Coming to terms with leaving my tight Hispanic bubble in the depths of Miami’s Little Havana and moving to a mostly white college in Tallahassee was certainly not an easy task. My life went from Spanish being the default language everywhere I went, to only being able to use it as a secret language that most people in public couldn’t understand.
This definitely has its perks! However, once you’re away from home long enough, you start feeling a little out of place if you’re not surrounded by people who feel like home.
Thankfully for you, I struggled with feeling out of place my first year, so you don’t have to! Here’s my guide to navigating a different cultural environment as a Latina at FSU, and how to have lots of fun doing so:
Join a Cultural Organization
The first thing I would suggest doing is joining a cultural organization. We have many welcoming cultural clubs at FSU. If you’re Hispanic, I’m certain you’ll find one that fits. Whether you’re from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, or elsewhere, there’s an organization at FSU for you!
These clubs host fun social events for meeting people with similar backgrounds and forming connections. They celebrate customs and traditions through food and dance, while also addressing issues affecting the Hispanic community.
Although it’s Hispanic Heritage Month, I can’t forget about my Latinx friends from Brazil. The Brazilian Student Association (BRASA) is here for you! There really is a club for everyone, especially if you want to feel at home.
Dance it Up!
One of my personal favorite organizations is Corazon Dancers, a salsa dancing club here at FSU. With their weekly salsa lessons on Fridays — free and open to all skill levels — you can step up your dancing skills just in time for their exciting Latin socials.
Dress up in your best flowy outfit, show off your new skills, and I promise you their positive energy will have you glowing with a non-stop smile by the end of the night. Yes, the glow is mostly from sweat, but aren’t you glad you can dance now?
Prefer something a little slower? Synthesis Dance Company, the bachata club, is the one for you. They also have free weekly classes on Wednesdays, and even a team you can audition for!
International Coffee Hour
If you’re more of a foodie and want to take advantage of free food on campus, International Coffee Hour is the best way to have a taste of home while getting to try other international foods. Every Friday, FSU’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE) offers food and drinks from a different country. On Sept. 12, they served tres leches, and I couldn’t be more mad that I missed it.
You’ll get to interact with so many cultural groups through these coffee hours and feel connected with other minorities on campus. This is a great way to broaden your horizons (and your food palette), but best of all, it’s completely free!
At-Home Tips
I’ll leave you with some final tips that have made me feel more in touch with home despite being so far. After all, there’s only so much the daily FaceTime calls can do.
I bought a stovetop espresso maker! My Cubans know all too well that, if you’re Cuban, you’ve likely been surrounded by coffee from the second you were born. Cafecito is at literally every single family function.
I question their caffeine addictions heavily; however, I’m no better with my morning lattes. I make my Cuban espressos with the stovetop espresso maker I always saw the adults use when I was a child, and the smell fills my college apartment like it used to fill my family’s home in Cuba so many moons ago.
I’ve also recently gotten more into cooking, and since I’m just a person who craves familiarity, I’ve been teaching myself to make the dishes I’ve always seen my family make. The best part of making these dishes is that, after, you can have your non-Hispanic friends try a taste of what’s been so special to you for so many years!
Pro-tip: Making arepas in the dorms is very easy!
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