OMA Hosts Family Weekend Trip to Boston for Exeter’s International Students

By ERIN HAN, KAROLINA KOZAK, ALLEGRA LAI, CHLOÉ LIND, and ALEX LIM

Family Weekend is often a blast for many, with joyful reunions with parents and much-anticipated trips to Target or for some non-dining-hall food. Likewise, for those whose families could not make it to Exeter this time, especially international students, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) sponsored a field trip for them to Boston. This way, nobody missed out on the fun. 

International Student Coordinator Jennifer Smith played an integral role in the organization of the outing. Not only did she spread the word about the event, she also devised a system to document interest in the trip, which international students’ parents weren’t attending Family Weekend, and who was struggling to find travel accommodations for the upcoming Fall break. “There were so many great cafes, coffee shops, and street performers,” Smith said. 

For those who wanted to share a meal with their international counterparts, Smith and the other chaperones recounted, “We treated students who wanted to join us to lunch— we had quite a few takers— at the Cheesecake Factory.”

The annual outing offers some respite to international students that are missing family and cultural traditions. “It is so hard for international families to get to the U.S. for a long weekend. Often, students will seek out food that they have been craving from home, as the city offers many authentic cuisines,” said Smith. 

Despite the administration’s efforts, the Academy is often not able to fill the void that international students tend to feel when they are so far from home. “It’s hard to see other students around campus with their families, attending classes, or going home,” said Smith. “Also, midterms have happened, students feel the crunch of schoolwork, and while we are halfway through, there’s also this sentiment that ‘we are only halfway through.’ The newness of Exeter is wearing off, they are missing home, and there is still a month until the break.” The Boston trip alleviates some of the stress created by midterm assessments and their families not being able to attend Family Weekend for international students.

“A small gesture can have a large effect on someone who might be feeling sad, and it’s a great reminder to know that the international student community is here and cares about them—no one is ever alone!” said Smith.

According to the co-heads of the International Student Alliance, they were not heavily involved in the logistical planning for their trip, but instead their focus was more on providing support to their peers who may be experiencing an amplified away-from-home feeling. 

“We plan on giving them care packages in their lockers. This year I think it’s going to be fluffy socks because it’s supposed to get cold soon,” upper Janibek Subkhanberdin noted. 

“This is because we really want to make sure that the international students especially feel like they’re supported,” explained senior Miyu Nakamura. “We wanted to make sure to provide something that would be useful and comforting. Just make sure that international students know that they’re being loved, and supported by their other peers. We want them to know that we understand their situation, and that if they have any issues that arise, they can always come to us.” 

Many of the coheads also remarked on the impact the trip had among the international student community. “I look forward to the trip helping students create memories with each other,” said senior Ava Helbig prior to the trip.

“This trip is where people really strengthen their friend groups,” Subkhanberdin added. “By eating lunch and exploring Boston together, the students’ friendships really get solidified.”

“I think it’s important for international students to feel like they can have a little bit of fun,” said Nakamura. “Since they can treat themselves together, it’s just a great way to bond with peers.”

For many students, the Boston trip served as a well-deserved break from the frenzy of life on campus. “I decided to go on the OMA Boston trip because I felt like it would be a great way to take a quick break from the Exeter life,” said Nakamura. “My parents also didn’t come to [Family] Weekend so I thought I would treat myself for working hard at school, but I also wanted to spend quality time with my friends and explore the city!”

Upper Ayana Okuneye echoed, “I wanted to take advantage of the long weekend and do something fun with friends. Since the school was providing transportation, I thought going to Boston would be a great way to do that.”

The coordinators of the trip intentionally kept from setting a rigid agenda, letting Exonains explore the city for themselves. “There weren’t really any structured activities on the Boston trip that we planned for,” said Subkhanberdin. “It’s more so just about letting people go out and have fun, and taking them out to lunch in structured groups they want to.”

Students’ reflections on the trip were overwhelmingly positive and they appreciated this freedom, which allowed for their experiences to range from visits to stores at the heart of the city to exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts.

“It was amazing! My friends and I had a lot of fun, and we had time to do and see a lot of things,” shared Okuneye. “All the art in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts was stunning; The Boston Public Library and Boston Common park were really pretty to walk around; and I got a cute pair of earrings from Faneuil Hall Marketplace. And the fact that we didn’t have to worry about catching a train to and from Exeter was very convenient.”

Upper Gogo Nair added, “I really enjoyed it. I really appreciated how they kind of let us go anywhere and that we didn’t have to worry about transportation, which was really nice.” She then highlighted, “I feel like a staple for any Exeter student that goes to Boston is to always hit new Newbury Street. Everything’s really convenient there. If you need to shop, you can shop, they have a new photo booth which is really fun, and all of my friends really love to go there.”

Nakamura recalled, “I enjoyed going to stores and buying some stuff but Olivia Pierre and I went to the Boston Public Library to lock in for a bit. So I enjoyed the good balance of like, you know, studying hard and playing hard. I think time-wise, it was efficient but I wish I had more time because I feel like time passed by so fast.” She then picked out a favorite moment: “My top highlight is probably bumping into my ninth-grade junior boarding roommate in a store and just catching each other up with our lives.”

For many students, while nothing can truly replace the chance to reunite with family, the trip provided a valuable opportunity to take a break, have fun, and spend time with their special people on campus. “This definitely made up for my parents not being here for Parents Weekend because I had a lot of fun with people who I care about. Although I do miss my parents a lot, I feel like because I was able to treat myself it made up for it,” reflected Nakamura.

Okuneye added, “Of course nothing can fully be substituted for the opportunity to see my parents; but with this trip I was still able to have a great family weekend.”

Whether it is considered a fun break post-midterms or a bittersweet day out for Exonians, the OMA Boston trip over family weekend is always memorable and treasured to students who may be looking to get off campus for a day. Particularly for international students, this laid-back trip alleviates some of the homesickness and provides the support they seek at Exeter.