Quote:
Originally posted by Sistermadly
This is something I've always wanted to ask, so please don't take it the wrong way.
How do you reconcile being Canadian and a member of fundamentally American organizations? Is it a concern at all?
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That's an excellent question! Of course, I can only answer on my experiences. I am so proud to be a Pi Phi and I know that every other Canadian on this board is equally proud to be a member of their GLO. I don't see the "American"ism of the fraternity as that much of an issue. The fundamentals Pi Phi were founded on are universal.
It can be challenging, especially with those of us that don't have greek friendly campuses, although that's not uniquely Canadian. What gets me the most is the exchange rate. For example, since there's not real greek store in Canada, we have to order online or buy in the US and that can get expensive. Also, with our new member guides, we're required to buy one for every NM, which gets costly when you factor in duty and shipping costs. Our risk management issues are different, since the drinking age is 19, and our insurance liability is different as well.
I appreciate when my sisters to the south recognise Pi Phi as an international organization - when you have 4 chapters in all of the country vs. the 133 or so in the US, that recognition goes a long way. But it would have been nice if the book my sister got as a new graduate wasn't totally US. She can't use most of it, since it talks about renting, income tax etc. that has absolutely nothing to do with the way things are done here. I know there are only 4 chapters and producing a seperate book for us would be really costly, but at least send a letter acknowledging that while they understand it's not as applicable, they still wanted her to get a copy.
Also, when I went to update my alum info for the directory, the 1-800 number wasn't accessible from Canada. I ended up having to contact the publisher directly.
Small prices to pay, though, DEFINITELY!!
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