Planet Emoji

By Ephraim Rudolph, Marketing & Communications Intern

I love to include emojis in my text messages, tweets, and Facebook posts. You may even have seen them creep into some of the professional posts I’ve written for The International Center on Twitter. I think that they add extra meaning to almost any message, and that they can convey a lighthearted sensibility that is often missing from written communication. Selecting the best emoji to suit a message comes as second nature to me. I barely need to think about it! Like many people, I imagine, my most-used emojis are the various smiles and hearts… but there are hundreds of emojis, and I have dozens of favorites!

It seems to me that the developers of emojis across platforms – iOS, Android, Windows, Twitter, and others – must have seriously taken into account a global perspective as they created their emoji libraries. There are many globally conscious emojis, including those representing various national flags and diverse human skin tones. Of all the the emojis with international flair, my favorites are those which compose the set of planet Earth emojis.

Shades of Brown

By Rhea Gajaria, Development Intern

Born in India and raised in America, I grew up with a strong awareness of the cultural differences between these two countries. From a young age, I began noticing subtle, but clear differences between the two nations. In the United States, nobody plays cricket on the streets. In India, there is no concept of “tailgating” at sporting events. Though the United States was a whole new world, I soon found myself falling in love with my new home, tiny differences and all. This said, I did encounter one recurring intercultural issue throughout my years in high school. My peers lacked virtually any awareness of the many distinct Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cultural identities! I found many students around me grouping these nations together as a geographic no-man’s-land known only for oil and war. These students also often incorrectly assumed that my Pakistani and Sri Lankan friends were Indian, just based on their skin tone. Many of us felt that these peers did not understand, nor care to understand, about our differences. To many of my peers, the Middle East was defined by the fighting in Israel, Iran and Saudi Arabia. This perception could not be farther from the truth. The Middle East is host to a myriad of geographic landscapes, ranging from bustling metropolises to vast deserts, and it is home to some of the most beautiful, rich, and unique cultures in the world.

No Truer Term Than "Hoosier Hospitality"!

By Moon Seung Yeon, China Project Intern

On New Year’s Day of 2010, I landed in Indianapolis for the very first time. I vividly remember when I took my first step out of the airplane. That moment I was worried about how I was going to adapt to a new continent, one that was completely unfamiliar to me. Now more than 5 years later, I am getting ready to graduate from college in December. Just like all the other international students, I came to the U.S in order to get a college degree. I have faced many challenges such as homesickness, cultural differences and language barriers. In other words, I had various forms of culture shock. Nevertheless I could have never overcome these obstacles and successfully progressed through college if it wasn’t for the kindness and hospitality of the people in Indiana!

You Don't Know What You Don't Know: Minimizing Cultural Faux Pas

By Kate McCarter, Protocol Intern

Every country is unique. It has its own customs, culture, and often language--among other things. When travelling abroad it is easy to assume that everyone approaches and reacts to things in a manner that is similar to the way in which we do in America. This is actually far from the truth! What may be completely acceptable in the United States may be taboo in another country. It is important, as visitors, to be respectful of the etiquette and customs of other countries, yet many people still commit obvious faux pas. The Office of Protocol here at The International Center tries to minimize these cultural faux pas. We provide briefing booklets to business and government officials who are travelling abroad filled with protocol and etiquette information about particular countries. These include country overview and cultural dos and don’ts.

Getting the Most Out of a Cultural Exchange

By Mallory Noble, International Visitor Leadership Program Intern 

Through traveling abroad and with my experiences interning with the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) department this summer, I have come to discover how important and valuable it is to connect and share ideas with different people from around the world. Recently, I returned from studying in Tours, France for a month, and the experiences I gained from simply getting to know the people I was living and going to school with everyday were ones that I will never forget.

India(napolis) - The Place(s) I Call Home

By Rhea Gajaria, Development Intern


The International Center changed my life. Now you may be thinking “Hey c’mon, it’s just an internship,” but no matter how exaggerated these words may seem, the statement stands unequivocally true. The International Center changed my life. But I’m not saying this from the viewpoint of an intern (however great this internship may be.) I am speaking from the viewpoint of someone whose entire life is based off of The International Center’s involvement in it. Now may be a good time for some backstory.

Unconscious Biases and the Beauty of the Unknown

By Masha Pupko, Programs and Services Intern

If there is one thing that unites people, it is that we are all consumers of information. First we learn from our caregivers, then our educators, our peers, mass culture and our own experiences. Much of what we learn, think and do is done at an unconscious level. In order to process the vast amount of information that we consume on daily basis, we organize specific examples into broad categories. Once we do the sorting, the meanings associated with that category are activated and influence our interactions with individuals. Consequentially, all of us, including you and me, hold implicit biases - automatic attitudes or stereotypes about people based upon their belonging to a particular category.

A Midwestern Girl’s Tasty Bite of the Big Apple

By Sarah Gibbons, International Citizen of the Year (ICY) Intern

Growing up in a small suburb of Cincinnati, my upbringing was stereotypically Midwestern... It was a place where we knew everyone. I had known the classmates in my graduating class since I was in kindergarten and my friends lived within walking distance from home. Throughout my 18 years of living there, not much changed in my quaint suburban hometown. It was not until I went to college that I realized, although I had an amazing upbringing in Wyoming, OH, there was not much diversity there.

Moving Abroad - Tips That Made My Adventure Easier

By Cullen Bickle, Marketing and Communications Intern

It is crazy to think how things can change in a matter of seconds. I still remember the moment I came home from school in the fall of 2010 and my dad saying “Hey Cullen, how would you feel if we moved to Spain?” At first I didn’t believe him, but after a few minutes I realized that he wasn’t joking and that my life was about to change forever. The only thing I knew before embarking on my adventure several quick months later, was that it was going to be a tough adjustment. I didn't know anyone that could give me advice on how to make it all easier and as a result, I went in completely blind. After several months in Spain I realized that I had developed important life skills such as adapting to change. When I moved to Hong Kong four years later I was able to put these new found skills to the test and to my expectation they worked very well.

MEET OUR NEW INTERNS - SUMMER 2015!

Located in the center of Indianapolis, The International Center has welcomed nine interns from all over the world this summer. Each intern wrote a short bio about themselves, a tradition here at The Center, in order to help us learn more about who will be contributing this summer. Without further ado, meet our new interns!

Firefighting: A Universal Language

By Kelly Sexton, Relocations Intern

This past semester I have been blessed with the opportunity to work in the relocation department here at The International Center. Through phone calls, e-mails, welcome packages, and orientation tours, we assist international employees who are moving from their home country to Indianapolis on a business assignment. At first it seemed relatively easy, clear-cut, and laid back. But let me assure you, it is quite the opposite. There is never a dull moment in the relocation office whether it be a client’s security alarm going off at 4 in the morning (and not knowing the code to shut it off), flight itineraries changing last minute, or chaotic move in/out inspections. On top of all this craziness, my supervisor went on maternity leave and our stand-in Relocation Director accepted a new job outside of The International Center (congratulations to the both of you!!!). Nevertheless, Joan, who has been “holding down the relocation fort” in the office, as well as the rest of the relocation staff, stepped up tremendously and have been working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition for all our new clients, as the arrival list continues to grow.

 In addition to working in the office (with a beautiful 20th floor view of downtown, I might add), interns at The International Center are given the opportunity to volunteer at various events around Indianapolis. Last week the 2015 FDIC International (Fire Department Instructors Convention) was held at Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center downtown. The International Center was invited to host an “International Lounge” for all of the firefighters from out of the country that were visiting for this event. We provided food, drinks, a place to sit and relax, translations of the program’s events and directions, and a display of flags from each country represented.

I volunteered to man the information desk at the lounge on the Friday morning of the conference. As I arrived eager to help, I found myself overhearing a conversation between a gentleman from Nova Scotia and one of our own from The International Center. They were discussing the convention as a whole as this was the final day, and the Canadian firefighter mentioned something that intrigued me. He said it was interesting to gain a perspective on American firefighters and their relationship with one another, as they all call each other “brothers and sisters.” Apparently in Canada they do not have this close of a relationship. They view their fellow firefighters as co-workers or colleagues. He thought this was really fascinating and was somewhat taken aback by the thought of fellow firefighters being part of a family. Yet if you think about it, on-duty firefighters do spend a significant amount of time together, sharing meals and extremely personal experiences. And while this comment I heard may seem like a miniscule one to ponder, it stood out to me and really made me think how true it certainly must be for Americans, especially after the events of 9/11 as the supreme example of firefighters all over America coming together as a community to support one another.

I’ve greatly enjoyed working at The International Center, learning about different cultures, and communicating with people from all over the world. But having spent time at the international firefighter’s convention, it occurred to me I may take my own culture for granted sometimes. For example, growing up, my view of firefighters, police officers, etc. was always local. There is a fire department less than a mile away from my house, it never occurred to me that this service was performed worldwide. Now obviously this is a naïve opinion as fires can break out in an apartment in the middle of downtown Beijing just as easily (and as devastatingly) as it can in downtown Indianapolis. This is why I am even more thankful for my international experience this semester and being able to learn about so many different cultures. It gives me the humbleness to appreciate where I come from, but also the desire to expand my international mindset.

Study Abroad...in Reverse!

By Yin Li, China Project Intern 
 
As an international student majoring in Communication, I am very interested in working in the diverse cultural environment, in which I can use my personal experience and improve my knowledge in communication. When I found this internship position from The Center’s website, I felt it would be a great opportunity for me.

At The International Center, I work as an intern at the China Project Office, which aims to enhance the relationships between China and Indiana in the field of business, culture and education. As a student from China, I am very excited to get involved in the process of building the bilateral relationship. Let me share with you a recent project where our office hosted a one-day career-based orientation for international students from Ball State University.

 On March 21^st, we welcomed the students to The Center and introduced our programs and services, as well as our internship program. There were 16 students from China, and three were from Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. They were very interested in the internship positions, and some said they would definitely tell their friends to apply because they rarely have the opportunity to work off campus. After the tour of The Center, I accompanied the students on a tour of the Indiana Statehouse. We were very fortunate to have a great tour guide named Jim to show us around. With his funny and informative introduction, the students learned much about Indiana’s culture and history, such as the state flag, bird (cardinal), and flower (peony).

The highlight of this event was a visit to Global Caravan Technologies (an RV company), and a meeting with its CEO and president, Mr. Ding, who was a Chinese international student himself 18 years ago. Mr. Ding introduced his business, and shared his personal experience. He also gave valuable suggestions to the students about how to build their careers by taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. Students really appreciated this chance to talk with Mr. Ding, commenting on the value of talking face-to-face with such a successful businessman. I am glad I joined in this orientation, because it allowed me to gain a better understanding of what international students need and what we can do for them.

Working as an intern The Center, I also have had the opportunity to participate in other programs and services.  I assisted the relocation office in giving an orientation for Chinese assignees of Eli Lilly and Company to settle down in Indianapolis; attended the cross-cultural competency training; and helped to set up flags to welcome foreign dignitaries to visit Indianapolis.

All these experiences brought me more perspective of how The International Center achieves its goals and makes a contribution to Indiana’s globalization. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with such a warm and passionate team at The Center. By working in this diverse cultural environment, I become more confident in communicating with diverse audiences, which is definitely beneficial to my professional development.

Meet our spring 2015 interns!

As a tradition every semester, we welcome the new interns who will be bringing their diverse experience and skills to The International Center. As part of their internship experience, all of them will post blog entries that are related to the department they work at in order to contribute and add value to The International Center’s blog. Let’s introduce the spring 2015 interns!

A Day in the Life of the Development Intern

By Kathryn Cleary, Development Intern

“Making my way downtown, walking fast, logos pass, I’m work bound. Staring at the cross walk ahead, just making my way, making my way, through the crowd.”

This is the song that plays through my head every morning as I leave my parking garage and head into The Center, as the fall development intern. As strange as my little jingle may be, it oddly sums up what it’s like to be working in development! There are a few key things I have learned during my time here so far, observation, recognition, and execution. These three things are how my young college brain has organized the projects I work on here at The Center.

Meet our FALL 2014 Interns!

A new season is upon us, so The International Center autumn make a change! This fall, we welcome a new batch of interns ranging in backgrounds and interests. We asked all nine of them to share a little about his or her self for our blog. Because of their shared love of travel, we also asked each to share a favorite travel photo. So before we fall behind, here are the interns!

A Day in Indianapolis

By Kathryn (K.D.) Fox, Communications Intern


On June 17^th, I received a rather distressed email from a woman named Katy Keck, representing the 2014 Crop Hunger Walk. It had been forwarded to interns in The International Center because one of the interns from this organization had to drop out due to an emergency, and they needed someone to replace her for the following day. The email stated “The main skills needed are that they can drive, film with a flip cam, and keep on time. Guaranteed lots of laughter, great experiences, meals and a good recommendation for a job well done.”

Hello Summer and Hello Interns!

Summer is finally here! Along with its long awaited warmth comes a batch of new faces, as The International Center has invited eight new interns to join its team. Ranging in backgrounds, interests, and specialties, say hello to the summer interns of 2014!

All Good Things Must Come To An End

By Abby Miller, Marketing and Communications Intern


To say that our time at The International Center got off to an interesting start would be a complete understatement. January of this year, if you remember, Indianapolis experienced extreme winter weather that caused many interns to start later than anticipated. When the temperature of the city was below freezing and the streets were constantly covered in snow, it was easy to believe that spring would never come.

Meet the Interns: Spring 2014

It’s that time of year! Just as we turn over to a new calendar and prepare for the upcoming year, a new team of interns has joined The International Center for the spring. As the first blog post for 2014, each intern has shared a little about his or her self. Without further ado, meet the interns!

An Internship To Remember

Time flies. Doesn’t it?

It seems like just yesterday we were all sitting at the conference room table, introducing ourselves to the rest of The Center’s Staff. We were now members of a wonderful and diverse team; and we were eager to work on various projects and learn more about our specific responsibilities. We knew that in the course of this internship program we would acquire the necessary skills that would be beneficial to the development of our professional lives.