Dayton University organizes a special day every year for all international students event that is organized by UD International Clubs. This year’s event was conducted in the month of March, 14 from 5:30-8:00 pm at RecPlex. The festival brings together global nations including Italy England, France, Kuwait Spain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Guatemala, Libya, Argentina, China, Malawi, India, Oman, Sigma Iota Rho, and Mexico.
The event venue was partitioned so that on the left wing was Country Tables belonging for the international, upfront was foods, on the right section of the venue was a seating area arrangement and the stage. Different international students sat at their reserved section for international countries and every stated country. A table marked Kuwait, for example, was reserved for Kuwait students that are also my country. Placed on the table were sweets and nice pictures explaining to Kuwaiti students and other international students including American students how each country was required to respond to their respective questions and answers. Alongside the table reserved for Kuwaiti students was a staff charged with writing students name in Arabic. This format was duplicated for all the other tables belonging to other international students. In the section reserved for the Libyan nationals was massive open tent without a table. It was fitted with a buffet consisting of different international food. This enabled every student an opportunity to try and test the different international foods. However, the foods were not free, and students had to pay about 5 dollar to relish the food test. This section of the RecPlex was packed with different students who wanted to have a taste a different foods.
Another segment of this hall contained different international artists and fashion designers stage. The opening ceremony was flagged by the association Indian students. This was followed by American student’s artists performing the Irish Dance Club while listening to the Irish music that they played using Bagpipes instrument. Then Chines dance followed suit with Chines music being played which appeared very traditional as the Chines dancers put on traditional customs clothes. The next presentation that followed the Chines dance was UD Taekwondo by the South Koreans while putting on their white Taekwondo customary clothe. A group of few women later performed an Easter dance when an Easter songs was played. This was a song related to the Egyptian songs that are well-known of this kind of dance. The music played then changed to an Indian music, and the dancers followed suit performing the Indian dance. Following closely were the Chinese woman performers with their Gu Zheng instruments that they wonderfully and excellently played, the music was so soothing that the audience lauded it with claps ululations. Finally on stage were my home country performers Kuwait, opening the stage were the student’s artists presenting the Kuwait cultural wedding process where the bride while sitting in the middle is surrounded by girls and comfortably dressed in traditional cladding and grazed by traditional songs. Nonetheless, currently in my home country Kuwait, the same wedding process is conducted where similar songs are sung for the bride but only the attire changes. On stage after us were student performers from the Republic of Saudi Arabia. They played Saudi songs and danced traditional Saudi dance while wearing the Saudi traditional attire. At last on stage were few Libyan children dancing their Libyan songs. The whole event came to a closure with the performance of the fashion design show. Each country in the event showcased their design using their respective traditional customs wear while holding their national flag.
The event was fascinating as it was climaxed with order and decorum. This was more so evidenced by the massive crowd of international students present at RecPlex with the Americans displaying their command of Intensive English Programs to enable us understand the various deliberations.
