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the highlander
Friday, March 26, 2010
Top: International student Steffi Daniels, left, celebrates her birthday with Brigham Young University-Idaho roommates. Daniels, then away from home for three months, enjoyed an Indian dinner and a bollywood movie. Right: Daniels performs a traditional Indian dance at the Crossroad’s East West Fusion event last Wednesday.
photos courtesy of Steffi Daniels
students struggle India in America: Foreign to assimilate, be included
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Moises Cazal Reporter Tears leave a trail down her face while staring blankly at the pictures of her parents on her laptop. Sophomore Steffi Daniels understands the void feeling of being alone. Standing at five feet eight, with a curtain of long, straight black hair, Steffi remembers the ruby skies in India. The smells of spices around the house and the intricately woven dresses are irreplaceable in America. Spending Friday nights watching classic romance in bollywood movies is not the norm anymore. Reading an accounting textbook is. Every day is monotonous to Steffi. Every class is repetitive; a teacher asking questions and students answer them. Every conversation, discussion, and argument with her parents however, is different every time. Anger, joy, and worry all share the same mind. They run deep during the times when Daniels and her parents look at each other through their camera lens. Technology bridges the thousands of miles of blue water separating them as it does for many other foreign exchange students. Steffi Daniels is one of many international students at Brigham Young University-Idaho who struggle to assimilate to the culture. International students work to fit into the culture and to keep their own. Internet based “chatting” technologies like Skype help students like Steffi keep in contact with relatives. She reminisces about a time when all she had to do was yell down the stairs. Now, however, the same yell provide a hollow, eerie echo inside her dorm room. “I miss them so much,” she said. “They’re so far away, but so close at the same time.” The closeness is felt by the regular conversations and maintained contact. When the international student from India is not working at the testing center or studying at the library, she squanders her time watching videos from her country on the internet. Homework also becomes a nuisance for her as she faces a slight language barrier. Daniels takes twice as long to finish a homework assignment compared to her classmates. Not only does she want the top grades, but she needs to understand everything she learns before she can finish an assignment. To friends and roommates, Steffi does not hide her naïve attitude. “She speaks good
It’s very important for people to know of other cultures...we need more appreciation for the other people in the world. Steffi Daniels Indian international student
English, but sometimes she doesn’t understand friend Indy Rajapakse for people who felt like the American lingo,” roommate Melissa Flamm me,” Daniels said. “We want make people feel at said. The Americanization process takes its time, home and make friends with us.” Flamm said, and Steffi is just beginning. As the first president of the Desi Steffi, like many other international Association, Steffi has the opportunity to teach students, has a hard time adjusting to the the rest of the members about her culture. The different lifestyles Americans have compared dances, food, and clothing are very exciting to the people in India. The proper titles and Daniels explains to the association. Her eyes mannerisms left behind by hundreds of years sparkle and an endless smile is stretched across of the caste system are highly regarded in her cheeks while Steffi talks about her country. India. In this country, the liberalism expressed Although the Desi Association encompasses through the freedom of actions and thoughts various countries from South Asia, Steffi places are sometimes contrary to the customs learned an emphasis in India. in India. Coming from India, the country which Coincidentally, while sitting in the Crossroads sends the most international students to the of Brigham Young University-Idaho, a chubby U.S., Daniels’ face reflects responsibility. All of girl with a blonde wig ran around serenading a sudden, she becomes serious. It is my duty random people for her own amusement. to reach out to other south Asian students she “Everyone is so free with what they say,” Daniels explains. said. “In India, people are very careful with their “I wouldn’t want other people to feel bad like words, actions and everything they do.” I did, that’s why I think this association is very The culture shock, alongside the loneliness, makes life tough to handle Internationsometimes, Steffi said. According al student to her, working and studying often Steffi Danraise her melancholy feelings even iels, right, more. Being busy makes her think acts out a of relatives and how hard they scene from a movie work back home. The battle of with friend the feelings is sometimes hard to Roxanne contain in one’s bosom. Sagastume. “It’s hard to work and study Daniels at the same time in a foreign exemplifies internaplace,” she said. “I always miss my tional sturelatives.” dents who As a foreigner missing the struggle motherland, Daniels took matters to assimiinto her own hands. late to the American One day she walked over to the culture. Kimball building, standing upright photo courtesy of and confident. “I decided to start the Desi Association with my Steffi Daniels
important,” Daniels said. Steffi no longer felt out of place in potatoland. Now all her worries were placed on Thursday nights and what the next activity would be. Should they cook some chicken biryani? Practice an Indian dance? These are very important decisions, she will decide later with input from her roommates. Conversations with her parents changed from emotional encounters online to proud stories about her association. Excitement ran through her as she explained to her parents all she was doing. Listening intently, Steffi’s father apologizes, but he and the family were going to go watch a movie and had to leave. A movie, Steffi thought. That’s it. This coming Thursday, they will watch an Indian movie. During the association meetings, Steffi gives background information on the Indian movie. The ten or so odd assortment of attendees position themselves comfortably in front of the television at the Mountain Pines lounge. They are ready. Indian movies last at least more than two hours. After the movie, everyone stretches and moves sluggishly to the door. “It’s very important for people to know of other cultures, it’s fun to learn about other cultures,” Daniels said. “We need more appreciation for the other people in the world.” She walks to the door with her back to the now empty room. Shuts off the lights and closes the door.