ABSTRACT
Two and a half years into my stay as an international student in Norway, I cautiously knocked on the door of a professor in clinical psychology at my university to make some inquiries. I had been late in attending an orientation meeting to the clinical psychology program, so I missed out on some important pieces of information. I did not know the name of the person in charge of the orientation meeting, but I picked up the student handbook and coming upon the name of one female professor in the Clinical Psychology Department, I assumed she was the one who had been at the orientation meeting. As soon as I entered her office, I realized that she was not the person I was looking for. I apologized and was about to leave the office when she asked me to return, as she was curious to know who I was and what I wanted. I told her I was a psychology student and that I was beginning the clinical program that semester. She was surprised to know that someone with an African background had been admitted into the program and shared that if she had known of my application, she would have denied me admission. Trying not to sound prejudiced, she pointed out that knowing the culture of the society in which one is working is crucial to understanding the mental health of the people. And, for someone with my background—a Ghanaian, not born and raised in Norway—I was going to find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to understand Norwegians and their mental health, let alone be adequately equipped to help them resolve their problems.
