening-
culture
shock as it relates to domestic individuals when they encounter a foreigner. Afterall,
culture
shock is a two-way street.
Say you are in a British Lit. class and the person next to you strikes up a conversation
(you
shouldn’t be talking in class, and I know you aren’t, but suspend belief for a second).
You
cannot handle any more talk about the Plantagenets, the Magna Carta and King Richard
III- so
you respond. And if that person is say, a first term international student from Ghana,
there is a
dynamic happening that you may not even be aware of- culture shock.
While the student from Ghana is undoubtedly experiencing a much more traditional sense
of
culture shock in assimilating towards a new way of existing in this new world, you
are also
experiencing a type of culture shock if you have never encountered someone from Ghana
or
even a foreigner.
You are suddenly very nervous, you find yourself straining to understand and capture
every
syllable of the person’s accent and speech pattern, you are intrigued by their mannerisms,
or
maybe the use of some sort of traditional garb. At the same time, they are trying
to figure out if
it’s true that all Americans are in some way connected to the Jersey Shore. GTL.
You see, while you are trying to dispel your own preconceived notions, so are they.
This puts us
at a beautiful impasse where curiosity lives and dialogue can thrive in.
I was in private practice as an Immigration attorney for almost 15 years and throughout
my
career I’ve been asked several times by domestic individuals, how to approach a foreigner.
What is a sensitive and appropriate way to ask questions? I have taken this information
and
asked foreigners myself- how do you want to be approached? What is a sensitive and
appropriate way to ask questions? The answer is quite simple- just do it! - Nike.
Granted, do not approach a fellow student and start touching their hair or their hijab,
BUT
curiosity is important in breaking down these preconceived notions for both parties.
Exchanges
that dive into food, culture, clothing, beliefs and values will surprisingly render
benefits that will
diminish bias and help personal growth. In turn, you can dispel the notions that America
isn’t all
hot dogs, MTV and the Kardashians, but instead, show that we have a lot of similarities
to other
cultures- the value of community, the richness of hope and faith and the power of
love and kin.
This is what IPS does. While yes, most of our day-to-day is paperwork and student
support in
helping maintain legal and academic status, we also play an integral part in helping
the
international students gain the confidence to be curious themselves to help enrich
their
experience while at Michigan Tech. Just as we are cautious of asking questions, they
are as well.
While this notion seems quite simple in theory, in practice, as we all know, it is
much more
difficult. So the next time you are second guessing how to best approach an international
student because you think it won’t be the most perfect way to do so, just do it! You
might learn
something you never thought you would and grow in ways that you never thought you
could.