2008 Woodie Awards
International Expo displays students' cultural heritages
By: Sean Staudacher
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: News
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"I was born in Jerusalem - it is a holy city with a large diversity," said the Palestinian graduate student.
Students from 16 countries displayed their cultures to fellow classmates and community members Sunday afternoon at the Bovee University Center Rotunda Room.
The annual event displayed CMU's diverse student body while faculty offered a number of things to watch, eat and hear. The expo also included performances of Japanese rock music, Martial arts and a yo-yo demonstration.
Taiwan senior Pei-Shan Tsai displayed CDs and comic books while painting Chinese character tattoos.
"It's an organizational challenge in getting all of the students from different cultures to get together and put the event on," said Tracy Nakajima, International Club adviser and international students coordinator.
"It's challenging because there is no rehearsal like there is International Night. "
The students sign up and then show up and present at their tables."
Graduate student Ghassan Matar is from Palestine. He's at CMU studying business information systems.
"I've got a scholarship from the American government," Matar said. "The (business) program is strong at CMU."
Attendees of the event also were encouraged to ask questions to the presenters. Brownstown senior Maria Jacome, originally from Ecuador, talked about the differences of living in America to that of Ecuador.
"Life in Ecuador is more family-oriented," she said. "I wouldn't be living in an apartment on my own."
India graduate student Deepak Narayan attended the event with three friends who all have attended the event in the past.
"I came to represent my country and see the other cultures," Narayan said. "More countries came this time."
One of the larger tables on display featured students from India. Some attractions on display included a 3-D Taj Mahal, currency, clothing, billboards with facts about the country and a unity in diversity display.
"We have many religions - it is a secular country," said Vikesh Agarwal, an India graduate student. "India has 29 official languages."
Interesting facts listed at India's table included a listing of things originating from India. Yoga, pi, the value of zero and the university all originated in India.
In addition to students displaying their cultural backgrounds, the International Expo also had tables from the English Language Institute, the Friendship Family Program, Study Abroad Club and the Museum of Cultural and Natural History.
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