"Yes, do travel!" gushed the prof. "You must see the world! Experience other cultures and mingle with them ..."

In a small gray building around the block, I do just that — not only see the world, but taste it in Viktoria's Hungarian cookies, smell it in Auristela's Venezuelan spaghetti, hear it in Me Hong's Korean rock music — and even feel it as I try Tang's traditional Chinese cure for headaches. (Pinch the tips of your earlobes — hard! — for 60 seconds. It works. Sometimes.)

The small gray building is where I teach English as a Second Language to students you'd love to meet: entomology major Roberto, whose tee-shirt pictures the tropical butterfly species he discovered. Or Li, a medical doctor in her communist homeland, but a factory worker here. Or Kim, who has a brother in Boston, a mom in Seoul, a dad in Tokyo, and a girlfriend in London. But why bother to come all the way to Mississippi when you can meet the world on your own campus?

How? With 500,000 foreign students studying in the U.S., it shouldn't be hard to find at least one.

Contact Established Ministries
Campus ministries often sponsor international conversation hours or fellowship meals. Near Mississippi State University, the Baptist Student Union runs a friendship house where foreign students meet for crafts and English classes. Groups like Campus Crusade for Christ, Navigators and InterVarsity often attract Christian internationals. Check these ministries first.

Find University Programs
Contact programs with names like: ISO (International Student Organization), ESL (English as a Second Language), IEP (Intensive English Program) or ELI (English Language Institute). You can attend club meetings, lead conversational groups — maybe even tutor.

Eavesdrop
In addition to exploring organizations, keep your eyes — and ears — open for foreign students at the food court or library. Start a conversation. (It's okay to ask the obvious: Where are you from?)

Visit the Desk Next Door
Another way to see the world is to stay awake in class for a change and get to know that A+ student who destroys the curve and speaks with an accent. Invite him to study groups; trade notes. Other fresh arrivals may need help getting on the same page — figuratively and literally.

Dig a Little
Once you've made initial contact, don't be satisfied just trading smiles and "What's up?" even if you're a little — or a lot — uncomfortable with the language barrier. In real communication, image isn't everything; attitude is. Don't be embarrassed to say "I don't understand. Please repeat it ... Again? ... Can you spell it? ... Write it down? ... Or draw it?"

Ignore the Foot in Your Mouth
Don't worry about cultural goofs: foreign students are prepared for profound differences. However, it doesn't hurt to know that many Arab students are uncomfortable with the opposite sex or that communist students don't discuss politics. And no one wants to hear how much better the U.S. is than his home country.

Evangelize
Sooner or later you'll have an opportunity to share the gospel — probably sooner, since many questions about American culture can be traced to Christian roots. "What is Christmas?" once gave me the chance to begin with Genesis and explain creation, original sin, Christmas and Easter — and I threw in Halloween and Hanukkah just to be safe.

Inviting a foreign student to a church service is another way to open doors, especially if "cultural" elements like food, music or holiday celebrations are involved. One of my most significant conversations occurred when an international guest asked about the church building: "Why is there a cross in front?"

At the point of serious witnessing, the playing field is as level with foreign students as it is with Americans. Truth is true for everyone: each individual is a sinner, and Jesus died to reconcile persons of all cultures to God. The difficulty is in explaining unfamiliar ideas like "sin," or a creator God who is personal and infinite; you may have many discussions before a person understands the gospel. (In the meantime, consult the "experts" in campus ministries, and contact organizations like the International Bible Society [www.gospelcom.net/ibs/] for native language resources.)

See the World? What is the World?
International students complain that Americans won't talk to them, while the same American students would grab a semester abroad in a heartbeat. They want to see the world: the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall, the Kremlin. Yet the most significant "landmarks" are Pierre . . . and Wang . . . and Boris: when you see the real world, you see faces.

Especially if you're a Christian.

And a lot of those faces eat lunch at the booth next to yours. Live in the same dorm. Bury their noses in the same books.

Take a hard look at your campus. See the world.