Immigrants, Traditional Cultures and Greek Life - Page 2

honeychile · #16 10-25-2005, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 33girl
You can't lie and say everything they do is philanthropy...it just isn't true. Let's face it, college students will be around mixers and formals and if their culture is against it they have to find a way to deal with it.

I think the main thing to put across to the parents is that everything is VOLUNTARY and anything that makes them uncomfortable they will not be expected to do. You might also want to let them know that the ritual isn't some mystical cult ceremony or something.

Excellent suggestion! Honesty is the best policy at all times, when it comes to dealing with the parents.

We're not ethnically diverse in the sense of vastly different cultures, for the most part, but we did have religious problems when I was Chapter Advisor. In fact, with the hopes that no one will ask any precise questions, I'll say that we camethisclose to having someone walk out during initiation! Once we made it clear what her obligations were and weren't (yet again!), she was fine.

BTW, our EO has a letter which is to be sent out to each parent at the time of becoming a New Member. It goes a LONG way towards helping iron out any potential problems!

tunatartare · #17 10-25-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Private I
KLPDaisy my parents were also pioneers as was my older sister but in Yugoslavia they are NOT I repeat NOTHING like Hitler youth! Rather they were like Girl or Boy scouts with summer camps and Pioneer Olympics and volunteering all over the country to help rebuild it after the devastation of WWII.

That said, coming from a multicultural sorority we run into a lot of problems. There are parents who still believe their daughters are in a cult, others who think all the sisters are lesbians trying to 'convert' their daughters to homosexuality, things of that sort. Obviously none are true but the only person who can understand the experience of being Greek is he/she who is Greek him/herself. In the end, parents always see how dedicated we are to promoting academics, service and leadership while having close sisterly bonds all experienced through multiculturalism. In fact, for Parents' Weekend a couple of weeks ago, we had a dinner at a Japanese restaurant all together to get to know each other and had a wonderful time.

Aside from the Nazi aspect of that, Hitler Youth was kind of similar in the sense that it had lots of programs, and was mandatory for everyone. I know this wasn't a terrific example, but it's the best one I could come up with because it's an organization that a lot of people are familiar with.

Private I · #18 10-25-2005, 01:53 PM

Just don't use that example with any Russians=) I'm sure they would be very upset if you compared the pioneers with a league of Nazi's, especially after all the devastation that occurred there on Hitler's part. I know I personally was very offended by that comment, but I realize it's hard to comprehend the organization since you left at such an early age.

I've tried explaining the philanthropy aspects of sororities to my folks but a lot of times their response is to dedicate my community service hours to my grades. East European parents lol.

I think that in the long run they've realized that being in the sorority has done me a world of good, having become more open and less shy as well as improving my public speaking skills VASTLY and becoming very professional.

tunatartare · #19 10-25-2005, 02:03 PM

Private I, my family is Jewish and the only reason we left the Old Country was because of antisemitism. I don't know if you're Jewish or not, but that would explain why my parents didn't have the best experience with the Pioneers.

ADqtPiMel · #20 10-25-2005, 03:48 PM

Two years ago, one of our new members ended up depledging out of pressure from her parents, who are from India.

At the time, my chapter had several Indian girls who attempted to talk her parents around, but they weren't having it.

Taualumna · #21 10-25-2005, 07:44 PM

Question: Do the girls with parents who have "issues" with them going Greek live on campus? Dorms may not necessarily have sanctioned parties, but anyone who has lived in residence will know that people will be invited to them. There will be exposure to members of the opposite sex too, regardless of how strict an all girls' dorm is, because, well....the boys go to school with you,...they sit in your classes...

Sistermadly · #22 10-25-2005, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taualumna
Question: Do the girls with parents who have "issues" with them going Greek live on campus?

No, she lives with her parents.

Luckily, the issue seems to have resolved itself (I'm still waiting on details) and it looks like the member in question will be able to initiate with the rest of the new member class.

Thanks again to everyone who provided insight and feedback. Sometimes I love GC.

Erik P Conard · #23 10-25-2005, 09:26 PM

This thread makes little sense to me. In 1955 in the TKE house
at Emporia, 45 men lived in it, and we had a pay phone in the study. Every Saturday calls were made east by members who
spoke Italian, Polish, German, Flemish, Danish, Swedish, and
lordy who knows what else.
Me, seven times a Mayflower descendant, I thought nothing of it.
We were, I guess, diverse...out here in Kansas!
Forsooth! This is boring, and from the days of Asayo Fukuda of
Alpha...where have you all been all these years?

JonInKC · #24 10-25-2005, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
This thread makes little sense to me. In 1955 in the TKE house
at Emporia, 45 men lived in it, and we had a pay phone in the study. Every Saturday calls were made east by members who
spoke Italian, Polish, German, Flemish, Danish, Swedish, and
lordy who knows what else.
Me, seven times a Mayflower descendant, I thought nothing of it.
We were, I guess, diverse...out here in Kansas!
Forsooth! This is boring, and from the days of Asayo Fukuda of
Alpha...where have you all been all these years?

Erik, I guess it's because parents are probably a little more protective of their daughters. Don't want those wild fraternity men corrupting them, you know...

Erik P Conard · #25 10-25-2005, 11:13 PM

then those parents should not send their kids to college in
America. I was deflowered by a Chi O...not really...but there
are those nasty girls who were hot for my supple body and
my folks did not pull me out of school. In fact, my parents did
not put me in school....I did. My parents were college educated
and some of my grandparents and great grandparents were,
too.
But I still liked the back seat of the old Chev and I never told my
parents of my escapades; felt it was not 'cultural.'
Yessirree, I was a helleva catch.
I was a heterosexual kid from central Kansas, I guess...those
were mighty big words back then.
Can't remember any one being raped or given a mickey or any
of those awful things of today...well, there was this one S A E,
or maybe it was a Sig Ep, he pounced on the homecoming queen,
but being the balanced gentleman he married her.
Forsooth!

Taualumna · #26 10-25-2005, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sistermadly
No, she lives with her parents.

Luckily, the issue seems to have resolved itself (I'm still waiting on details) and it looks like the member in question will be able to initiate with the rest of the new member class.

Thanks again to everyone who provided insight and feedback. Sometimes I love GC.

I am glad to hear that everything is resolved and that she is going to be able to join her class for initiation!

rocketgirl · #27 10-25-2005, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
then those parents should not send their kids to college in
America.

a lot of them are sending their kids to college in america because they as a family have much better opportunity. but they still hold true to their original customs. fact of the matter is that our society generally is a lot looser than some cultures. and also remember that a lot of families have been here for generations and still hold true to the values of the old country.

fact of the matter is that america is a truely multicultural society and we cannot eliminate people from our organizations simply because they lead a different home style. as women...our sororities should be open arms to ANY women who wishes to join our sisterhoods...and we should be willing to learn from them just as they learn from us. statements like this one...that are shallow and do not express the true meaning of sisterhood or brotherhood are the reason that people believe greeks as a whole are shallow and why familes who are immigrants or follow old country beliefs do NOT want their daughters becoming members of our organizations.

Jill1228 · #28 10-25-2005, 11:43 PM

Good! Because i really like her! Glad things were resolved!

Quote:

Originally posted by Sistermadly
No, she lives with her parents.

Luckily, the issue seems to have resolved itself (I'm still waiting on details) and it looks like the member in question will be able to initiate with the rest of the new member class.

Thanks again to everyone who provided insight and feedback. Sometimes I love GC.

Sistermadly · #29 10-26-2005, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
then those parents should not send their kids to college in
America.

Um, except I'm not in America, and neither is this chapter. Thanks for playing, though.

33girl · #30 10-26-2005, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
then those parents should not send their kids to college in
America. I was deflowered by a Chi O...not really...but there
are those nasty girls who were hot for my supple body and
my folks did not pull me out of school.

And thank you for my morning TMI.