There is an expression that culture is like an iceberg, you only see 10 percent and the remaining 90 percent is hidden below the surface.
The journey to the U.S. for me started one evening in March of last year, when I received an email from the international coordinator listing the destinations of students who had been admitted to the international exchange program. I closed my eyes tightly in excitement and anticipation, waiting to find out which university I was assigned to. With one eye half-opened, I was amazed to see “Marina Kracht – San Diego State University.” I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was too good to be true. I felt like I was on
cloud nine.
August came as quick as a wink and I embarked on my American experience. I was more excited than nervous, as this was not my first time in the U.S. I had been there several times before on trips with my mother and during summer breaks working at a waterski show in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. I felt it wouldn’t be hard for me to adjust to the American way of life, but was I ever wrong. This brings me to the iceberg concept of culture, where as a tourist you only see 10 percent of the iceberg while the rest is hidden below the surface. The 90 percent slowly becomes visible once you integrate into a new society and live in a foreign country for an extended period of time.
I must admit, sometimes I felt lonely and excluded when I failed to get along with my American roommates. Luckily for me, the wind changed directions when, during my human resources lecture, I met a German student who introduced me to the International Student Tutor-Mentor Program. Having never heard of it before, I decided to find out more and soon met Gigie Price, who directs the program, along with her husband Larry Price. At the time I was feeling pretty low and they were like a ray of sunshine cheering me up.
The ISTMP offers valuable academic, social and cultural assistance for international students and always welcomes any students joining the program, be them American students as mentors or international students as mentees. Its aim is to help make everyone’s experience at SDSU memorable. Both parties benefit from the program as American students widen their horizons through relationships with international students and international students adjust to a new environment and learn the American way of life.
The way it works is as follows: International students are interviewed and assigned to San Diego community volunteers or to young mentors who are usually current students at SDSU. Activities include field trips to museums, symphonies, potlucks and other civic events. Through the program I met Jiyun Seo, a journalism student from South Korea.
“I can tell you that applying for this program was the best choice,” Seo said. “Gigie and Larry always think about students.”
“Dr. (Allen) Jay, my mentor, met with me once a week even during the holidays. He was always willing to help me improve my English, thus improving my grades, and give me good advice,” Seo said.
Jay is a retired physician, cardiologist and bioethics doctor who has been with the ISTMP for 10 years.
“From the social aspect we invite the students into our homes to celebrate holidays,” Jay said. “If they have difficulty understanding a reading assignment, I will go over it with them and help them master the complexities of English.”
The program helped me turn a new leaf because it enabled me to better understand American culture and thus understand why I was having trouble getting along with my roommates. Now I feel lucky to have roommates who take me along for night snacks at Yogurtland and to the movies.
Living in another cultural
environment is about open-mindedness and a willingness to adapt to new cultures. Above all, it’s about not judging according to your own cultural standards.
