The SpecialFall 2015

Texas A&M University-Commerce

The Special is an online magazine produced by journalism students at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Content and production are the responsibilities of the students.

The Special is produced during the fall and spring semesters.

conTacT: The Special, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Box 4104, Commerce, Texas 75428.

STaff: Hannah Clark, Kelly Fulton, Angelle Simon, Diana Vasquez, Imogene Wofford, Travis Hairgrove

faculTy adviSer: Fred Stewart (Fred.Stewart@tamuc.edu)

Food, culture among the challengesBy Hannah Clark

KETR serves CommerceBy Kelly Fulton

Dia de los Muertos comes to universityBy Travis Hairgrove

Making the move from metropolitan areasByAngel Simon

International students get a boostBy Diana Vasquez

Students bring their culture from homeBy Imogene Wofford

Inside this issue

The Special (Fall 2015)

On campus, students

from India account for at least

five percent of the student body

and face many challenges of

integrating into the Texas A&M

University-Commerce students’

lifestyle.

One the most challenging

area of adjusting is food.

“We eat a lot of spices and

homemade food but here, we

don’t have as many spices and we

have to get used to eating out,”

Ahmed said.

This was a general

consensus among many of

the Indian students who also

said it was difficult to find

substitutes for the food they

were used to eating and it was an

intimidating experience trying to

accommodate all the new foods.

Communication is also an

item of challenge and concern,

even something as simple and

talking to other students.

“It isn’t intimidating, but

it’s hard to explain,” Haji said.

“We can’t always explain what we

are trying to say because of the

difference of cultures.”

Other students agreed

that the language difference is

not the only boundary but it is a

definite boundary when it comes

to defining culture.

“My family, culture and

holidays are what I miss most,”

Asha said.

She added that the biggest

challenge for her, so far, has been

Food, culture among the challenges faced by A&M-C international students

“If you can travel, do it”

By Hannah Clark

Food, culture among the challenges faced by A&M-C international students

the separation from her family

and roots because this is her first

time traveling to a new country

and she is a little frightened.

Other students came

to her and told stories of their

homesickness and longing for

the holidays they once celebrated

back home.

Home for the international

students is often defined by

senses, culture and family but

although the journey has been

long, most of the Indian students

will say “if you can travel do it.”

By Kelly Fulton

In 1872, merchants William Jernigan and Josiah Jackson started a trading post in the heart of the Texas Blackland Prairies which grew into a town named Commerce for it’s thriving economy, cotton fields, and ideal ranch lands.

In 1894, the town was forever changed when William Mayo chose Commerce as the home for East Texas Normal College, today known as Texas A&M University – Commerce.

For more than 100 years, the City of Commerce and A&M-Commerce have shared a symbiotic relationship where higher education meets simple living which some students have difficulty adjusting to and may grow to resent the small town with “nothing to do.”

However, thanks to the involvement of student organizations and initiatives by the university, bridges have been built between the A&M-Commerce community, the city and the region.

One of those bridges is KETR, the university-operated radio station, dedicated to serving a 100,000 watt listening area.

“Our mission is to serve the North East Texas region and the A&M-Commerce community which obviously, that includes the City of Commerce,” Jerrod Knight, general manager of KETR, said.

KETR not only provides public radio service for the northeast Texas region, but learning opportunities for radio/television majors.

“We broadcast football games for the Commerce High School Tigers and football, volleyball and basketball for the A&M-Commerce Lions,” Knight

said, “and RTV students assist us with the broadcasts. This is important because not only are they learning valuable skills for their future careers, but they’re providing a service to the people of Commerce and northeast Texas.”

University president Dan Jones utilizes KETR, hosting a 30-minute program once a month called “The President’s Perspective,” which serves as a mini “state of the university” address.

“Dr. Jones respects the radio station and recognizes our potential to influence the city and

school,” Knight said. o

Jerrod Knight (right) interviews university president Dan Jones during recent on-campus activities.

KETR serves Commerce, NE TexasOn-campus radio station also provides learning opportunities for RTV majors

By Travis Hairgrove

Colorful skull makeup and other skull-depicting artwork (ca-laveras) may be the most recogniz-able and visually striking tradition associated with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and do much to imbue the Mexican holiday with a sense of mystery, but the Office of Hispanic Enrollment and Reten-tion invited students and staff to its own celebration, to help give the community a more nuanced under-standing of the meaning behind the

festivities. “What we’re trying to do is help people understand what Dia de los Muertos is,” Assistant Dean Fred Fuentes said. “We don’t want people to be scared of it or think that it’s something demonic. It’s a way of remembering and honoring friends and family who have passed, that started with indigenous cultures long, long ago. Later, when the Spanish came and brought Christianity, they said, ‘Ya’ll can’t be doing this anymore, except on All Saints’ Day [and All

Souls’ Day],’ so it got mixed in with that.” Featured were an altar display on the second floor of the library for which, student organiza-tions and staff offices were invited to build decorated altars as a tribute to deceased loved ones; and a fiesta at the amphitheater, which focused on the celebratory side of the holiday by offering free face paint-ing, tacos and tamales, and lively, Spanish-language dance tunes. o

Dia de los Muertos comes to university

By Angel Simon

Trying to settle down and get accustom to a small town like as Commerce when moving from a larger metropolitan area such as Dallas, Houston, California, or New Orleans offers its own set of challenges.

Each place has its own unique culture so moving from a big city to a more rural area with fewer people and less to do, requires adjustments.

Symone Brown, a 21-year old graduate student and a member of the Lions women’s basketball team, is from California has lived in Commerce (estimated population 8,300) for three years, but this wasn’t her first small-town experience.

Brown attended Montana State University in Bozeman, which she considers a small town, even though its population is just under 40,000.

“The transition from Montana to Commerce wasn’t that big of a difference,” she said. There are multiple cultures in Commerce as opposed to just a single culture in Montana.”

She said the multiple

cultures in Commerce are similar to the culture she experienced in California.

“There is little difference between the culture here and in California,” Brown said. “The only difference is the mannerisms. The way Texas people are raised and it takes

me a lot to get use to the accents and saying, yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir, no sir. In California we don’t say that. We have societal differences. One thing I do miss about California is the variety of food I have to choose from.”

Charles Woods, 21-year old senior from Humble and

Symone Brown

Making the move from metropolitan areas to small town community Students have settled into life in Commerce and have made various adjustments to make them feel right at home

member of the Lions football team, has lived in Commerce for two years.

He said the biggest adjustment he had to make was “coming from a big city to a small city, where you have a lot to do compared to Commerce where there’s literally nothing to do. That’s the biggest adjustment, coming to a country town from a city town.

“In Houston, there is so much to do,” he said. “The culture changes from here to there. It’s a culture shock. In Houston, there is so much to do all at once, gathering, and family reunions. Commerce is so small, you know everybody but as for Houston you may only know the two guys next door.

He also said a big challenge was getting acclimated to the water.

“The water tastes really bad,” he said.

Another adjustment to Commerce is a limited amount

of places to choose from to eat das compared to the larger cities such as Houston where Woods said he and friends would often spend about 20 minutes just trying to agree on what and where to eat.

But the adjustment has been a good one for Woods.

“I’m happy here” Charles Woods

“I’m happy here,” he said.

“The people make the place.”

charles Woods

Making the move from metropolitan areas to small town community Students have settled into life in Commerce and have made various adjustments to make them feel right at home

By Diana Vasquez

The Texas A&M University-Commerce English Language Institute is a program

that provides international students with more than just language skills.

ELI helps international students learn English as a

second language and reach the language proficiency score necessary to enroll in the university. One of the programs for the students through ELI is Conversation Partners, student volunteers who take time out of their schedules to converse with international students.

“There is no limit on what they can talk about,” Phebe Rutledge, administrative secretary and coordinator for ELI, said. The volunteer and student meet once a week in a 30-minute session during which they speak only English and volunteers do not have to know how to speak the student’s native language.

Students represent countries including India, Taiwan, South Korea, Spain, China and Turkey.

The program lasts as long as the international student needs it, depending on the level of their proficiency in the language. While “students primarily use the program to better their English,” the program also helps students “fit in with the culture and gain a friend,” Rutledge said. Lauren Melcher, an Phebe Rutledge and an international student

International students get a boost from the English Language Institute

Honors College sophomore industrial engineering major, volunteers regularly and meets with Poppy Lyu once a week.

Lyu is an international student from China planning on studying chemistry once she begins graduate school at A&M-Commerce.

Melcher initially signed up to be a conversation partner because she needed volunteer hours, however, she says she has gained a friend and “it has helped me get out of my shell despite the language and culture barrier.”

For Lyu, it helps her distinguish the difference between American and Chinese cultures and “helps me adjust myself to the American culture,” she said. “She (Melcher) is the first friend I have made in the United States. I’m so happy to meet her.” Lyu began learning English as a second language in middle school while still in China and said the emphasis was put on grammar rules.

“The hardest part of speaking English is before speaking, I translate the grammar in my mind and then speak. It’s very slow and I’m afraid I will

make mistakes,” she said. As far as adjusting to the

culture, Lyu said it has been a little difficult.

“Sometimes I suffer for

people who don’t accept our culture,” she said referring to Americans. “I can accept you,

why can’t you accept me?”

poppy lyu and lauren Melcher

International students get a boost from the English Language Institute

By Imogene Wofford

There are challenges a person faces when they move from a different country, or state, to a small town in Texas.

Such is the case for five Texas A&M University-Commerce students who have experienced firsthand cultural adjustments, as they immersed themselves into American culture. Jodessa Bethelmie, from the Commonwealth of Dominica, came to the United States—straight to Commerce—in August 2013 to pursue a degree in marketing and finance. Bethelmie is a resident assistant in West Halls. “In Dominica, it’s very expensive to go to college; one US dollar converts to 2.7 in Dominica, so it costs almost three times more to go to college back home. Therefore, I came to the United States to save some money,” Bethelmie said.

Hameedatu Kabba is from Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, but has lived in the United States most of her life. She lived in California for a year as a small

child then moved to Texas. She travels back to Sierra Leone in the summers. She is working on a degree in kinesiology. Mehrnoosh Kohansal, from Iran, came to Commerce in 2012. She is in her senior year, working on a degree in biology with plans on going to medical school and becoming a neurosurgeon.

Noorulann Sherwani, who also goes by Annie, is Pakistani, but she grew up in the United States in Michigan and Texas. She is working a biology pre-med degree with plans to go to medical

school and become a pediatrician, but “to be honest, I really want to be famous,” Sherwani said.

Devika Ramcharitar is from Virgin Gorda, one of the 60 British Virgin Islands, and came to Commerce two years ago. She is a graduate student working on her master’s degree in political science.

“I thought coming to college, I would have to work harder because back home we got a ton of work in school,” Ramcharitar said. “But while I was getting my bachelor’s, I was like

Students bring their culture from home to Commerce and adapt to American life

‘oh this is easier than I expected.’”All five students stressed

how important education is to them; however, one of the challenges Bethelmie, Kabba, Kohansal and Ramcharitar ran into was that their American peers weren’t really knowledgeable of places outside the United States.

“Whenever I tell people I’m from Dominica, they always say ‘oh yeah you’re from the Dominican Republic,’ or ‘where is that,’” Bethelmie said. “I say in the Caribbean and they assume Jamaica, and I’m like I just told you Dominica, what you mean.”

“When people look at me they see that I’m African, they assume that I’m Nigerian, as if Nigeria is the only place in Africa,” Kabba said. “Then I tell them I’m from Sierra Leone and they have no idea of what it is, or where it is.”

Kohansal also identifies herself as Persian, along with her Iranian heritage.

“When I say I’m from Iran, people say what, where is that,” Kohansal said. “Or if I say I’m Persian, they only know Persia because of Prince of Persia.”

Bethelmie, Kabba and Ramcharitar also point out the difference between their native homelands’ education and the United States’ education system.

“In Dominica, we learn about every country in the world. We start with our island then learn about the nearest countries…we learn about one place at a time until we have learned in depth about each place in the world.

“Whereas here in the States in school, you learn about certain countries more than others, and then not every country is included,” Bethelmie said. “In Gorda, the education is stricter,” Ramcharitar said. “We had 10 classes a day and had a bunch of homework. Along with the work load, it made our learning faster paced than here in the states.” “Back in Sierra Leone we have form 1, 2 and 3 instead of preschool, elementary and high school; and learning is very fast paced there,” Kabba said. Interacting with people was also a point that the girls felt strongly about, especially Kabba, Bethelmie and Ramcharitar. “Here, when a person says how you are - they don’t really care how you are, they just use it like a greeting to say hello or be polite,” Bethelmie said. “And smiling too, back home when a person smiles at you, they are going to speak to you.

“But here, they are just being polite and I’m like you’re

smiling at me, are you going to talk to me, or what because if I’m smiling at you I’m going to speak,” she said.

“Virgin Gorda is an island about the size of Commerce so everyone knows everyone,” Ramcharitar said.

“Here, you either know someone or you don’t, and it’s hard to talk to them, but back in Sierra Leone everyone in the community knows everyone,” Kabba said.

Americans are big on food. All five girls expressed how they missed the food of their homelands because “in the islands, everything is grown, we can see it coming out of the ground, so we know what it is,” Bethlemie said.

“Everything is fried here,” Kohansal said.

“I never ate gravy or cornbread before I came to Texas,” Ramcharitar said.

“You eat a lot of fried chicken, fried pork chops, it’s all fried,” Kabba said.

“I love how shamelessly most Americans eat. I use it as an excuse to eat a burger and sushi in the same sitting,” Sherwanni said.

For Kabba and Sherwani, their celebrations and clothing were the best parts of their culture.

“I love putting on my dashiki, it’s so cute and I just love

it,” Kabba said. “As much as I love slipping

on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, I really enjoy getting dressed up in a fancy shalwar kameez. They are [really] slimming,” Sherwani said.

“Pakistani weddings are one of my absolute favorite differences, there’s so much going on,” she said. “For a Pakistani wedding, you need a month and the entire family comes to the bride or the groom’s to stay and it’s pure chaos…but it’s good chaos, and it’s so colorful and everyone is happy.”

“Here, when someone dies, you mourn their death, but back home we celebrate their lives,” Kabba said. “There’s a party held on the third day of them being passed, the seventh, the 40th and a year after. They’re so much fun and there’s lots of food and dancing.”

The five students have embed themselves into American culture while holding onto their own.

“I introduce my culture to my friends,” Ramcharitar said. “I joined Commission to Love, a group of Christian students; I got closer to God and got baptized.

“I kept my culture alive within myself, I didn’t try to conform and speak proper. I wear bright colors as if I was back

home,” she said. “I joined CARIBSA and take

part in the multicultural festival, to introduce my home life to people here and keep my flag hanging in my dorm,” Bethelmie said.

“It really helped me to get comfortable here. It’s good to

have a support system here for you when you’re all alone and your family can’t be with you,” Bethelmie said.

“I tell my friends about it and they like it,” Kabba said, “so that really encourages me to embrace who I am instead of just

having it in my social media bios; in my house we still have all the different celebrations, and my American friends always come.”

“When I first got to Commerce, I stayed with an Iranian-American family during my first semester,” Kohansal said.

“It’s also all in the thinking, keeping those good morals that I was raised with, there’s really no difference.

“Here, in the US, I feel like I can do more, I can be independent and be my own person,” Kohansal said.

“Transitioning cultures wasn’t a challenge for me because I take part in the American culture just as much as I do Pakistani culture,” Sherwani said, “I still practice in all of the traditions and rules of a Pakistani household.

“My parents lived and grew

up in Pakistan. I still wear shalwar kameez and I listen to Pakistani music and speak Urdu at home.

“I also go to school, I listen to American music, I love burgers and hotdogs, and I wear pants and t-shirts.

“I love being a Pakistani-American because it gives me a view on two completely different worlds which I love,” Sherwani said. o