International Student Organization helps visitors adjust to American culture
Sophia Lin: Muleskinner
Issue date: 10/16/08 Section: Life & Leisure
More than 400 students from 52 countries chose to study at UCM this semester.
The International Student Organization (ISO) offers an opportunity for those students to get familiar with American life. ISO assists the students by helping them to adjust to the culture difference through it's orientation and activities.
"What we do is to help students get more involved with UCM and Warrensburg," said Moroccan student Omar Fjer, junior biology major and president of ISO. "We always hold a welcome party to let new students get to know each other during the orientation."
There are 432 international students enrolled at UCM this Fall, according to the International Center.
To help the students get acquainted with life in America, ISO has a scheduled plan of events for every academic year.
"We always take the new students to Wal-Mart to buy daily supplements, especially in the first week they come," Fjer said. "For Homecoming, the international students will hold the national flags of their home country in the parade. They will also wear their traditional clothes."
"I wore the aboriginal dress from my home country, Taiwan, last year," said Yu-Lee Lin, sophomore nursing major. "It was interesting since I had never been in the parade. I was so excited to wave my hands to everybody on the street."
ISO also cooperates with the International Center to host International Week and Culture Night every semester. The food part of culture night takes place this year on Nov. 15th.
"International students will prepare the dishes from their home countries and let people taste the food," Fjer said.
Every year, the event attracts hundreds of students. It provides attendees with an opportunity to taste a variety of international flavors.
"I like the activities that ISO has," said Sumiko Villalobos, a graduate student in mass communication from Mexico. "I participated the culture night. I think those activities help in a certain way to get all of us more close with other international students. I feel good that I can belong to an organization which is for international students."
ISO continuously tries to plan more activities to achieve its purpose of helping international students.
"We arrange the trip to Kansas City and St. Louis this semester," Fjer said. "There are some plans still in the process. We come up with the ideas of offering a free ride to Wal-mart once a week.
"Also, we are still discussing a ride to the airport. I think the international students need the rides since most of them don't have cars. These plans will be sent to the Student Government Association to be considered so that we may execute them."
The International Student Organization (ISO) offers an opportunity for those students to get familiar with American life. ISO assists the students by helping them to adjust to the culture difference through it's orientation and activities.
"What we do is to help students get more involved with UCM and Warrensburg," said Moroccan student Omar Fjer, junior biology major and president of ISO. "We always hold a welcome party to let new students get to know each other during the orientation."
There are 432 international students enrolled at UCM this Fall, according to the International Center.
To help the students get acquainted with life in America, ISO has a scheduled plan of events for every academic year.
"We always take the new students to Wal-Mart to buy daily supplements, especially in the first week they come," Fjer said. "For Homecoming, the international students will hold the national flags of their home country in the parade. They will also wear their traditional clothes."
"I wore the aboriginal dress from my home country, Taiwan, last year," said Yu-Lee Lin, sophomore nursing major. "It was interesting since I had never been in the parade. I was so excited to wave my hands to everybody on the street."
ISO also cooperates with the International Center to host International Week and Culture Night every semester. The food part of culture night takes place this year on Nov. 15th.
"International students will prepare the dishes from their home countries and let people taste the food," Fjer said.
Every year, the event attracts hundreds of students. It provides attendees with an opportunity to taste a variety of international flavors.
"I like the activities that ISO has," said Sumiko Villalobos, a graduate student in mass communication from Mexico. "I participated the culture night. I think those activities help in a certain way to get all of us more close with other international students. I feel good that I can belong to an organization which is for international students."
ISO continuously tries to plan more activities to achieve its purpose of helping international students.
"We arrange the trip to Kansas City and St. Louis this semester," Fjer said. "There are some plans still in the process. We come up with the ideas of offering a free ride to Wal-mart once a week.
"Also, we are still discussing a ride to the airport. I think the international students need the rides since most of them don't have cars. These plans will be sent to the Student Government Association to be considered so that we may execute them."
Be the first to comment on this story