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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Get to know IU's International Community!

Bloomington is a cultural salad bowl with a mixture of different individuals from all walks of life. One of the key aspects of a college town is diversity; not only in the international population but in the opportunities it has to offer.

According to The Office of International Services, Indiana University has a 14 percent international student and scholar population, from over 30 different countries and all seven continents. How did these students and faculty find their way across various countries to the little town of Bloomington?

“The benefits of Bloomington for someone like me is I raised two kids here, and it is a very nice place to raise kids,” Peter Nemes said. “Compared to living in Budapest, Bloomington is very small but very friendly and livable. You don’t spend so much time in traffic cause you don’t drive as much. Kids have all the opportunities they need without any kind of concerns.”

Nemes is a lecturer for the department of International Studies. He grew up in three different countries in Europe. He is Hungarian although lived in Russia then Germany until he moved to Bloomington, Indiana with his wife in the 90s.

Many students went through various lengths to get to IU. They applied for student visas, which can take anywhere from three months to a year. All international students go through the Office of International Services (OIS). OIS is their guide from the application process all the way to graduation.

“What we do when a student contacts us after admission through a department, we tell them there is a checklist they have to complete on OneStart. Such as uploading previous academic records…personal statements, financial documents so that we can make their immigration documents, a passport copy and so on.” Megan Walsh said, OIS International Student Advisor.

Another step the students have to take, is the completion of the 'Test Of English as a Foreign Language' (TOEFL). This is done only if English is not their first language. After these steps they complete the other requirements that every non-international student has to do during the application process such as essays, letters of recommendation and SATs or ACTs.

These were the steps Andrea Martinez went through to become a Hoosier. Martinez grew up in Mexico City, and she comes from a family of accountants. Her brother and father are currently in the field although her mother retired when Martinez’s older brother was born. She decided to follow in her parents’ footsteps and study accounting and finance at the Kelley School of Business.

“Although they [my parents] were a bit hesitant in me schooling abroad they came around to it when they saw how big of an opportunity it was for me. They always wanted me to be better than them and reach more,” Martinez said. “I am the first in my family to go to college in the U.S.”

Martinez said a lot is expected of her not only because she is the first in her family to school in the United States but because the money and time her parents have invested in her education. She sees this as an opportunity many do not have, and she does not want to put it to waste.

Many non-international students face similar hardships when leaving home and familiar surroundings. Although some have the occasional weekend or holiday to visit home, the international student body is not so fortunate.

“I shouldn’t complain because this campus has so much to offer. It takes some time to get used to [Bloomington],” Bakanja said.

Sophomore psychology major Steven Bakanja is one of those students who have not visited home since his enrollment at IU. He is from Uganda and selected IU because some of his friends from home told him about their amazing experiences here. Bakanja enrolled in the fall of 2014 with hopes of creating similar experiences.

Homesickness is a prevalent trend among students. A phone call home is not the only way to prevent homesickness; FaceTime and Skype have been used as other means by students to feel connected to home.

“When they get here they go through the highs and lows then the culture shock but recently I think we are seeing a lot of students come in thinking that they know what it is going to be like and then being extra shocked, when they run into stuff they never expected, ” Megan Walsh said, OIS International Student Advisor.

How can students overcome these highs and lows? Move beyond the culture shock? Megan Walsh from The Office of International Services mentioned that there are various workshops and events such as conversation clubs, where students sit down and talk to one another about their issues and they work to help one another. There are also mentorship programs and this involves an American student helping an international student through classes and student life.

Through clubs and activities international students can get a part of home, here on campus. The IU Bloomington campus offers over 30 culturally clubs and organizations such has Singapore Student Association, Turkish Student Association, Hungarian Cultural Association and many more.

“When I am homesick through ASA [African Student Association] I don’t miss home as much. Being involved on campus and when you have free time going to events here and meeting new people, helps with being homesick,” said Steven Bakanja.

Even though many of these students go through huge lengths to get to Bloomington, the experiences they gain and education they receive prepare them for what the future holds.

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