Here at ABAC, the student body is composed of many diverse people from all walks of life. Said diversity also includes individuals that are from other countries. This being said, it only makes sense to have a day dedicated to celebrating internationality, our international students, and of course, their home countries. ABAC’s International Student Association (ISA) got together to organize an event in which this was possible.
April 12 marked International Awareness Day for students to celebrate, appreciate, and possibly, even learn about the special countries that some of our students call “home.” In the front area of the dining hall, there were multiple tables decorated with ornaments such as dolls to represent each country, and also had their designated labels.
Beyond the doorway, a plethora of different flags to represent foreign countries were arranged across the ceiling near the left-hand side of the room. However, it was fitting that all of these were inside of the dining hall, because if it’s one thing anyone enjoys about learning about other cultures, it’s food.
After ISA collaborated with Chef Jay Johnson, the menu for that day was full of diverse food options for each area in the dining hall. A few examples being Korean bulgogi, Mexican elotes, basmati ice from India and Pakistan and for dessert, churros. The cherry on top for all of these delicious foods from around the world were the small flags positioned in front of them.
During lunch, the ABAC Concert Choir decided to put on a musical performance of three different international music sections. No matter if the people inside were foreign or American, the impact remained the same. It was music to everybody’s ears.
International Awareness Day is an important date on ABAC’s calendar because exploring, learning, and appreciating the diversity of cultures that compose the student body, and even the whole world itself, is always entertaining and worth taking in.
Victoria Conde Vendrell, a student from France, said, “It was really good, because it was for international students here at ABAC, and ABAC doesn’t really have a lot of international students.”
Another student, Kaliany Tartas-Ortiz from Puerto Rico, says, “The fact that ABAC sets a day for commemorating our efforts and culture truly fills me with pride and joy.”
This being said, it’s no question that 2023’s International Awareness Day was a success and students can look forward to future celebrations of the day.
