We were very gratified by the response to our story contest. You can look forward to seeing several of the many fine entries we received published in these pages in the weeks to come. This week, we feature one of our Second Prize Winners, Abdurrahman Arslanyilmaz, who is from Turkey. Here, he concisely expresses the irritations faced as part of an international student's daily life.

I Face Some Difficulties in the U.S. Owing to Some Cultural Differences
by Abdurrahman Arslanyilmaz

I have come to the U.S. to study Educational Technology at the University of Missouri, Columbia. However, I face a lot of problems because of cultural differences between Americans and Turkish. These problems can be examined in three categories: food, greetings, and individualism.

The differences between American food culture and Turkish food culture was the first problem for me. To begin with, Americans usually eat hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, and pizza. However, I do not like this kind of food. I like vegetables. Furthermore, all of the student cafeterias always offer fast food at lunch and at dinner. As an example, I usually eat at the Rollins cafeteria. There are six food sections there. Four of them offer fast food. One of them offers dessert, and only one section supplies vegetables to students. Although it is a vegetable section, there is nothing there most of the time. And the vegetables are sweet. I like salt in my vegetables. For instance, beans, cauliflower, and carrots are sweet there. I sometimes eat my meals in some restaurants off campus, and the vegetables are sweet there too. After eating American food for a few months, I have not become accustomed to it. Hence, I moved to an apartment to cook my own meals.

Another difficulty that I have faced because of cultural differences is communication. Americans have a different greeting style and sense of personal space. I have had some problems orienting to American greeting styles. For instance, Americans usually do not shake hands. When I was in Turkey, whenever I met one of my friends, we shook hands before talking. Furthermore, some Turkish people kiss friends' cheeks, and some of them embrace their friends when they meet. Moreover, Americans maintain personal space, about 50 cm., while they are talking. However, Turkish people stand near each other while talking. For instance, I have a Turkish friend on campus who was my roommate in Turkey. I met him in a computer lab after two months without seeing him. Naturally, we shook hands and embraced. In addition, we were very near to each other while talking. However, there was a girl who is an attendant in the lab. She looked at us very strangely. After this experience, I do not shake hands or do anything else with my Turkish friends.

Finally, and most importantly, almost everything in the U.S. is based on individualism, but I am not accustomed to this style. Almost everyone has his or her own car; therefore, public transportation is not popular in most small cities in the U.S. However, there are many taxicabs and busses in small towns in Turkey. In addition, everyone in the U.S. eats his or her own food. They do not offer their meals to their friends when they are sitting together. For instance, I was in a computer lab one time. Two friends were sitting at the same table and talking. While one of them was eating his pizza and drinking his coke, another student was watching him. I did not hear any offer from the one who was eating. I have seen a lot of scenes like this on campus. On the other hand, two friends always offer each other what they eat or use in Turkey. If a person only has enough food for him or herself, he or she does not eat it around friends. I cannot eat while one of my friends is looking at me, for example.

In conclusion, I have faced some difficulties such as a different food culture, different greetings and personal space, and individualism. While I am studying, I try to orient myself to American culture. Owing to the fact that I have begun to become accustomed to American culture, I believe that I will have difficulties when I return to my home country.