Far, far away at Marymount’s International Club

By: Betsy Lizotte Photos: Betsy Lizotte

Does your mouth water at the thought of flaky, sweet, Baklava or juicy Peruvian chicken? Do you miss the sights, sounds and tastes of your home? If so, the International Club may be for you.

Baklava

The International Club (IC) held its first coffee hour on Friday, Sept.1, 2017 in the Lodge on Marymount’s main campus. Students from over 20 countries, including far-off places like Ghana, Kosovo, and Pakistan and lands closer to home, like Massachusetts, created a lively gathering. Students at the coffee hour sampled twelve different international foods, listened to international student artists play music, and celebrated Eid-al-Adha, a Muslim holiday marked by feasting and family get-togethers. The International Club holds these coffee hours every Friday from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

“You’ve got to try this,” said the International Club President, Hussah Almalik. She pointed to kanafeh, a baked cheese and Phyllo pastry soaked in sweet syrup. Almalik, a Marymount senior, is currently completing her internship teaching children how to read and write at the SpiderSmart Learning Center.

Almalik believes that every student should join a club.

“Try to get involved with any club because it helps you come out of your bubble and out of your comfort zone,” she urged.

She thinks that it is especially important for international students to join a club.

“If you’re an international student and you feel like you don’t belong anywhere, it’s okay to come here because you’ll find a sense of home here,” Almalik said. “It really is a nice way to socialize and just meet as many cultures that you can meet.”

Plator Gashi entertained fellow students by playing songs from Kosovo on his guitar. The first song he played is a love song from Albania.

Plator Gashi
playing the guitar

“It’s about a girl, but it’s really nice, one of my favorites,” Gashi said. “It’s about a girl who has a red hat.”

Gashi, who has played guitar for eight years after teaching himself to play, enjoys attending International Club coffees.

“It’s really amazing for a school to have so many students from around the world. I enjoy speaking to people from different countries, to have this amazing food and to celebrate Eid, which is a Muslim celebration,” Gashi said. “As a student from Kosovo, it’s really nice to share different ideas, thoughts and music as well with people from all around.”

According to Aline Orfali, Marymount’s Director of International Student Services, any Marymount student can be a member of the International Club or use the International Student Services lounge. The lounge is located on the first floor of Gerard Hall.