On my first day at USF St. Petersburg, I was shocked. “Do you really wear those clothes when you go to class?” I thought to myself. Short pants and skirts, sleeveless shirts, eccentric hairstyles, hair dyed in blue, pink – almost every color of the rainbow. It was my first time in the United States and the clothing in comparison to my home in the Dominican Republic made me feel like I was in a different dimension. Even though I come from a hot, tropical island, we are conservative in terms of attire when attending college. I can’t imagine what my professors back at home would think if they came to teach here.
When I say Dominicans are conservative in terms of clothing, I really mean it.
Now, I remember the numerous times the English institute security officer stopped me because I had a sleeveless shirt, or when the principal from my primary school would wait for all the girls outside the classroom with nail polish remover.
I also think back to the dress codes of the governmental institutions in my beautiful country. For example, you can’t enter an official organization wearing short pants or flip flops. It’s curious how all of that had become normal in my mind. Seeing how different things are here in St. Petersburg makes me realize how diverse and unique the world is.
Another aspect of American culture that surprised me was the silence. I come from a very bustling country and every day starts with a different sound. The streets are filled with people talking loudly, traders selling their merchandise using megaphones, lots of music – and that makes it very picturesque.
In the U.S. it’s the complete opposite, especially in classrooms.
If students decide to talk to one another in the classroom it’s normally in low voices, but most just stare at their cellphones while waiting for the professor to arrive.
One American friend who spent 10 months doing research in the Dominican Republic told me that she found it really funny that Dominicans talk to anyone, about everything, everywhere. So, for me, to enter a class filled with silent people was a shock. At first I didn’t know how to act and all I could think was: Why don’t they speak?
These two aspects represented a challenge for me, but if you find yourself in my position when traveling to another country, it’s important to accept differences and just breathe.
I also like to think of myself as a blank page expecting to be filled with new experiences and stories. I think that if human beings could learn to respect different values and traditions our world would be much better.
Indhira Suero Acosta is a graduate student in journalism and media studies. She can be reached at indhirasuero@mail.usf.edu
