8
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Guilford life: an international perspective
Maer Santos
Staff Writer
Take a look around the college
today. You will notice a blend of
different faces, complexions, fash
ions, and languages. Guilford has
been devoted to establishing qual
ity study abroad programs and has
developed international partner
ships with countless countries.
Have you ever wondered where
the international students on our
campus come from?
Interlink may not sound famil
iar when first mentioned, but the
language center, which is housed
on campus, has been a gateway to
COOK'S CORNER
Hongaku Goulash
(contributed by Alex Millkey)
This goulash is a great seasonal food. It will warm you and is made
entirely from winter vegetables. It's the perfect food for students, be
cause it's cheap; the main ingredients can be found in most apart
ment kitchens (except for the spices), and it can be stretched into
several days of hot lunches. The original recipe is based on meats,
but this version of goulash has been modified to be vegetarian; I don't
think anything is lost.
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 onions, diced into small chunks
1 large bell pepper, diced into small chunks (optional)
2 cups vegetable broth (or water, if no broth is on hand)
6 ounces of tomato paste
2 cups of cooked kidney beans (or a pound can)
2 cups cannellini or Great Northern beans (or a pound can)
2 cups of lima beans (or a pound can, or 10 ounces frozen)
2 medium-large potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon each basil, caraway seeds, and salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Nonfat yogurt or sour cream (optional)
If the beans are dried, soak overnight and simmer for one to one
and a half hours. Heat oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium
heat. Add bell pepper and onions and saute for about five minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients except yogurt or sour cream. Mix well.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce temperature to medium-low. Cover
and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir several times while cooking. It may
be served with 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream stirred in.
If enough recipes ore submitted, we would like this to be a regular
feature. Recipes can be left in The Guilfordian box outside The Pub
Suite before 2 PM Sundays for the next week.
Harper's Restaurant
$$ Salesperson Wanted $$
Energetic people looking for pt/ft position
School schedule no problem
No experience necessary
Taking Applications: M-Th 2:30-4:30, Sat 2:30-4:00
language skills and academic
achievement for many interna
tional students. The main purpose
of Interlink is to provide students
from all over the world with an
environment where they are able
to both learn and practice English
through an intensive study pro
gram.
At the end of each term, many
students return to their countries,
but there are some who remain to
pursue further education at Guil
ford. Takako, Rui, and Hideaki
from Japan and Sung Woo from
South Korea with whom I spoke,
are such students.
As we informally discussed the
Jfeatureg
challenges that they have encoun
tered at Guilford, several topics
can up naturally including: the lan
guage, their relationships with
American students and professors,
food, and the lack of information
known by others about their coun
tries.
According to Hideaki, it did not
take him more than Uiree months
to learn enough English to get by.
Speaking, however, was not a
problem while at Interlink, where
everyone is focused on the same
thing. Culture shock was, and it
challenged him the more than any
thing else. The melange of differ
ent language, foods, customs, time,
et cetera, in this country has a great
effect on Interlink students. The
first days are always the hardest.
Within Interlink, students often
develop a close circle of friends.
Asians, Europeans, Africans, and
South Americans interact and learn
to depend on each other, as they
are all strangers in a strange land.
No place like home?
Student describes his experience in a
homeland he no longer recognizes
Luisa Constanza
Staff Writer
After five years in the United
States, Teodor (Teddy) Kolev, a
senior at Guilford, still remembers
his first visit to Four Seasons Mall.
"For three hours I stared at the dis
plays of every store in the mall,"
Teddy says. "I just couldn't believe
my eyes. There was so much, and
I could buy anything I wanted."
Coming from Plovdiv, the second
largest city in Bulgaria, also known
as the City of Seven Hills, every
thing in this country seemed new
for Teddy .
Teddy Kolev remembers that
five years ago in Bulgaria, people
However, they find the toughest
part to be getting out and facing
the Americans. All the students I
spoke with declared that they felt
weird and secluded on their first
day of class. "I felt like the only
different person in class," said Rui.
"It was like everybody was look
ing at me." When I asked her what
she thought of the professors, she
giggled and remarked, "They are
nice as long as they don't speak
with a Southern accent." Interna
tional students soon discover that
the Americans are just like they
are. It is all a matter of finding a
good crowd of friends.
America is widely known for its
fast food network, but none of
these students was ready for it.
Takako said she could live on fast
food, but sometimes it does get to
her a little bit. In Japan, the Ameri
can cafeteria style of self-service
is unknown. Students must be
content with the portions they are
given. Their menu is mainly rice,
had to search for at least a day to
find the kind of shoes that they
want. Today his country and the
rest of Eastern Europe adjust to liv
ing in a post-communist period.
When Kolev came to Greens
boro back in 1991, Bulgaria was
just beginning its transformation
from a socialist to a democratic
government. Bulgaria has had a
unique experience in this process
compared to other eastern Euro
pean nations. It never passed
through bloody revolution in order
to initiate change. The impact of
the new government has been
gradual but resented by the people
on the grounds of social and eco
nomic change. "Once a year I go
to Bulgaria," Teddy says, "and ev
ery year I find a different Bul
garia."
Bulgaria remained under social
ist ruling for almost 45 years. Even
though capitalism now exists in
Bulgaria, there are still prevalent
communist attitudes from some.
Kolev explains that capitalism
works for those who have money,
but not for those who are poor.
"Here in the United States I own a
car. In my country I think it might
be difficult to even own a bicycle."
Kolev said the lack of products
is not a problem anymore in East
ern European countries. "Now," he
says, "the problem is a lack of jobs.
People without work cannot afford
Jfefaruarp 10,1995
noodles, and fish, which accord
ing to them, is much more nutri
tious.
Colleges in Japan and America
are equivalent in terms of tuition
and fees. Sung said a year at Guil
ford will fulfill all of his require
ments to graduate in Korea.
When I finally asked them what
bothered them most about the
people here, the "ignorance about
my nation" was the response they
all gave. Sung was outraged when
someone asked him what part of
Japan Korea was. The students
know that their countries have
been labeled with many stereo
types, but it is hard to stand on the
side as victims.
The students in this article are
just a few of the international stu
dents on campus. They have a
great deal to teach us, and it is time
that we begin to broaden our hori
zons. Thai's what college is all
about.
the goods that are available." This
situation has created poverty
among Uiose who once, under so
cialist government, part of a huge
middle class. This class seem to be
dramatically shrinking, and other
classes are emerging.
People in Eastern Europe do not
forget that before the transforma
tion everybody was equal, and ev
erybody could achieve the same
standard of living. Capitalism, ob
viously, has brought marked social
changes. Kolev says, "Now there
is either people too rich or too
poor."
While other Eastern European
countries such as Hungary, Poland,
and the Czech Republic try to join
the community of capitalist West
ern democracies, other countries,
such as Bulgaria, are not clear
about their transformation.
The changes seem to be happen
ing really slowly, and the people
appear unhappy with the new pe
riod. "I still remember when
people in Bulgaria were all equal
and everybody could go to
school," says Kolev. "Now every
thing is different."
After graduation, Teddy hopes
to have the opportunity to stay in
the U.S. "As things seem to be in
Bulgaria right now, I think I will
have more opportunities in this
country."