by Tim Hotchkiss Cultural Fest 1998 a n y Cedarville studentscome from small townsand have little intercultural experience. Known to some as "The Bubble", Cedarville would insulate studentseven further against cultural awareness if it were not for the cultural organizations that have been started around campus. These organizationsareBetaRhoDelta,IotaChiPhi, Mu Kappa,and the Spanish Club. In some way,all ofthese organizationspromoteculturalawareness here atCedarville. BetaRho Delta(the German Club)focuses ontheGermanculture. TheSpanish Club helps make students Kenneth Waldock attends the Indian booth at Cedarville's annual Culture Fest. 158 campus life aware of Spanish cultures. Iota Chi Phi promotes general cultural awareness. Finally, Mu Kappa focuses on serving the needsofinternationalstudentsand missionary kids(MKs). MostCedarvillestudentsknow atleastoneotherstudentwhowas raised as an MK. One of these MKs is Ben Nordaas, a senior elementary education major. Nordaas was raised on the mission field in Brazil. Preparing to come to Cedarville, he attended an MK school. After living in Brazil most of his life, Nordaas said, "I thoroughly enjoyed it. I call Brazil my home - after 17 years of the same place, I think anyone would. It wasn't all too dissimilar to [the United States] with some exceptions ofthe culture, but mostly the language. I know English well enough but enjoy speaking Portuguese,too." Nordaas continued to say that many Cedarville students have at least some interest in cultural awareness, whether it is the desire to hear stories aboutthe mission field or the pursuit oflearning about other cultures. Cedarville's cultural organizations seek to address the needs of international students and MKs,as well as students whoseek to learn more about other cultures. We are fortunatetohaveorganizationssuch astheseto bring a new perspective to the Cedarville bubble. Andrea Weber participates in one of many ethnic games of Culture Fest.
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