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Julio Jana, a senior agricultural economics major from Brazil, said by age 17 that most high school graduates in Brazil know what they want to do with the rest of their lives.
"They usually go to law school or medical school," he said. "There isn't really any undergraduate study."
Jana, president of the International Student Association, said after coming to Texas as a high school exchange student, that his host family convinced him to return and go to college in the United States.
"I visited many colleges in Texas," he said. "When I came to Texas A&M, I fell in love with it."
Jana and many other international Aggies will come together to display their different cultures this week during International Week 2004.
Suzanne Droleskey, executive director of international programs for students, said International Week is a celebration of culture.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the more than 3,600 students attending Texas A&M from 120 countries," she said. "It's a nice way to sample the world without leaving Texas."
Droleskey said the theme of International Week 2004 is "Beyond Borders."
"When most people think of borders, they think of lines that separate nations," Droleskey said. "We hope that people will go beyond the literal meaning of borders that exist between people whether cultural, religious or social."
Jana said the main focus of International Week is to promote international awareness.
"We are fortunate to be a university that is able to reach out to other people and show off the differences in cultures," he said.
International Week 2004 will include a cultural display Monday and Tuesday in the Memorial Student Center, an international buffet Wednesday on the second floor of the MSC and a talent show and dress parade Friday at Rudder Auditorium.
Taka Kanaya, a geology graduate student from Japan and director of the talent show, said the purpose of International Week is to educate people.
"I believe people don't know a lot about foreign people," he said. "Unless we show people here what we have in common it is hard to communicate well."
Kanaya said the transition from Japan to College Station was exciting.
"Lifestyle in Japan and the U.S. is not much different except for the car lifestyle," he said. "I love being here. The people are nice and very friendly."
Organizations and student activities at A&M, Kanaya said, provide many opportunities for students to mingle and learn from one another.
"One reason I came to A&M was to learn and to be exposed to other cultures," he said. "I feel International Week is the best we can do in terms of mingling with other people."
Sharath Suryanarayan, director of the cultural display and a mechanical engineering graduate student from India, said students should expect to see paintings, hear music and experience many other aspects of the different countries represented at the cultural display.
"Each country is coming up with their own theme particular to their own culture," he said. "We want to give people exposure to other cultures."
Droleskey said interaction will be the key to a successful cultural display.
"Throughout our lives we have been told not to stare and not to ask questions," she said. "These people want you to look and want you to ask questions."
Jana said the talent show and dress parade will feature traditional dancing, singing and clothing from the many international clubs that will be participating.
"We want the international students to come out of their comfort zones and see things in a more worldly view," he said. "Overall, we want people to think critically about the world they live in."
Leadership in the ISA has allowed him the opportunity to be more in touch with the operations of the University, Jana said.
"Being president of the ISA has provided me with a better understanding of how our school is run," he said. "It makes me even prouder to be an Aggie."
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