As I was drafting the original post about what international students thinking about coming to the U.S. should ask themselves, I wrote too much. That meant that one idea turned into a series! This second post will focus on food (on and off-campus). Here are some things to ask yourself and look at when evaluating your options for colleges.
Do they serve world cuisine in the dining hall?
I often hear that international students get tired of the typical American cuisines. College-aged favorites are usually heavy in grease, salt, and carbs, and are notoriously low in nutrition. (Pizza, burgers, fries, chicken fingers, tater tots… Okay I’m really hungry now!) Of course, the vast majority of dining halls will have healthier options, even if that option is just a salad bar. But how many salads can you eat before you’re sick of leafy greens?
Look for sample menus to see which, if any, international cuisines are served in the dining hall and how often. All of the schools that I have worked at have made sure to always have at least one international-themed meal for lunch and/or dinner. (I say “international themed” because my students have often reported that, despite good intentions, the tikka masala, for instance, is not very authentic.) Some schools celebrate International Education Week in November, when their dining halls will make an (extra) effort to prepare worldly foods.
What food related tools/appliances are allowed?
If you come from a culture that relies heavily on rice for a significant portion of your daily meals, think about how you prepare and store your rice. Are rice cookers allowed in your room? Is there a shared kitchen with a rice cooker on the floor? Is rice served in the dining hall at all meal times?
Similarly, if you have certain preferences or requirements for food, check if you are allowed to have these items in your room. Some schools require freshmen to live in specific first-year dorms, and those dorms may have restrictions on students having a mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, blender, hot pots, and single burner stoves.
If your school has an international house, this may be worth looking into to see if these food related items are available.
What about international markets?
First of all, are there any in a reasonable distance from campus? Depending on how urban or rural your campus is, you may be able to walk a couple of blocks to come to an international market with foods imported from your home. However, if this isn’t the case, you may need to travel quite far and getting to the market can be a big hurdle. Ask the international office and international student group at the schools if they arrange for trips to international markets. If so, that’s wonderful! It’s not often that first years will be able to secure a driver’s license and their own car. If you get lucky enough to have a roommate or friend with their own car, even better. You don’t want to abuse this though, so supplementing your food stash will be easier if there are trips that you can sign up for.
Bonus question: Don’t forget international restaurants
Nothing makes you feel more at home in a far away country than the taste of your favorite (home cooked) foods. If you are able to talk to students from your culture before you decide on a school, ask them what they think of the restaurants they go to that are from your culture. For example, in Savannah there were four well-known Indian restaurants. One was known as the worst, two were known as pretty good, and the last one was known as the BEST Indian food around. You can eat at the restaurants and find out for yourself of course, but it may be nice to have that knowledge ahead of time.
I hope this was helpful! Thanks for stopping by,
Sara