College's Fifth Annual International Week Begins April 18

By Nichole Shanefelter College Information & Community Relations Intern

The Fifth Annual International Week, a celebration of cultures from around the world, will be held April 18-24 at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

The highlight of the week's festivities sponsored by the International Programs Office at Penn College will be an International Bazaar on April 21, with presentations, demonstrations and exhibits representing more than 20 countries, as well as cuisine from 10 others.

"International Week and the International Bazaar are valuable because they offer students, the community, and Penn College staff and faculty a chance to experience other cultures through displays, food, presentations, music and dancing," said Anita E. Casper, international programs specialist and coordinator of this year's event. "The smells and sounds will help create a 'sense' of being in another culture. The aim is to get people interested in knowing more about countries and cultures and to gain an appreciation of what other cultures offer in terms of food, history, art and perspectives."

Other activities throughout the week include movies, Japanese anime videos, a storytelling session for youngsters, library exhibits, a "Global Trivia" game, photo displays and an opportunity to sample food and beverages from different countries. The International Bazaar will include a demonstration of Japanese origami, crafts and games, a presentation on "Wonderful St. Petersburg, Russia," and a fashion show. The Wildcat Dance Team will demonstrate swing and Latin dance, and native Koreans will perform traditional dances from their country. An interactive drum circle will be offered with Middle Eastern (Medieval Ghwazee) dance, as well as Caribbean dancing and singing. Those activities will be held at the Bush Campus Center from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Exhibits and cuisine at the bazaar will represent Africa, the Caribbean, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, a world-renowned karate champion, will give a martial-arts seminar in the evening at the Fitness Center, and he will be part of a demonstration on jujitsu and kickboxing.

An international photo collection and contest "Where in the World Is This?" will be displayed in the Campus Center, and a prize will be awarded among those correctly guessing all of the locations depicted. Contestants also may test their international IQ and win prizes in a "Global Trivia" quiz that will be presented online daily from April 19-23.

Le Jeune Chef, Penn College's fine-dining restaurant, will offer an all-inclusive international lunch April 22 for $8.50 and will feature international items on its menus April 19-20. Reservations are accepted at (570) 327-4776.

The final event of the week will be the International Soccer Team competing in the International Friendship Soccer Tournament at the West Branch Soccer Complex in Lock Haven, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 24.

Darya A. Rotblat, a residence life coordinator at the College who also worked on International Week this year, emphasized the importance of cultural experiences in education.

"Programs focusing on international and diversity issues are essential to our campus community and to the Greater Williamsport area," she said. "Many students have never traveled beyond the United States, and it is our duty as an institution to provide opportunities to either travel abroad or to learn about other cultures through programs such as International Week. I was not able to travel abroad at my college due to schedule conflicts, and I regret that today. I believe that, if students have the opportunity to study abroad, they should jump at it. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

For more information about International Week at Penn College, call (570) 326-3761, ext. 5257; send e-mail or visit on the Web.