Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 19, 2001)
Students share their cultures ■ The International Cultural Services Program helps pay students’ tuitions, with a hefty public speaking requirement By Diane Huber for the Emerald Indonesia’s political tensions and splintered government have left it far behind the technological advancements of the developed world. With no access to the Inter net, it was pure chance that Uni versity student Iova Margoyungan filled out an application that a friend’s brother had given her. She mailed it just one month before the deadline without knowing any thing about the University. “It was meant to be,” she said. Four years later, Margoyungan will graduate from the University with a journalism degree. Because of the economic tensions in In donesia, she would have had to leave the University after her first year were it not for a full scholar ship she received through the In ternational Cultural Services Pro gram. Unlike other scholarships the University offers, the ICSP requires participants to speak to the com munity about their culture for 80 hours a year. Last Monday, during International Women’s Day at Mother Kali’s Books, Margoyungan shared what it’s like to be a minori ty woman. The program’s coordinator, Al berto Albuquerque is a graduate student who participated in the program all four years as an under graduate. He said participants re ceive a yearly benefit ranging from $6,000 to full tuition. Admission into the program is competitive; for the 2001-2002 ac ademic year, only 30 students will be accepted out of 104 applicants. They are chosen based on their na tive country, their level of financial need and their public speaking ability. Margoyungan’s unique background is just one example of the diversity in a program that in cludes 28 students from countries all over the world. Margoyungan described her first presentation as being a bit nerve wracking. She was scheduled to speak to each grade level, from kindergarten through 12th grade, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.. She laughed, remembering how worried she was when the junior high kids dozed off during her presentation. Presenting about a native cul ture is harder than it sounds. Mar goyungan often has to research for certain presentations about In donesian politics or the economy. She said it’s difficult representing the actions and motives of an en tire country. On the other hand, she pointed out that one of the most significant benefits of the program is that she had learned so much about her own culture. “You don’t really think about your culture until you step out of your first-person point of view,” she said. Through the program, Mar goyungan has placed herself with in the community at-large and also within the campus community. Because she had never traveled outside Indonesia before attending the University, she said the sup port of the international office and the other participants was very helpful during her transition. Albuquerque agreed that through the program, he has found a place in the community. “At first you feel alienated and you see things in a superficial way," he said. “Someone says, ‘hey, you’re from Brazil; wow, that’s such a beautiful country.’ But it never extends beyond that.” He said the ICSP helps many participants extend beyond the day-to-day superficiality by allow ing them to connect their culture with that of America. The most rewarding aspect of the program is broadening chil dren’s horizons by introducing them to other cultures, Margoyun gan said. Leo da Silva, a Brazilian partici pant, said many of the questions are very naive. “The kids will ask: ‘Do you wear shoes in Brazil?’; ‘Do you live in the jungle?’; ‘Do you have cars?’” Albuquerque said that the most important aspect of the program is breaking down these stereotypes that are just beginning to form in young people’s minds. “These ideas obviously come from somewhere,” he said. The presentations give the kids anoth er perspective to compare with the stereotypes they may have heard, he added. As Margoyungan pointed out, it’s important for people of all ages to realize that “America is not the world.” That’s exactly why Connie Han son, a second-grade teacher at Mt. Vernon Elementary School, invited one of the program’s participants to share his culture with her class in January. “I think my children realize that as they meet people from different countries, the people have more things alike than different,” Han son said. “I hope that the presenta tions will motivate them to be more tolerant of everyone they meet.” Give Another Couple the Joy of Parenthood Consider being an Egg Donor 008838 Healthy Women 21-32 years of age Non-Smokers Limited Time Commitment Compensation Provided $2,500 Call: OHSU (503) 418-5333 OlIS(! is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution stuff in the ODE Classifieds (Off The Mark, your daily horoscope and of course the crossword.) Full Service Salon: Hair • Nails • Tanning • Hair Care Products ▼ We are a Full Service Salon with a new staff of Stylist & Manicurists T We have a student discount ▼ ▼ We Specialize in Braids, Weaves, Twists, & DreadlocksT NAILS $14.00.Fill $23.00.Full Set Offer Expires April 30, 2001 $5.00 OFF I Some restrictions may apply Offer Expires April 30. 2001 I ANY HAIR SERVICE I $2.00 OFF ANY HAIR CARE PRODUCT $17.00/10 TANS 200 MINUTES Limit 2 Buys Per Customer Expires April 30. 2001 Offer Expires April 30, 2001 Ceramics Drawing £ Jewelry Photography Stained Glass Weaving Woodworking CR A FT CENTER For more information or to have our brochure mailed to you call: 346-4361 or www.craftcenter.uoregon.edu Spring Break y01 127115 LADIES NIGHT Wed March 28th BEACH PARTY SWIMSUIT CONTEST Sat., March 31 st SW 3rd & Salmon Portland 503-227-6185 - HOTTEST HIP HOP Friday and Saturday BAR 71 ADRENALINE Thurs., March 28th with Jammin 95.5's Mark Mack WHAT'S UP? NW 21 st & Irving Portland 503-796-1859
