February 7- 11 was International Days in our campus Thompson Rivers University. This was a great opportunity for the students in our campus to learn a little about the different cultures and tradition of the diverse campus we have without having to travel to far!
International days gave a lot of opportunities for the international students to show off who they are. There was several booths out all around Old Main.
One of my favorite booths was the Japanese Booth. This booth had a wide range of several Japanese snacks to try and a few traditional Japanese clothing to try on. Not only that, but also a anime and origami table.
While I was at the Origami table I was taught how to make a paper crane. I learned that Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. This tradition of paper folding dates back to the 6th century. At first it was only exchanged by Samurai warriors and the rich. This exchange was considered a token of good luck. Now that they have found easier and much cheaper ways of paper making it has become a popular art for everyone to enjoy.
During that week I also had the opportunity to try Afro Dancing. It is a style of dancing from Africa. Most people in this culture use colorful clothing and dance with the beat of an African Drum. Many of the movements were big and profound. In an African community, the drum is a sign of life and its beat is the heart of the community. The beat of the drum represents the coming together in a society it gives the people a sense of belonging and solidarity. When a beat is made it is a time to come together and be one.
On the last day of International Day my friends and I volunteered at the Gym where they had the International Showcase. This showcase was an event full of excitement represented by many different cultures. The building was filled by a wonderful smell of aroma ethnic foods available to try. For lunch I had a plate of butter-chicken, rice, and na’an bread from the Indian food booth. It was simply delicious! The building also had country display tables where you can ask questions and gain more understanding of the culture of your interest. The entertainment at this showcase was also quite exciting to watch. There was many performances that demonstrated skills of playing musical instruments ,dancing, and singing . There was also a fashion show where we got to see the many colourful traditional outfits from all over the world. It was a pleasure to take part at this Showcase.
There was also many opportunities that I wish I had time to do such as the language classes and history classes. Hopefully I can get to try that next year! I believe International Days are great times for everyone to get together and to open your mind to a different cultures. All in all I had a great experience!
Here is the a link to some of the pictures taken at the event!
No comments:
Post a Comment