Studying Abroad: From the Aloha Spirit to Brotherly Love
Deborah Silverman
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Ed-Op
Although I had been expecting the climate change when I moved to Philly, I had not anticipated the little cultural changes associated with daily life. One of the biggest adjustments was learning to wear shoes inside. In Hawaii, it is a cultural tradition to remove your shoes before entering someone's house. Not only did I have to adjust to taking off my shoes, but I had to adjust what I called them as well. What are called "sandals" in Philly are "slippers" in Hawaii, so naturally anytime I referred to slippers around my new friends, they envisioned me wearing fuzzy house slippers, not flip-flops. I also had to adjust to the change in food. No longer were the days of Hinode rice with every meal or using shoyu (soy sauce) to flavor everything. Dishes common to Hawaii such as chicken katsu, shave ice, and chow fun were replaced by cheesesteaks, water ice, and pretzels. Food was definitely an unanticipated change.
Other things as far as cultural changes go: I learned that aloha shirts did not constitute formalwear, wearing sandals in winter is unbearable, and it is proper to refer to everyone as "mister" and "missus," not "auntie" and "uncle."
Overall, the transition from Hawaii to Philly has not been difficult. Mainly, it is the little things like the food I miss. Of course, I also miss the sun in Maui when it is cloudy in Philly, and I miss the friends I have left back in Hawaii. People still ask me why I came to Drexel; as Keola puts it: "Every single person I tell that I'm from Hawaii always asks me, usually as the first question, 'Why'd you come here?' always."
Personally, I usually answer in a monotone, rehearsed way that I came here for change. And I did get the change I wanted: spring, fall and winter in addition to summer. Philly has impacted me more, however, by giving me a cultural experience similar to studying abroad. Plus, it makes for a good story.
Deborah Silverman is a freshman majoring in biology. She can be reached at ed-op@thetriangle.org.
Other things as far as cultural changes go: I learned that aloha shirts did not constitute formalwear, wearing sandals in winter is unbearable, and it is proper to refer to everyone as "mister" and "missus," not "auntie" and "uncle."
Overall, the transition from Hawaii to Philly has not been difficult. Mainly, it is the little things like the food I miss. Of course, I also miss the sun in Maui when it is cloudy in Philly, and I miss the friends I have left back in Hawaii. People still ask me why I came to Drexel; as Keola puts it: "Every single person I tell that I'm from Hawaii always asks me, usually as the first question, 'Why'd you come here?' always."
Personally, I usually answer in a monotone, rehearsed way that I came here for change. And I did get the change I wanted: spring, fall and winter in addition to summer. Philly has impacted me more, however, by giving me a cultural experience similar to studying abroad. Plus, it makes for a good story.
Deborah Silverman is a freshman majoring in biology. She can be reached at ed-op@thetriangle.org.
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