International Education Week and the Culture Fair
Though Arcadia University is a small liberal arts university located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, it is a home for international students from countries worldwide, such as Cambodia, China, South Korea, Ireland, Australia, Canada, and more. Each year, Civic Scholars and the Civic and Global Engagement House, a part of Arcadia University, celebrate International Education Week with events where students can present their culture from their home country. I will be one of them as well. This event allowed me to have an opportunity to showcase my home country, allow other students to learn more about cultural differences, get to know another culture, and get a different perspective.
I brought traditional Cambodian desserts handmade by my aunt during this cultural fair. Additionally, I had a small slideshow presentation where I talked about the location of Cambodia, and the population density in Cambodia, especially Siem Reap, which is the home of hundreds of temples. I also talked about the cultural differences (engagement and wedding ceremonies), taught people how to say a few common Khmer words and hand gestures, gave out traditional food, and showed photos of some special events in Cambodia.
There were a lot of other events for International Education Week, such as:
- Monday, November 18: International Cheese Testing. This event offers a chance to test cheese worldwide and challenge yourself by identifying its origin. If you win, you also get a prize. This event will allow me to taste new things, especially since I come from another country where I have never had cheese before.
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024: International Student Career Kickstart recommends registering for this event to my fellow international students who want to learn more about career options in the US after graduation. This event will occur from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Quorum (UCity Science Center), 3675 Market St, Philadelphia. This event helps international students learn more about career opportunities in the U.S., especially post-graduation.
- Wednesday, November 20, 2024: Culture Fair. This is one of my favorite events here. I will have an opportunity to present my home country, Cambodia. In addition, many other international students will participate in this event to show off their culture, clothes, food, and a lot of other fun stuff.
International Education Week is a momentous opportunity to learn about new cultures, languages, and international student life in the U.S. and at Arcadia University.
