Seventeen percent of Dana Hall students are international, coming from 11 different countries around the world. Starting January 21, the International Student Association (ISA) will host the annual tradition of International Week, celebrating the countries that are represented at the school. Yileena Xu ’15 commented, “It is a great chance for international students to introduce their home country’s tradition.”

International Week events include a Korean-themed dinner, the Parade of Flags, language lessons, an International Bazaar, the Closer Look Series, which is a look at different cultures, and an International Food Festival, in which foods are prepared by the international students and shared with the community. As Silvanna Medrano ’15 said, “You can learn about different cultures and makes people closer to their homes.”

Dana Hall has had the International Week tradition for the past 10 to 12 years, according to Donna Corrigan, Dean of Residential Life. She said, “International Week provides an opportunity for members of our community to reflect on the history, people, attractions, traditions, and rituals of others as we come together and learn from one another.”

According to Lulu Cao ’14, International Week “has a variety of fun activities, and it is a great opportunity for many students to know different cultures.” Caroline Liu ’16 agrees that the week “educates American people about international cultures and it helps them see things in our point of view so they can understand us better.”

The number of students from a particular country can affect the workload that the International Week’s events require. As Marin Takahasi ’16 commented, “Since there are two people from Japan, it was harder to prepare for International Week.”

Ms. Corrigan said that she and ISA “hope the activities offered will be inclusive of cultures, countries, and customs that encompass our global community. We invite the community, rich in culture, to join us and be part of International Week 2014!” As Merab McFarland ’15 commented about International Week, “It is good to learn about other cultures based on people’s experiences rather than just reading an article.”

Photo: The Parade of Flags from the 2013 International Week. Photo credit: Donna Corrigan.