DivCo, SAC, and Bethel CAs team up for International Students' Day: a review
Three Bethel clubs united to honor the annual celebration.
International Students’ Day, an international observance of student communities around the world, is held on Nov. 17. To celebrate, Diversity Council (DivCo), Student Activity Council (SAC), and Bethel Community Assistants (CAs) came together to host a celebration for the on-campus Thresher community.
The International Student Fest was held in Memorial Hall from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. Upon entry, colorful flags from around the world decorated the hall’s walls and stage. Different cultural cuisines such as Menudo, quesadillas, and Haitian beef patties were the main course of the night.
As for dessert, various cookies and snacks ranging from Latin and Asian cultures were spread across the table for students to pick and enjoy. Drink choices were some childhood favorites, Jarritos and Mundet, which is an apple soda.
It was easy to see that the food and snacks were favorites for other students as well, as they chatted and sampled different plates in this welcoming atmosphere. “As DivCo, we hope to get different perspectives on different cultures and have students on campus feel like they belong here,” said Karellys Porras from Fort Worth, Tex.
Porras is currently a senior studying elementary education while serving as both the Secretary of DivCo and an executive member of the Student Government Association. “Maybe if [international students] miss home, they get the opportunity to have a chance to express something that they do in their culture,” she added.
I thoroughly enjoyed going to the fest and getting to experience foods and snacks from different cultures outside of my own. Yet, the familiarity of the menudo and Mundet I used to eat and drink often during my childhood offered me a comfort I didn’t know I needed — it was as if I was back home every time I had a spoonful in my mouth.
Juniors Milan Bucek and Tomas Quercia did well in bringing this international fest to Bethel and its students. And those who attended marveled about the different snacks and learning opportunities they participated in, including senior Isabela Diaz from Oklahoma City, Okla.
“I think it was really cool that they [DivCo] put on this event to recognize and appreciate their international students,” Diaz said. “I think it's a really great opportunity for the rest of their students to learn and indulge in other cultures.”
The night concluded with a world flag trivia for students to participate in, consisting of 20 different flags. The winner with the most accurate answers had the opportunity to win a box full of cultural snacks and candies.