Deniz Canel came to the United States for the first time sixyears ago.
She left her native country of Turkey to come to Ball State topursue her master's degree. Besides classes, she had to learn howto adapt to a culture different from her own. She is using thatexperience to help other international students and those travelingabroad to transition into a new culture.
Canel, a doctoral student in the department of counselingpsychology, is a part of the outreach team Crossing Borders. It wascreated to provide information and support for the needs ofinternational students and study abroad students from Ball State,Canel said.
"We are targeting students who are interested or have had across-cultural experience," Canel said. "The team wants to helpstudents adjust to the culture and make an easier transition."
The team has monthly seminars called Culture Matters. Theseminars are an open, informal meetings where students interestedin issues related to culture can listen or participate in adiscussion. Each month the discussion will deal with differentissues related to cultural experiences and perspectives. The groupis associated with the Counseling and Health Services Center.
The team is made up of counseling staff members, doctoralstudents and a masters student. Robin Lett and Bud Edwards arecounselors in the university's counseling center.
"The meetings are a combination of social time, information timeand addressing specific issues," Lett said.
A Culture Matters program is scheduled for Nov. 19 that willfocus on the holiday season for different cultures. Becausestudents are away from home, it addresses ways to deal with aculture that may not observe a particular holiday, Lett said.
The team is working in conjunction with the Center ofInternational Programs, Canel said. On Nov. 12 they willcollaborate with the Center of International Programs' CoffeeHouse. They will have discussion and activities focusing on variouscultures. Lett said they will also participate in the InternationalFest Nov. 8 and 9, which represents different cultures with songs,activities and displays.
"We are hoping to get to know how to help international studentsadjust to the culture and major changes they're going through,"Lett said.
Edwards said the biggest change for traveling students are the"unwritten rules," the things people take for granted. The waystudents travel, making financial transactions or just going to thestore can be a challenge to someone who is from anotherculture.
"The local store may have bread, but they don't have the breadyou're used to eating," he said.
Lett said students may be intimidated by different food,languages or nonverbal communication. She said the way we interactwith our friends and colleagues is a part that is learned frominteraction with other people and is somewhat of an understoodbehavior.
"We want to educate American students on to appreciate how theworld comes to us at Ball State and how we can enrich their livesas well as our own," Edwards said.
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