Empty campus remains home for students far from family during holidays
By: Shelby Bremer
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: News
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.
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.
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