Ranjitha Ravishankar
Ranjitha Ravishankar never expected to live in Idaho, nonetheless Moscow. She made the 20-hour trek from southern India to the United States two years ago, interested in studying electrical engineering and conducting research at the University of Idaho.
Coming from an extremely populated country of 1.3 billion people, she said the biggest culture shock was the miniature size of Moscow. She said the transition has brought forth friendlier and more welcoming people than those she grew up with — but there are still times when homesickness runs its course.
“I really missed my home country last winter break, so I traveled home for Christmas to visit my family and friends who invited me to celebrate with them,” Ravishankar said. “Although, there is a decent size community here (in Moscow) — roughly 50 people — who celebrate a variety of Hindu and Muslim festivals year-round.”
Her community is mostly made up of the Indian Students Association and the International Students Association. Some of the festivals and events celebrated include India Night, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Dussehra. She said these festivals encompass decorations and firecrackers, traditional dress, singing, dancing and generally having fun. Potlucks contribute to the community aspect even more.
“It gives a chance for my American friends to explore my culture and for anyone to just follow and celebrate what they believe in,” Ravishankar said. “The festival holiday of Ganesh Chaturthi is a main event that no one would ever want to miss. Everyone celebrates it.”
Ravishankar attended Christian schools growing up and celebrates Christmas with a traditional Christmas tree and cookie decorating. She said she will not be traveling home this year but there are many friends and outings to keep her busy during winter break, including events with the UI Global Student Success Program.
In the past, she has traveled throughout the U.S. during school breaks, including Portland, Oregon and closer trips like Spokane, Washington. She has also visited her brother in Connecticut and explored the surrounding area with him, including New York City.
“Many international students haven’t seen the U.S. and have a desire to travel and explore as much as we can,” Ravishankar said. “Learning about other cultures and celebrating their traditions is very fun and makes your life more colorful to learn and explore.”
Herve Mashindora
Recent UI graduate Herve Mashindora said moving to Boise from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a young age was a culture shock, and they are still adapting to American ways while keeping traditions from home alive.
“Traditions are who you really are, and if you lose those traditions — you lose who you are with them,” Mashindora said. “As you adapt to a new culture, you can’t lose your own culture, you can’t lose your tradition, you can’t lose your ways.”
He said every time he talks with his family on the phone or visits them, he makes sure to continue speaking his languages, including Swahili, French and Kituba, to maintain a part of his culture.
Idaho has a completely different vibe from home where children run in the streets, where everyone is raised by everyone else, Mashindora said. Not only that, but the climate is much colder in Idaho than in Central Africa. He said he usually stays in Moscow for Thanksgiving break, but tries to drive home to Boise every year for Christmas break as he becomes more comfortable driving in unfamiliar snowy conditions.
Growing up in a Christian family, he said the main holidays he celebrates are Christmas and Easter, while smaller holidays like Valentine’s Day and Halloween do not exist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“I had never heard of Thanksgiving before coming to the states, but I do celebrate Christmas,” Mashindora said. “The only difference is that Christmas is simply a time for family to come together and enjoy time with each other, rather than focusing on the American ‘requirement’ of buying a bunch of gifts.”
A few gifts are exchanged among him and his 11 siblings, but enjoying good food and being with each other is more important, Mashindora said. He said one of his go-to dishes enjoyed year-round is fufu — a dish made of cassava, a nutty-flavored, starchy root vegetable — which goes best with soup, vegetables and meat. 
“Traditions are what you know very well. I have adapted to a lot of American culture, but I have to keep my traditions to still know who I am and where I’m from and what I represent,” Mashindora said.
Resources For Students
Cailin Bary, the student experience specialist for the GSSP, is the first face students are greeted with upon their arrival at the Pullman airport through the program, which Ravishankar utilized. Bary said most students are filled with excitement, but there is some anxiety mixed in as they begin a brand-new chapter of their life — often an overwhelming experience.
The GSSP encompasses students from a variety of countries, ranging anywhere from India to Nigeria and Tanzania to Taiwan. It’s a pathway to orient first-year students to the United States and facilitate their classroom experience. Not every student utilizes the GSSP because it is not the same as immigration advising, but rather a chance for new students to create a community at UI.
Adjusting to a small town like Moscow can be just as difficult as adjusting to a big city. Bary said she aids new students in creating connections and finding a community. Her job is always fun and interesting because she gets to experience many firsts with students, like simply driving them to Walmart.
In Bary’s experience, most students travel elsewhere in the U.S. or visit family in the country during holiday breaks, although some students ease their homesickness with a trip home. Students studying at UI even have religions that overlap with Christianity where they celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in their time here, Bary said.
She said during Thanksgiving break and Christmas break, she tries to provide a few days’ worth of activities for those who stay in Moscow. These include at least one trip out of town to somewhere like Spokane, one outdoorsy activity such as snowshoeing, and a potluck to engage students in meeting new people and building a sense of community.
Bary said the International Programs Office provides students with many great opportunities to spend time with their communities, like hosting a large Thanksgiving feast for those who stay in the area.
“Holiday traditions like Thanksgiving are community-centered anyway, so I try to provide a fun break with a variety of activities for those who stay in the area,” Bary said.
There are many avenues available for students to connect with the community here and feel comfortable with their own cultures in Moscow. Many students are proactive in representing their cultures, bringing traditional food into the GSSP office for others to taste. Students also invite others to celebrate and learn about their specific holidays.
“We live in a global society, and it is an essential skill to actively find ways to navigate other cultures and have an awareness of cross-cultural communication,” Bary said. “It is a big world, and it is great to engage with international students to empathize and understand that some students at UI are in a foreign environment to them.”
Story by Allison Spain
Illustrations by Kristen Lowe
Design by Hagen Hunsaker