Me or We?: A Closer Look at Private Cultures vs Inclusive Cultures
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A Beautiful Experience
When asked what life is like in Italy, Ilaria says, “Beautiful, it’s my birthplace and home of all my family and friends.” This contrasts sharply with her first experiences in America. Ilaria came as an exchange student pursuing her PhD late in 2021. “At first only bad things happened,” she said. “It was a shock, […]
Structured VS Spontaneous Hosts: Understanding Hospitality in Different Cultures
Based on Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar, McDougal Publishing: 2000. “One of the shocks a foreigner encounters the moment he arrives in some direct countries is that he needs money to survive…Many travelers from indirect countries, if they happen to be limited in funds, have saved, sacrificed, and received gifts from family and friends […]
Two Sides of Time: Task-oriented Cultures vs Event-oriented Cultures
Based on: Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar. McDougal Publishing: 2000. “When living in Europe, I carried a day-timer divided into half-hour blocks from 7 am to 7 pm. There was a page for each day. If a meeting came up, I would check my day-timer. It would tell me whether or not […]
3 Characteristics of an Indirect Communicator
Based on: Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar. McDougal Publishing: 2000. “I’ve been lonely since moving here (the U.S), and now I know why. When people in the office would ask me if I wanted to go to lunch, I would say ‘no’ to be polite, fully expecting them to ask me again. […]
Isolation Ignites Curiosity about God
After arriving in the US from Colombia, Maribel experienced several years of typical struggles as a newcomer. “The simple fact that everything was so new and different made the experience scary,” she shares. “I felt alone and missed my family.” Maribel’s father told her to read Psalm 91. “Every time I read it, I felt […]
Perspectives from a Young Volunteer
We recently caught up with Sarah, one of our most active and passionate participants, to learn from her what being a young volunteer with IFI looks like and why it’s important to her. We love her challenge to all volunteers to think rightly about our relationships with international friends and to learn from them as […]
A Mysterious Peace Healed Her Depression
Wendy* arrived in the U.S. in the summer of 2017 to pursue a degree in accounting at The Ohio State University. Raised in China, she found her new life in America quite disorienting. On top of being immersed in a completely different language and culture, Wendy felt surprised at how difficult it was to navigate […]
God’s Power at Work Reminds One Student to Rely on Him
Before coming to the US, Navya was asked by a friend to help start a monthly workshop in India with the vision of seeing young girls boldly share God’s love through their talents and service. Although Navya did see God at work in the girls’ lives, she began to feel defeated over time. Regular attendance […]
Bridging Cultural Prejudices with International Students
Throughout history, people have held prejudices against others from different ethnicities. The issue continues in today’s society, including among students on university campuses. Defined simply, prejudice is a preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience. Prejudice can lead to discrimination, hatred, and even hostility. Subtle forms of intolerance may also occur, such as […]