Beyond the Books

“Whenever I take part in the student activities, I feel like I am not only making friends, but I also feel like I am part of a huge international family here in the U.S.A.”

International students are cheering as their rafts clear the rapids on a Rocky Mountain stream. They dig for clams along the beaches of New England. They learn to dance to Cajun music. They experience the thrill of bungee jumping for the first time. A quiet international student from Malaysia finds out she is not so timid after all as she develops a passion for rock climbing and digs into the granite.

All of these students are benefiting from planned programs developed by their schools to help them have fun in the U.S.A.

Your life in the U.S.A. will not stop at the gates to the campus. You will be able to enjoy many activities in the nearby town or city, and you’ll travel to other parts of the country. It is not uncommon for international students to travel to a new and exciting region of the country during every break of the academic year. Surely you will be no exception, and will take every opportunity to explore all that the U.S.A. has to offer. Now, with comprehensive activity programming for international students, it is easier than ever before. Most schools offer special activities for international students to get them acquainted with the U.S.A. and to help them meet other students on campus and in their program. Campus life offers many opportunities for expanding interests and making friends.

In most programs, international students participate in campus-wide activities such as clubs and sports. There are also clubs designated specifically for international students and students interested in international life. General international student clubs or special interest clubs such as Middle East, Asian, or Indian Clubs are very common on college and university campuses. The International Club at Lake Washington Technical College near Seattle sponsors an annual International Fashion Show. There are many other clubs to join such as Gaming, Anime, Video Production, Fitness, and Academic Honor Society.

During summer, LWTC’s English Language Institute organizes excursions to professional baseball games, the Blue Angels Jet Airplane show, Vancouver Island and tours through corporate headquarters including Boeing, Nintendo and Microsoft.

The International Programs office at Whatcom Community College in Washington State makes it easy for students to participate in all kinds of activities, with a staff member who organizes the activities and provides transportation.

“I love that I can be involved in a different activity almost every weekend, and I don’t even need a car,” says Claudia Davila, a student from Peru. “It seems like every week I am doing something that I never would have had a chance to try at home.”

The College organizes trips for skiing, sea kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, rock climbing, whitewater rafting and golfing.

Throughout the winter months, there are various ski and snowboarding trips to resorts in the U.S. and Canada.  Once each year students spend a weekend skiing in Whistler, B.C. Students stay together in a hotel accompanied by an International Student Advisor.

 These trips are open to experienced skiers and snowboarders, as well as those who have no experience on the slopes. In addition, many U.S. students join the trips, which provide an excellent opportunity for all students to make new friends.

There are also many events at the College such as concerts, dinners, and cultural shows.

“Whenever I take part in the student activities, I feel like I am not only making friends, but I also feel like I am part of a huge international family here in the U.S.A.,” says Claudia.

On other campuses throughout the U.S.A, international students are treated like royalty, with exciting events planned just for them! These events range anywhere from pumpkin carving for Halloween to live jazz music to swing dance, or even fly-fishing lessons.

Every spring at Montana State University, for example, the entire community comes alive with the International Street Food Bazaar, in which all international students cook and sell ethnic food specialties from their home countries.

 Intensive English Language Institute students from the University of North Texas visit the Fort Worth Stockyards for an “old West” rodeo where they buy ten-gallon hats, spurs and western boots. Other outings include trips to guest ranches where students “saddle up” for short trail rides, eat a typical ranch meal of barbeque and beans and learn western line dancing. During the university’s Spring Celebration of World Cultures, students present an International Performance Festival, a Food Fair, and a display of items from all over the world.

Not to be outdone, at the University of Findlay in Ohio, international students can expect a full program of events and activities during their three-day orientation. Not only are they educated on the “survival skills” and knowledge that will be necessary to succeed at the University, but the orientation also includes many fun activities -basketball, swimming, volleyball, open skate, and a live band for an evening of festivities.

Outdoor field trips for students at the International English Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, include whitewater rafting, Rocky Mountain trout fishing, horseback riding, hayrides, and overnights in rustic log cabins in the mountains. Along with U.S. students, many intensive English students also join CU’s campus-wide hiking, mountain bike riding and camping clubs. Each club sponsors 2-3 activities a month.

Outdoor field trips for students at the International English Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (CU), include whitewater rafting, Rocky Mountain trout fishing, horseback riding, hayrides, and overnights in rustic log cabins in the mountains. Along with U.S. students, many intensive English students also join CU’s campus-wide hiking, mountain bike riding and camping clubs. Each club sponsors 2-3 activities a month.

Skiing and snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains provide a winter adventure for students at Spring International Language Center in Colorado."Since there’s no skiing in Libya, the school ski trip was a first for me," says student Afaf Ramadan. "It takes a lot of endurance to ski downhill," she continues “but when we finish skiing we get to drink hot chocolate.” Each SILC center offers activities that are unique to its location. The University of Arkansas center in Fayetteville sponsors hiking, canoeing and ice skating outings. There are trips to Eureka Springs, a historic Ozark mountain village famous for traditional American arts and crafts and jazz, blues and bluegrass music, and to the Cherokee Indian Heritage Museum.Students interested in history and politics visit the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock.

Each January, students at SILC’s Auraria Higher Education Center campus in Denver crowd into the bleachers to watch cowboys and cattle rustling at the National Western Rodeo and Stock Show.

In December, Bellevue Community College students are guests for an evening cruise on Lake Washington as part of a parade of lighted festival ships. They admire the colorful lights reflecting on the lake, listen to Christmas carolers and visit with Santa Claus. They eat traditional holiday foods such as ginger cookies and drink hot cider. Usually the boat stops along the shore so the students can join neighborhood bonfire parties. This way they join in American Christmas traditions.

No matter where you choose to study in the U.S.A., there will be events and activities planned by your international programs office. Take advantage of these fun, cost effective ways to meet new people, improve your English, and see the “real life” side of the U.S.A. Come to the U.S.A. and experience an unparalleled world of exciting adventures and memories just waiting to be made!

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