Art made by Lelia Vaughn-Smith '22
Covenant College boasts a large community of international students. All of them report overwhelmingly positive experiences at Covenant, but the transition has not been free from challenges. Here are some perspectives from Covenant’s own international students concerning their experiences at the college.
Csenga Futo is a senior at Covenant from Hungary. She was not completely unfamiliar with American customs because her father is American, but she was born and raised in Hungary. She said in an interview that “The IP (Intercultural Program) office puts on events to learn more about different cultures. The heart of these events is to open up a space for people to come and talk about their backgrounds, cultures and experiences; which is the point of the program.”
Futo also wants everyone to know that these programs and events are meant for everyone, not just internationals. She said, “the IP office is not only giving 100%, but they are giving 200%. My advice to non-international students is that you should not be afraid to ask questions—even to ask where someone’s home country is on a map.” She says these things are not obvious, and that’s okay. “I think the worst thing we can do is to not ask these questions and to stay in fear because there is no fear in love. I think to best love our neighbor we have to risk looking like a fool sometimes and looking ignorant. But I think this is the most loving thing to do. Be honest and curious.”
Futo also implores Americans to not be ashamed to be American. I think God wants us to love our cultures even while we acknowledge its faults. You’re able to connect more to others and to God if you’re aware of the influences of your culture on your life.
Noémie Haberey, a French international student in her junior year, has also experienced culture shock. One of the things which she has struggled most with is her outlook on being an international student. Over her two and a half years here, she has struggled to find balance between assimilation and authenticity. Americans were much more polite on the surface level, but Haberey remarks that when they would ask how she’s doing, they were not genuinely invested in the response.
Another thing which she struggled with was meals at Covenant. In France, meals are a large part of the culture. When you eat with someone, it is a sacred, shared ritual, and you never leave someone to eat by themselves when you have finished eating. Haberey also feels that she has to amplify her expressions and emotion while at Covenant to accommodate American expressiveness.
Todd Bridges, the coordinator of the intercultural program (IP) at Covenant is a prominent figure in the international community. “My biggest goal here at Covenant is to bring us all to be one body of believers in the body of Christ. That means to transcend the barriers of being international or native,” Bridges said. “Some of the things which are most important to me is making sure that all students, whether they have American passports or not, know that they are welcome (and wanted!) at DiCaf, Culture Fest, our IP office, and our special events.”
Anna Strelchenko is a senior computer-science major at Covenant (and sister of Mary and John Strelchenko, past and present Covenant students) from Ukraine. “Some students are afraid to ask questions about our home country, and they don’t end up asking anything because of that. It is a joy for us to share what our home is like.” However, sometimes Strelchenko feels that wires are easily crossed when talking to American students. “Don’t be afraid to interrupt when you see that the person is struggling to say what they mean, it’s better if you try to help.”
While conducting these interviews, all students remarked that they’ve had phenomenally positive experiences during their time at Covenant. It is also important to remember that not all culture shocks are serious—as Katya Kadian, a sophomore from Ukraine remarks, “I was so shocked at the mass obsession with Taylor Swift music. It’s not even that good.”