International Week Creates Welcoming Feel for Foreign Students
By: Nathan Buccilla
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At times, Anibal Campos felt alone.
And in a way, he was.
Ohio University hosts 1,731 international students from 106 different countries and Campos is the only one from Bolivia.
Adapting to a new landscape, new food, and new faces wasn’t easy for Campos. He felt he didn’t belong.
That changed for Campos during last year’s flag raising ceremony at International Week, .
As he saw his country’s flag raised on College Green, he said he felt something he hadn’t felt before in Athens – welcome.
“It made me feel really glad when I saw that,” he said. “I thought ‘wow, there is a lot of people here who care about other international students,’ so it made me feel more welcome.”
Carla Triana, President of the International Students Union, said Campos’ experience is what the Union strives for.
“It brings the whole world to Ohio University,” she said. “It unites us all into a pretty small area.”
She reflected upon her first year in Athens and what seeing the Mexican flag on College Green meant to her. She said she enjoys carrying on that tradition.
“It makes Ohio feel like home away from home,” she said. “So it’s very heartwarming to see that we could provide that little joy with just a flag to the students.”
Triana said the focus for International Week this year is positivity.
“The positivity of diversity, the positivity of cultural exchange,” she said. “We want International week to be something positive, something uplifting, something that brings joy to the international students and to the community.”
From the International Week kick-off Monday on College Green, to the highly anticipated Street Fair on Saturday, Triana said there are plenty of events to look forward to.
She said she’s looking forward to what the mixing of domestic and international students can lead to.
“I’m hoping students are able to meet new people,” Triana said, “maybe give them the opportunity to talk to someone they may not have had the chance to before.”
International Week Events
Monday
Flag Raising
Breakfast on Green
Front Room Gallery/Contest
GB Meeting/Interactive Activity
Tuesday
Global Scoop
A Fantastic Woman Movie (the Athena)
Vegan Night (UCM)
Wednesday
Tea Tasting
Take Back the Night Keynote
Thursday
Diversity Abroad Panel
Trivia Night (Patton College)
Take Back the Night
Friday
World Music and Dance Night
Culture Shock and Coffee
Saturday
Street Fair
Sunday
World Cup Championship