Last Saturday, April 13th, in the Sadove Student Center, international students proudly represented eight countries — Yemen, Greece, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Bhutan, Jamaica, and Italy — at the International Fair Day. Each country had its own table offering cultural activities, such as traditional food, songs, and games. Hamilton students engaged with over seven languages and learned compelling facts about each country; they were also able to hone their overall knowledge about other countries and communities.
The Spectator
spoke to some of the international student participants who led International Fair Day — here’s what they had to say about their experiences:
Student: Alina van den Berg ’21
Why did you choose to represent your country at the International Fair Day?
Van den Berg:
There isn’t a lot of Brazilian representation here in the US, in media or otherwise, so I wanted to be able to share a little about Brazil. Making traditional dishes was a perfect way to do that, since food is such a central aspect of Brazilian culture.
What activities or food were available at your table?
Van den Berg:
We had brigadeiro (a chocolate and condensed milk dessert), pão de queijo (a traditional cheese bread roll) and passion fruit mousse.
What cultural aspects do you most want students to understand about your country?
Van den Berg:
Brazilian culture is very warm, social, and welcoming — no matter who you are or where you come from.
How was your experience at the International Fair Day?
Van den Berg:
It was fun! It was interesting seeing people try out the different dishes at our table, and I got to try things from countries I probably would never have gotten the chance to otherwise.
Student: Jacob Losardo
’
22
Why did you choose to represent your country at the International Fair Day?
Losardo:
I participated to bolster some interest in Italy and the Italian club here at Hamilton. It was a great opportunity to share some of the culture I grew up in with others.
What activities or food were available at your table?
Losardo:
We had cannolis and sfogliatelle (lobster tails, pastries) to eat, and we had two games. One was to try and guess the real pronunciation of commonly mispronounced Italian words in America. The other game was to pick the correct food/drink from a set mixed with American interpretations with the same name (examples were panini, pizza ai peperoni, and macchiato).
How was your experience at the International Fair Day?
Losardo:
Our experience was very good. We were lucky enough to have some members of the Italian club show up to help man the table, which was good because there was a bigger turnout at the fair than I expected. Overall, people seemed to be interested and enjoying themselves as they learned about the different countries represented at the fair.
Student: Christina Plakas
’
19
What activities or food were available at your table?
Plakas:
My friend Taylor Kim and I baked galaktoboureko (a Greek custard) and bought Spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pie) and cherry juice. We also asked students to share anything they knew about Greece in exchange for a Greek chocolate bar; it was a lot of fun to see students share their knowledge about Greece with us.
How was your experience at International Fair Day?
Plakas:
I really enjoyed sharing my Greek culture with students and staff; we played a traditional Greek Easter game where you crack red eggs, and everyone was having a lot of fun learning about Greece’s customs. I also offered to translate students’ names into Greek and write it for them on a “My name is…” tag; everyone was really excited about that, which made me really happy. I felt that I was able to get to meet a lot of new people and form a connection with them about Greece.
What’s one interesting fact about your country?
Plakas:
The Greek island of Ikaria where my family is from is known as the island where people forget to die because so many people live to old age even past 100.
Student: Dianne-Lee Ferguston
’
22
Why did you choose to represent your country at the International Fair Day?
Ferguston:
I think I am one of two or three Jamaicans on campus, and I was really feeling homesick, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to reconnect to my culture by sharing it with other people.
What activities or food were available at your table?
Ferguston:
I made two traditional food items: the gizzada, which is a type of coconut tart, as well as sorrel, which is a traditional Christmas drink made with the flowers of a plant in the hibiscus family. It’s very fragrant and spiced with ginger.
What cultural aspects do you most want students to understand about your country?
Ferguston:
Our culture is shaped by the diversity of our historical heritage. Our food and other traditions have been shaped by the many people who came there, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. It is a true melting pot of influences, which is why our motto is “Out of many, One People.” Also, an interesting fact is that a Jamaican invented Hip Hop. We also have the best coffee in the world, hands down.
How was your experience at the International Fair Day?
Ferguston:
I had a blast sharing my culture with Hamilton. Everyone really enjoyed the food, which made me feel like I did my country justice. I also learned so much from the other countries present, and it was great getting to know other international students.
