Some of my sisters who are very involved in Girl Scouts often talk about the similarities between Girl Scouts and sororities- values based, community service oriented, focused on personal development of women and leadership skills- and there are Girl Scouts/Girl Guides in 145 countries so you could use that as an analogy, and then explain some of the differences- membership begins in college, is life long, selective and sometimes live together in residence at their college with a stronger social component.

I once had an Australian roommate to whom I was trying to explain sorority life. She said it was a lot like the dorms at her boarding school. The dorms had a selection process and your chances were better if you were a legacy. Each dorm had certain traditions, colors, etc. and there were some that were more desirable than others.

Looking back, it sounded very Harry Potterish!

I tell people it is a women's-only social and community service organization and you are invited to membership (or not) through an interview process.

ummm, I was totally searching for something else when I ran across this thread and I had to share this short but funny story.

My old roommate was in a sorority and while studying abroad she met this guy who didn't understand the concept of "sorority." She said he was Irish or something, i don't remember, but when she started explaining it to him he goes "OOOH! Like a Laaady Brigaaaade?!" She told me the story impersonating his Irish accent and to this day I bust out laughing when I think about it.

She just paused and said, "Yyyyea. Like a lady brigade."

I die.

*disclaimer*
I'm a new member of greekchat but I've lurked for years. just wanted to say whas up!

When I studied abroad I explained it as a secret society. I found out that my Spanish prior to arriving in Spain was so bad that my host mom thought I lived in an orphanage from the explanation on my introduction letter. Her daughter had spent two years at a high school in the US and told her a lot of poor stereotypes of greeks. I think she figured it out eventually. :-)