Jessica Bendzick/ Winonan
Approximately 300 international students from 47 different countries are currently attending Winona State University, director of international services Kemale Pinar said.
International Education Week is Nov. 17-21 and there will be events and activities for students, faculty and the public to partake in to recognize international education each day of the week.
Pinar said the purpose of International Education Week is twofold: to expose students to various cultures and to highlight international students.
Pinar said International Education Week is important because everyone should be informed about places beyond their own backyards. International students are resources on campus for this information.
“Americans need to be prepared for a global environment and should be exposed to more international events and activities,” Pinar said.
Sakib Ahmad, a sophomore cell and molecular biology major, is co-president of the international club. He came to Winona from Bangladesh and plans to attend Winona State for four years.
“Most of the international students are kind of shy because we have never faced anything like this before,” he said.
He said Bangladesh does not celebrate the same holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, so by participating in American holidays, he said he develops more knowledge about the United States and its native people.
“We are living here for four years, so if we don’t know anything about this country that’s not a good thing,” Ahmad said.
He said he enjoys traveling and has been to other areas in the United States, so the transition to America as a freshman last year was not so bad for him.
“English is not our second language back home, but during our childhood, we learn it. So the transition to come here and study in English wasn’t that bad,” Ahmad said. “People from the Midwest are really welcoming and nice.”
The week kicked off with a poster signing on Monday in the Student Activity Center in Kryzsko Commons, when students and faculty were encouraged to sign the poster and explain what international education meant to them, Pinar said.
“The idea of the poster signing is to bring different people together and have a poster where they can share their ideas,” Pinar said.
On Monday and Tuesday, there was a Village Fair Trade Sale in Kryzsko Commons, where various international vendors sold handmade crafts, such as baskets, bags and hats.
“This is a wonderful way of finding out about different countries,” Pinar said. “But it also supports little businesses and people in countries who need it the most.”
International Learning Day, this Thursday, is the biggest day of the week, Pinar said. From 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., there will be a country fair and language village in the Science Laboratory Center.
The event will include games from different countries and international entertainment, such as singing and dancing. Students, faculty and the Winona community will be able to walk around and meet different international students and learn about various countries.
Throughout the week, students are encouraged to wear something representative of another country, Pinar said.
