International Student Orientation Members Reunite

Courtesy of Adrian Chan

By CARLY CANSECO, ADRIAN CHAN, V MURDAYA, and MEGHAN TATE ZEE

For many international students, the many feelings before coming to Exeter are full of apprehension and excitement. The difficulties of being countries, or even continents, away from your parents, cultural differences, and language barriers are what the International Students Orientation (ISO) hopes to help mitigate. The program allows students from similar experiences to meet, bond, and learn together. More than a month after the orientation program, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) has invited these students to a reunion.

Jennifer Smith, the International Student Advisor and who leads the ISO program, described some of the ISO reunion’s goals. “A reminder that they are never alone and they have a community to support them. I was able to share what we have on deck as an ISA (International Student Alliance) club such as self-care nights, pancakes and yoga study breaks, International Tea in February and more.”

Several leaders also described the importance of the reunion itself. “I think a lot of the time people will make friends at ISO, and you tend to be distanced from them,” Senior and ISO Leader Rina Fujii noted. “Especially if you don’t have any classes or are not in the same dorm. So I think the reunion is always a great way to catch up with people and see how the beginning of their year is going.”

ISO participants arrived at Mayer Auditorium and were welcomed by Instructor in Chinese Ning Zhou, the ISO leaders, and Otto’s Pizza. After snacking and reconnecting with fellow participants and ISO mentors, Smith arrived and played a nostalgic video of all the events this year’s ISO had done, from the Hilltop Fun Center to the final dinner at the beach. 

Upper Miyu Nakamura commented, “Lena created a video that captured all these photos from ISO, and it was very nostalgic and emotional.”

Afterward, ISO participants reflected on their year through a fun activity in which a beach ball covered in icebreaker questions was tossed around. The reunion concluded by celebrating senior and ISO leader Varit Asavathiratham’s 18th birthday. Finally, as people trickled away, ISO participants spent the time before the Marilyn Nelson talk reconnecting and catching up with friends they hadn’t seen since the last day of ISO.

Janibek Subkhanberdin, an upper and ISO leader, encapsulated the feeling of the reunion, saying, “I think there’s the slideshow and the whole reminiscing aspect to it, which helps people stay connected by calling back to some friendships they made during ISO that they maybe forgot about or distanced themselves from over the course of the month and a half since the end of ISO to the reunion.”

Prep Ricardo Osei-Addae reflected on the reunion. “My favorite part of the ISO reunion was being able to sit with my friends who were also international.”

Osei Addae later added, “It was cool that everybody was so super supportive.”

As a leader, Nakamura described the experience. “We got to hear a lot of people’s perspectives on how they’re doing so far and what they’re excited for next week.”

As new international students have gradually become more acclimated to Exeter, there are several ways that they can stay connected with the international community. 

Upper Varit Asavathiratham concluded, “I hope international students will become more involved in the Exeter community by engaging in the many activities and events we plan.  From Night Market to International Tea, I hope international students participate so that they can feel seen and appreciated even when they’re far from home.”