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The Battalion • Page 3
Bart Mitchell / Thk Battalion
and’atty Jaar, president of the International Student Association, with the
said,ii ; lag of Honduras, her native homeland,
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International cultures
International Week celebrates diversity of A&M students
By Amber Clark
The Battalion
S tudents can step outside of the A&M
microcosm this week to celebrate cul
tures from around the world.
International Week, hosted by the In
ternational Student Association, pro
vides activities that introduce people to
the diverse ethnic groups represented on
campus.
International Week began 16 years ago
when Tina Watkins, International Stu
dent Association adviser, observed a simi
lar program at another university.
Watkins and a group of foreign students
started A&M’s International Day.
Patty Jaar, president of the Interna
tional Student Association, said this week
is dedicated to Watkins, who will retire at
the end of the semester.
Nicaraguan Club Treasurer Karla
Jimenez, a junior chemical engineering
major, said international students often
have to learn about American culture be
fore they can feel comfortable here, and
International Week gives the students an
opportunity to show pride in their native
traditions.
“Our main purpose was to teach in
ternational students about A&M during I
Camp, which is equivalent to Fish Camp,”
Jimenez said. “They come here without
knowing much. If you look up ‘Aggie’ in
the dictionary like I did, you can’t find it.
During International Week, these stu
dents can show what the North American
culture doesn’t always know.”
Today in the MSC, students can visit
cultural displays attended by representa
tives from approximately 30 countries.
The booths have arts and crafts exhibits
and general information on each country.
Jaar said visitors are encouraged to ask
questions to help increase awareness of
the different cultures.
The International Buffet, scheduled for
Wednesday night on the second floor of the
MSC, features traditional cuisine from 30
countries. Jimenez, who is also the assis
tant director of the International Buffet,
said the dinner is the most popular event
of International Week.
The association expects 1,500 guests,
and each visitor can sample 12 dishes.
Jaar said the visitors will be issued tickets
or “passports” to use at each booth.
“That’s how we keep track of how
many samples they’ve had,” Jaar said.
“They get their tickets stamped for every
dish they get. At the end of the night,
they can show their ‘passport’ and say
they ‘ate around the world.’”
Pie de Monte, a musical group traveling
from Venezuela especially for Internation
al Week, will provide entertainment for
the dinner guests.
On Thursday, presidents from each par
ticipating country’s organization will meet
their respective consuls, or foreign repre
sentatives, for lunch. Consuls are individ
uals appointed by foreign countries to pro
tect the interests of citizens who are resid
ing abroad.
“It’s really cool,” Jaar said. “This is the
only real contact the consuls get with the
students from their country.”
Jaar, who is from Honduras, said the
consuls will travel from Houston for the
invitation-only meeting.
The week will conclude with the In
ternational Talent Show and Fashion Pa
rade on Friday night. Participants will
perform traditional folk dances during the
talent show, and the fashion show will fea
ture students in native clothing giving
brief demonstrations of native language.
“The show is really quite a sight,” Jaar
said. “It will give you goosebumps.”
The closing ceremony and awards pre
sentation will immediately follow the tal
ent and fashion shows.
Jimenez said preparations for Interna
tional Week have been hectic, but the or
ganization has received an excellent re
sponse from the community.
“One of the reasons we get a positive re
sponse is because the people can learn a
lot,” Jimenez said.
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Dance team adds flavor to A&M basketball games
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hen she hears the music throbbing and the
crowd cheering. Heather Hugo, a member of
the Texas Aggie Dance Team, said she feels
an adrenaline rush.
“When you run off the floor knowing you’ve had a
great performance, that’s when you realize all of your
hard work has paid off,” Hugo said. “Being on the
(ti team, I get to do what I love best — to dance.”
Since 1990, the dance team has been adding excite
ment to basketball games by performing a funk-style
of dance during halftime and time outs. The team is
performing at 13 A&M men’s and women’s home bas
ketball games this season.
Holly Perry, a senior accounting major and cap
tain of the dance team, said because of little expo
sure in the past, the team does not get the respect it
deserves.
“For all of the work that we do, I don’t think people
realize how much time and effort we put into it,” Per
ry said. “We’re a new organization, so we realize that
we’re struggling to become a tradition at A&M.”
To gain recognition this season, the team has per
formed at more games, and has participated in more
activities on campus, Perry said.
“I’m really excited this year because our name is
getting out so much,” Perry said. “Recognition will
come with time.”
Kim Dwarshus, a junior elementary education ma
jor and social officer of the dance team, said many
people don’t understand the purpose of the team.
“I think a lot of people are sometimes threatened
by us,” Dwarshus said. “They think we’re going to be
cheerleaders and are going to replace the yell leaders.
They totally misunderstand that that’s not what
we’re there for. We’re there to encourage spirit
through dance at basketball games. We don’t want to
be cheerleaders.”
Perry said the dance team’s purpose is merely to be
supportive of the basketball teams.
“I think we add a lot of excitement to the games,”
Perry said. “We’re there to support the team and any
opportunity that we have to dance, we like to take it
to keep the crowd into the game. We add variety be
cause you’re not always doing yells and not always
listening to the band.”
Each spring, between 150 and 200 girls try out for
the team. Perry said. Competitors are taught a dance
routine during a four-day clinic.
After they learn the dance, the girls perform the
routine and 40 girls are chosen for an interview.
Twenty girls are chosen for the team, and three offi
cers of the team are chosen.
Because of the great amount of time it takes to be
on the dance team. Perry said freshmen are not al
lowed to be on the team.
“We’re trying to let people who come in as fresh
men get stabilized,” Perry said. “College is a really
big deal and when you jump into school and dance
• team, which is 10 hours of practice a week, it’s kind of
a struggle. The dance team stresses dancing second to
academics only.”
The members of the dance team are quite busy,
considering they have to practice at least four nights
a week. Hugo said her busy schedule has taught her
how to manage her time
“With eight to 10 hours of practice a week, time
management is a must,” Hugo said. “The dance team
adds structure in your life.”
After all of the hard practicing is over. Perry said
performing at the games is the best reward.
“To me, there’s a real thrill in entertaining people
and it kind of gives me a high to be in front of people,”
Perry said. “I love the dance team with all of my
heart and soul.”
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Spaces are still available for
TAJVIU Spring Semester in
Italy 1996.
Scholarship and Financial Aid
deadlines are nearing.
PLAN NOW!
Come to the Study Abroad Programs Office
today for locations and times of
informational meetings!
Study Abroad Programs
161 Bizzell Hall West
845-0544
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4223 Wellborn Rd.
846-8855
MWF 8:00 - 3:00
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NEW EXPANDED PARKING AREA
The Episcopal Church
invites you to a
Holy Lent
Ash Wednesday Liturgies - March 1
Episcopal Student Center - 6:15 p.m.
902 George Bush Drive
(light supper following service)
St. Thomas Church - 7:00 a.m. - 6:15 p.m.
906 George Bush Drive
St. Francis Church - 12 noon - 7 p.m.
1101 Rock Praire Road
St. Andrew’s Church - 12 noon - 7 p.m.
217 W. 26th Street, Bryan