Experience Divers Cultures from Around the Globe at The Globe

The Globe offers students diverse cultural interactions and international opportunities.

College is a time where we get to experience many different cultures. The student body at FSU is very diverse and there are aspects of these varying cultures that students are actually able to interact with.

FSU’s Center for Global Engagement, located in The Global and Multicultural Engagement Building—or “The Globe” as it’s commonly referred to—is the cultural epicenter on campus. Launched in 2010, their mission is to facilitate international diversity and foster global understanding and awareness within the FSU community. The Globe is located right in the heart of campus near the Dunlap Success Center and the Student Life Center.

One such example of these interactions is International Coffee Hour. Every Friday from 5-6:30pm international and American students, scholars and faculty gather for coffee and snacks at The Globe. There are often international flavors of coffee sampled for those who are curious to expand upon their coffee palettes. There are also different types of international food and drinks featured and they change every week, giving participants the chance to try something different each time. Families are encouraged to come as there are games and activities available for people of all ages to come together and enjoy.

Part of the cultural awareness fostered by The Globe comes in the form of global relief efforts. For example, The Globe is actively fundraising for aiding the victims of the earthquakes in Nepal earlier this year. Several international students in the department have family there and urge students to show their support.

Another event hosted by The Globe is the English Conversation Club, where people with English as their second language are able to meet in a relaxed atmosphere to practice their conversational English. There are quite a number of international students here on scholarship. On top of their studies, it can be difficult to learn another language, so the English Conversation Club is a fantastic service provided by The Globe. English tutors lead the event each week, but any student can attend and it would be helpful for those trying to learn English if English-speaking students came and participated.

An interesting feature of The Globe is the Meditation Room. Here, students and faculty can gather in a quiet and simple place to meditate and reflect on their thoughts. Many people come to pray or even just to relax. The Meditation Room is open from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, giving students plenty of opportunities to find their daily peace.

Perhaps my favorite event held at The Globe is the Krishna Lunch provided each weekday. From 11:30-2pm, students can come to The Globe for some delicious vegetarian/vegan food. The first time I went, I was admittedly a little skeptical, but was blown away by the quality of the food. The price is very attractive for students on the college budget as well—$5 gets you 2 full plates of delicious food, or you can opt for the 7 day punch card for $30 if you find yourself infatuated with Krishna lunch. Sponsored by the Bhakti Yoga Club, Krishna Lunch offers a variety of international foods as well as various scriptures and readings for those interested in learning more about Krishna.

The Globe is a testament to FSU’s diverse student body and its openness to engage with different cultures. It’s great to have a center dedicated to help integrate international students into American life and also provides opportunities for American students to interact with people that they otherwise might not get the chance to. That aspect of students helping other students reflects the positive environment here at Florida State University and I’m proud to be a part of something that has strong international implications.