Prem Kailat said he shook with fear when he came to the U for the first time.
The graduate student from India, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, said he faced an endless number of problems and possibilities as a new international student.
Kailat found refuge in the U International Center, which helped him make friends and adjust to the U. Thanks to the International Café, Kailat can hang out with his new friends on campus.
“Once classes start, we got caught up with the assignments, projects…and missed out on all the friends we ever made,” Kailat said. “(The) International Café is one place where we can catch up on a lot of happenings in (our) friends’ lives.”
The International Center and its student council opened the International Café program this semester as a way to meet with other international students and share experiences. Students of all cultural backgrounds meet every Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Union student lounge.
“(In) my dealings with international students, they tend to migrate with other students from their own country,” said Cameron Janke, ambassador for the International Center and a senior in accounting. “The International Café helps the students become familiar with other students from other countries and helps them break out of the ordinary.”
Anjali Hammond, assistant director of the International Center, said about 30 to 40 students go to the cafe every week. Hammond said the students discuss plans and events for the weekend in different languages and sometimes watch television in the lounge on more than 100 international channels.
“The idea came from the international student council board members who decided they wanted to have a consistent place to go to each week,” Hammond said. “Many different people attend the café.”
Hammond said American student ambassadors from the center attend the weekly social session and talk with international students.
Cherie Kunkel, a graduate student in mechanical engineering who was born and raised in Arizona, attends the café even though she’s not from another country. She said she enjoys learning about people from all over the world.
“It’s always amazing to learn that despite cultural differences, I have a lot in common with international students,” Kunkel said.
The David Eccles School of Business and Chartwells help sponsor the café with money for food.
“I hope they continue the cafe for years to come,” Kunkel said.
John StaffordGloria Osaba, from Nigeria, Natalya Pyagay, from Uzbekistan, and Matthias Gorges, from Germany, talk at the International Caf. The International Caf takes place on Fridays and give international students a chance e to share their experiences.