International Week is an important time for international student associations. Due to logistical problems with the International Student Association, International Week was cancelled. Despite these challenges, a group of international student organizations have banded together to put on International Day.
“International Week is a very important event in which we are able to show our identity and show it off in a good way,” said Ana Monson, president of the Guatemalan Student Association. “It is a chance to teach our fellow Aggies and other international students about our culture.”
In December, international organizations participating in International Week met with the association to prevent the chaos of last year’s event.
“We had less time to put together our cultural displays and cultural shows,” junior political science major Monson said. “There were fewer people working behind the scenes.”
After a Haiti event, Monson heard word that I-Week had been cancelled; however, she received no confirmation from International Student Association President Thomas Edmonds. On Jan. 27, Monson sent a Facebook message to Edmonds requesting more information about I-Week; Edmonds responded on Feb. 14 saying I-Week was cancelled due to logistical problems with Memorial Student Center and committee groups and ISA was recruiting a new team to ensure it wouldn’t happen in the future.
“We were upset that there was no formal notice,” Monson said. “We weren’t event taken into account for the decision when the whole event is about us supporting our cultures.”
Mexican Student Association President Paola Ochoa said she was disappointed I-Week was canceled.
“It’s the main event where our members get to bond,” said Ochoa. “Under competition with other countries, we show our patriotism and culture. It’s the sole purpose of our organization, which is why we were so upset when it was originally canceled.”
It was very important to the organizations to still be able to have some sort of event, Monson said.
“We wanted to have something, even if it wasn’t the whole week,” Monson said. “We especially wanted to do the variety show and cultural displays.”
International Day will be April 12. Cultural displays can be viewed at Simpson Drill Field throughout the day and in the evening there will be a variety show at Rudder Theatre.
Ochoa said this year they will commemorate Mexico’s bicentennial with cultural displays.
“We all have to split up and be in charge of not only our organization but also different areas of I-Day, but it’s worth it,” Monson said. “Without I-Day, my organization could disappear.”
International Student Association Vice President of Advocacy Zach Gibson said he knows how important I-Day is to the international student body.
“It’s important to the international community that we take the time to display their hard work and effort over the years,” Gibson said. “For a lot of the organizations, it is the main event and what they work for all year long. The event is especially for the newer groups that are still growing and recruiting. It’s important to do something together and for the student body. This is a way to grow and to give back to the student body but also to receive and gain new members.”
The event is important for the international student population and for the entire student body, Gibson said.
“This year we are developing an International Council to discuss topics that affect student body on and off campus so that there is a united international student body,” Gibson said. “International Day is a good step for us to come together and have fun and celebrate the coming together of the council.”
Gibson said the day is also a chance for the students to display the diversity of their cultural heritage.
“We all come from different cultures and different backgrounds and have different thoughts and ways of looking at things; it is important to share our similarities and celebrate our differences,” he said.
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