It can be extraordinarily difficult for international students to adjust to life at Iowa State and Ames.

But to help them out, there are 24 university international student organizations to educate and ease culture shock.

Rogerio Borges, president of the Brazilian-Portuguese Association, said the organization was established in the 1970s to represent Portuguese-speaking students on campus.

Members come from nine different countries, he said, including Brazil, Portugal, Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Mozambique.

“The purpose of the organization is twofold: to promote the Portuguese language and cultures of Portuguese-speaking countries to the Ames community and to promote social gathering among the organization’s members … ,” Borges said.

Borges said the organization provides “intensive support” to new members, helping them adjust to American culture.

Examples of this support include helping members obtain Social Security cards and bank accounts as well as providing a shuttle service where buses pick them up from Des Moines International Airport, he said.

“We baby-sit them for a couple of weeks, and once they’re able to walk on their own, we leave them alone,” Borges said.

Borges said the cultural shock international students are faced with requires organizations to provide all the help they can.

“You’re missing your culture, your way of doing things, your sense of belonging, your loved ones,” he said.

Jane Edwards, president of International Peer Assistants, said she’s very pleased with the efforts of international student organizations to help members fit in a new environment.

“They’re very good about welcoming new students, helping new students get settled,” she said.

Edwards said organizations should publicize and market their events more aggressively so that more American students are able to join them and learn about their cultures.

“The more marketing that’s done, the more successful the events will be,” she said.

However, Edwards said U.S. students have a responsibility to strive for more cultural awareness on campus.

“Sometimes [U.S. students] don’t take advantage of the information and knowledge that they can take from international students,” she said.

Edwards said if she were an international student at ISU, she would definitely join the organization composed of natives of her home country.

“They provide wonderful leadership opportunities,” she said.

Sheikh Hasan, president of International Student Council, described ISC as a “platform” where the members can address issues.

Hasan, senior in management information systems and native of Bangladesh, said ISC is composed of 15 international student organizations, including the Sudanese Student Association, the Turkish Student Association and the Brazilian-Portuguese Association.

Even though a primary goal of ISC is to obtain money for international student organizations, Hasan said ISC support is not limited to finances.

“We give them advice on issues that might really be of concern to them,” he said.

As an example, Hasan said if an organization is facing internal management problems, ISC members can help get them resolved.