Empty campus remains home for students far from family during holidays

While many members of the DePauw community are looking forward to eating turkey and pumpkin pie with our families this Thanksgiving break, there's a group of people on campus that likely won't be going home - the international students. Unable to visit family during the five-day break, these students must find alternative ways to spend their vacation.The Center for International and Experiential Education typically offers some sort of event or activity for students around this time, including tomorrow night's Thanksgiving-style dinner.

As far as what these students do over the break and where they reside, there are several options. Some students choose to continue living in the residence halls, according to Residence Life Coordinator Vince Greer.

"Our campus actually does not close over Thanksgiving break; we do have some students stay," Greer said. "The only thing we ask is that any student who wants to stay to register with housing, so we know that they wish to stay and have that on file."

Greer also clarified that not all students who stay on campus are international students.

"A larger percentage of students that stay are international, but we also have students that live far away, like students from Alaska and New York City, that have a hard time getting back home for a short period of time," he said.

However, most students do find a way home, Greer said. Less than 200 students, both international and domestic, stay on campus. Loutfi Jirari, associate director of the Center for International and Experiential Education, said that of the international students this year, approximately 40 percent choose to stay on campus and 60 percent chose to travel.

"We sometimes have international exchange students who only stay for one year, so they want to travel and experience the American culture," Jirari said. "I help them with logistics, like looking for cheap hostels or finding a bus or cab."

Those who decide not to explore the country on their own, may opt to go home with a roommate or suitemate.

Jirari said he feels the latter option is best for those international students who truly want to soak up the American lifestyle.

"What I really want to see is more of a connection between domestic and international students," she said. "I think it would be nice if more international students were invited to American students' homes."

Jirari said such an interaction is beneficial for international students and native students as well.

"I really think it's a win-win situation, because international students could appreciate an American holiday, and the domestic students could appreciate their culture and grow closer and maybe one day be invited to the other countries, like China," she said.

One student who invited a foreign friend home is freshman Meredith Adler, who asked fellow freshman Sumeru Chatterjee to spend the holiday with her.

"At the beginning of the year, [Sumeru] and I initially bonded over our love for horseback riding, and we both knew what it's like to be without our horses," Adler, a member of the equestrian club, said. "So I felt his pain and wanted to give him the opportunity to come to my barn and ride."

In the future, Adler said she hopes to have a unique experience of her own.

"It's really cool that he's coming to my hometown because someday I hope to visit Calcutta," she said. "He's already extended the invitation.