International students lead effort to share cultures with community
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Take a trip around the world without leaving °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥'s campus! International students invite the community to experience their cultures in the inaugural International Bazaar. An effort spearheaded by the (ISC), the event will feature international cuisine, handmade crafts, performances and fun activities like face painting and games.
"Several students on our executive board are from Asia, and we always have a lot of night markets (in our home countries). So, we really wanted to create something like that at Western," says Ean Ee Low, an advertising and promotion student from Malaysia and ISC vice president.
The International Bazaar, which is also being supported by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education and Dining Services, is planned for Saturday, March 16, from 4 to 9 p.m. inside the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥ Student Center.
"We want to really show every culture that we have represented at Western," Low adds. "The goal is to come together, share in the richness of our diverse backgrounds and make memories that transcend borders."
Several Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) will be represented at the event, dishing up delectable delicacies such as African jollof rice, Middle Eastern baklava, Korean kimbap, Indonesian desserts and Mexican treats, to name a few. Several other RSOs and community vendors will also be selling food and crafts.
"We have students coming from all over the world to °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍøÖ±²¥, staying here for two, three, four years, and they don't often get to visit home during that time," says Litu Kinanti, a digital marketing and eCommerce student from Indonesia. "This event gives them an opportunity to feel at home."
A number of groups have also signed up to perform, from the Korean Club's K-pop dancers to the Burmese Student Association and Japan Club, among others. Western students who attend the International Bazaar are eligible to receive Global Engagement Program and Student Professional Readiness Series (SPuRS) credits. The event is free and open to the public, and tickets will be available to purchase food and items from vendors. Visitors can also vote on their favorite foods and performances.
"I feel really proud to share my culture with the Kalamazoo and Western communities," Kinanti says. As someone who was born in Indonesia but moved around growing up, the ISC's International Bazaar is also a way to explore her cultural traditions more. "Being in the International Student Council definitely gives me a sense of purpose … and, alongside people from many other different countries, has allowed me to be authentically myself."
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