Me or We?: A Closer Look at Private Cultures vs Inclusive Cultures
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Hospitality Adds a New Family Member
Eric and Rebecca Vaas had entered a season of life that many empty nesters find themselves in. Recently retired with their children grown and moved out, they were looking for ways to steward their time and resources well. This led them to get involved with IFI. “We enjoy meeting new people,” the Vaases explain, “and […]
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, […]
The Definition of a Miracle
Daniel stepped off a plane earlier this year with a mix of emotions. He had come to pursue a Postdoc in Mechanical Engineering, but leaving his young family behind in Nigeria was hard for him. Thankfully, before his arrival in the US, Daniel had done some research. “I wanted to meet the Nigerian community here […]
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 […]
Reflections on Decades of Serving International Students
Bob Tanquist and his wife, Marilyn, began volunteering with IFI before it had a name! The church they joined after moving to Columbus in 1979 connected them to IFI founders Phil and Ruth Saksa and Mabel Bahler. Bob and Marilyn enjoyed helping at IFI dinner meetings, bringing food, and gathering with students until about 2005 […]
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 […]
A Stranger Became the Maid of Honor
Even though Fatoumata’s brother already lived in the U.S. before she joined him from Mali, she still faced many challenges, including language barriers and finding community. She arrived in July 2015 to study Business at Cincinnati State, excited to learn how American people lived. Fatoumata first heard about IFI events from a coworker and began […]
Help in the Midst of Emergency
On December 1st, 2021, Alina suddenly felt a pain in her stomach. Alina had come to the US just a few months before from Germany to study and play soccer in Peoria, IL. She expected to have many experiences in America, but not surgery. Alina called Paula, a staff member at IFI who had helped […]
Overwhelmed with Appreciation
Anfernee arrived in the US from Trinidad and Tobago in July of 2019 to pursue a degree in business at Illinois Central College. When IFI staff members picked Anfernee up from the airport he knew very little about them. However, IFI staff and volunteers showed Anfernee that they were always willing to be of assistance. […]