Global Understanding host International Day for students to share their culture
Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus Global Understanding Department celebrated Global Voices: International Day on March 24 inviting students to share their cultures.
International Education Coordinator, Amy Russell points out the event is a time for sharing.
“International Day is an opportunity for the International students we have here on campus to share their culture and their arts and music and food with the rest of the campus,” said Russell.
Students of the English as a Second Language class (ESL), along with other students learning another language, and Study Abroad are all part of International Day.
“We’re connected with Study Abroad, but we understand that not all of the students can study abroad, so we bring the international here,” said Russell.
As part of the Global Understanding Series, International Day has been around for a long time on the Owens Campus.
“International Day has actually existed much longer on this campus than the Global Understanding Series. We’ve realized it was a very good fit with the Global Understanding Series and now it’s actually a part of the series and we do it every year,” said Russell.
The scheduled event happens around the time that many people are preparing to celebrate their holidays.
“It’s always the day before Spring Break begins and the day before Good Friday we have International Day, with a nice big blowout. And a lot of people definitely look forward to this event every year,” said Russell.
Mechanical Engineering Technology student Abdias Domercant looks forward to this day to get together to enjoy friends and have a fun time.
“It’s a fun day. Everyone gets together and eat food and have some fun,” said Domercant.
Phania Lebrun, a technical nursing student, finds it to be an important day to find old friends and to meet new ones.
“I think it’s an important day because all the countries meet together for celebration of International Day. You meet friends, it’s a friend found day,” said Lebrun.
English as a Second Language (ESL) student Luanne Colon waits anxiously for this day.
“It’s so very, very exciting for me. I’ve been waiting for that day to cook a lot of food” said Colon.
All the foods are bought and made by the students, members of their family or friends. ESL student Luanne Colon made several dishes and desserts.
“I made Puerto Rican rice, baked a cake, flan and another dessert to share with everybody here,” said Colon.
Flan is a custard type of dessert usually served with a caramel topping.
There were several live performances done by children and adults. Students and visitors sung songs and their national anthem. Some acted out a ceremony through dance and some showed the audience how to do their cultures popular dances.
Although students and the community come together for International Day for food and fun, as part of the ESL class, educational displays are created by the International students to help others lean more about their culture.
“We also have educational displays, as part of their classes, some of our ESL students have created displays about their home countries,” said Russell.
Some of the countries represented on display were Guatemala, Mexico, London, England, South Korea, Jordan, Ukraine, Haiti and Puerto Rico. Artifacts and other items to show about their countries National Days, transportation, clothing items, marketplace products, maps and flags were on display along with photos of some of their popular sightseeing locations.
Students, the community and instructors enjoyed the day’s event. Russell loves what International Day means for Delaware Tech and the community.
“I love the event. It really is an opportunity for people to see the variety of students we have on this campus,” said Russell.
All the events are free for students and free to the public. To learn more about Global Understanding contact Owens Campus International Coordinator Amy Russell at (302) 259-6589 or email amy.russell@dtcc.edu.
Above, Caroline Gulab, an English as a Second Language Instructor, at Owens Campus International Day. Below, Amy Russell, International Education Coordinator. Photos by P. Starkey.
