Shardé Johnson was born and raised in West Philadelphia and is now the director of the Center for Black Culture at Drexel University.
Find out the public transport system
While you settle in, use the SEPTA trains and the subway, Ye said. The El is the Market-Frankford SEPTA line, which travels from east to west. Drexel is located near Market Street; The 30th Street Station and the 34th Street Station are close to campus and can take you into downtown or further west of Philadelphia.
Johnson advises conquering the El before working on the chariots, which Ye said were difficult to crack when he first came to Drexel.
But if you don’t have a car, the train will help you a lot. Get a SEPTA key, which you can buy for $4.95 at a station fare kiosk, and be sure to keep an eye on your surroundings to stay safe.
Try the food trucks
Ye hears from many international students who can’t stay away from the many food trucks on and around the Drexel campus once they get a taste. Some international students gravitate toward trucks because they advertise food like they have in their home country, only to find that it tastes different in America. However, Ye advises students to be a bit adventurous with their meals.
“It’s a very diverse city and food trucks sell a lot of diverse food,” Ye said. “It may be different from what you had in your home country because here, the food caters to American tastes. However, many restaurants in Philadelphia maintain their traditional kitchens and serve authentic food. It would be fun to explore once the students settle down.”
However, even with different palates, there is sure to be something delicious to try.
Make friends outside your comfort zone
Many other people are also experiencing West Philly for the first time, so Johnson and Ye recommend that new students get out there and get involved. Johnson encourages new students to go to the Resource Fair and seek out cultural resources like the Center for Black Culture and ISSS.
Ye wants new students, domestic and international, to take advantage of all the events happening on campus. She urges students to get out of their comfort zone and make friends with people outside of their normal social circles; for example, she encourages international students who are involved with ISSS to make friends who are not from their home country. It’s good to learn together.
“Philadelphia is a very international city,” Johnson said. “There are pockets in the city, outside of West Philly, where people can find their community as well. Go experience brotherly love.”
There is always more to learn, too, which is why ISSS is hosting an event with Johnson and Robia Smith-Herman, LCSW, staff therapist and integrated BIPOC specialist for the Counseling Center and Center for Black Culture titled “Born and Raised in West Philly: A Guide to Living and Loving in West Philly”. ISSS’s goal is to help its international students understand Philadelphia and the West Philadelphia neighborhood, especially demographics and history.
CBC will welcome international students to ask questions that will help them understand Philadelphia. They organized a preliminary event during the summer and will organize another one at the ISSS on October 13 at noon.
Source: drexel.edu