International students get a taste of American culture in Bloomington

Though international students are generally lured to Bloomington \nby IU's academic reputation, at one time or another they will all put away their pencils and notebooks and venture downtown to experience the plethora of activities the town has to offer. The search for entertainment is a universal one, and for many European students studying \nat IU, yet another chance to experience \nAmerican culture. \nWhile studying at IU, international students learn firsthand about the societal differences between their home country and the U.S. Everything from the music, fashion, bars and the legal system can be a source of culture shock. \nMartina Grimm, a student from Ellwangen, Germany, who is completing her undergraduate degree in Telecom-munications, describes her first encounter with the American culture as quite memorable. \n"When I first came here I was overwhelmed and fascinated by the diversity in people and the huge meals and cars," Grimm says. \nThe college experience in European countries is quite different than here at IU. In Europe, students don't have to wait until they're 21 to enjoy a night at the bars. In Spain, for example, the drinking laws are much more relaxed with a legal drinking age of 18. Until recently, it was completely legal to drink in the streets, and some buildings on campus had small bars where students could purchase beer or wine to drink at their leisure. In Zurich, Switzerland, it is typical to see people openly smoking marijuana in clubs.\nFabrizio Giampieri, a student from Madrid, Spain, says the police in Bloomington are more controlling than those in Europe. He says Bloomington has a much stricter legal system when it comes to alcohol. \n"Sometimes I believe that there are so many cops here," Giampieri says. "If you are walking home (from the bars) cops can arrest you just because you are walking. That is too much control. In Spain people are happier." \nThe transition from a large cultural metropolis to a smaller college town is something some American students must adjust to as well. An hour away from Indianapolis, Bloomington's nightlife is slightly limited when it comes to the variety a large city has to offer. But one of Bloomington's unique qualities, setting it apart from many European cities, is the ability to see live music every day of the week without breaking the bank.\nGrimm says she enjoys the relaxed atmosphere of Bloomington's nightlife. While there isn't a place in Bloomi-ngton that comes close to providing the German experience, she says she has still enjoyed her time here.\n"People are having a lot of fun and it's a cool atmosphere," Grimm says. \nSven Schaltegger and Daniel Glaser are currently on a semester-long exchange program from Switzerland through the Kelly School of Business MBA Accounting program. Both say the Bluebird is their Bloomington favorite.\n"For us it is very cool," Glasser says. "We think (the Bluebird) is a very good club. The style is very hip." \nDespite bars offering nightly live performances, the absence of clubs playing techno dance music make Bloomi-ngton's nightlife quite different from that in Europe.\n"In Spain, when people go out, usually it is to a place where they play techno music," Giampieri says. "And here you cannot find a place that plays that kind of music. In Spain when people go out to dance, the music is really loud and the places are really large." \nTom Parry, from Sheffield, England, who is attending IU for his PhD in Kinesiology, notes that in England the nightlife is also more rooted in techno dance clubs. \n"There are a few places which, for example, are like Kilroy's (Sports) where there is a live band," Parry says. "That is not mainstream at home. There are dance clubs and there is dancing."\nClubs in Europe also stay open much later -- many past six in the morning. In Bloomington, on a Friday or Saturday night, students will head out anywhere from 9:30 p.m. until midnight on their way to various Bloomington bars, a distinguishable difference.\n"You go to the clubs at twelve, one or two o'clock and they stay open more or less all night long," Glaser says. "And we often have the after-hours parties, so when finished with the clubs at 6 a.m. we can go on to clubs that open at 6 o'clock in the morning."\nParry says that European nightlife puts more of an emphasis on fashion than that of America. In Europe, bouncers are generally more strict about attire and regularly turn people away if they are not dressed appropriately.\n"I brought a lot of clothing that I haven't worn purely because they are too good to go out in," Parry says. "One thing that I noticed here (is that) there is a particular style; there is the Abercrombie look, and it's like you wear the ripped trousers and you wear a Polo shirt and that's it. And there's guaranteed to be 200 other people that have the same (outfit)." \nGiampiari noted the difference in men's clothing alone was very different in Spain as compared to America.\n"In Spain, baggy pants do not exist," Giampiari says. "People wear really tight jeans that remind you probably of the '80s." \nWhile there are inescapable cultural differences, there is the universally inherent desire to have a good time and experience what a college town has to offer. The Bloomington nightlife provides a diversion from rigorous class schedules and time consuming homework. \n"It shows that people can have fun if they want," Schaltegger says. "If you watch the media it is all about the war right now. It also shows that people have fun and are a little bit drunk, really happy and euphoric. They are all the same around the world."\nBut Bloomington is still very different from Zurich, Madrid, Sheffield and Ellwangen. From its relatively small corner of the world, there are still plenty of advantages to living in a small college town. \n"I love that they sell hotdogs outside of the bars," Giampieri says. "It doesn't happen in Spain. So when you get out, you cannot eat anything; you got to go home. But here, (you see) the hotdog guy and he saves your life"