International Cafe heightens global understanding at Mason

International Cafe started with International Week and now occurs monthly (photo by Vince Gomez).

The Office of International Program and Services welcomes all students to sample the many cultures represented on the Mason campus through their monthly International Café. 

The event’s mission is to make students comfortable with Mason’s diversity through international snacks and drinks, along with booths showcasing different countries and their cultures.

The International Café initially started as a once a year event during Mason’s International Week, but it has since expanded to become a monthly event. Dario Romero, a programming assistant at the Office of International Programs and Services, commented that the event keeps growing and that “the response has been great.”

The event tries to be as inclusive as possible and it does this by highlighting numerous countries at each event. This month’s roster included Argentina, China, Ecuador, Iran, Ireland, France and Ghana. Students could play African Stones at one table, answer Chinese trivia at the next and drink Irish tea at another. The countries on display this month were selected by student volunteers who picked countries based on interest and personal connections.

New to this cafe month, thestate of Delaware was highlighted alongside the foreign countries. Its main purpose was to highlight a nearby state with diverse counties so that the U.S. can also be represented.

While it would seem as if students would be reluctant to try foreign snacks, this is not the case at this event. Saurabh Kharkar, a programming assistant at the Office of International Programs and Services, has said that “students are not afraid to try new food, they actually get excited about the diversity at Mason.” From French crêpes to El Salvadorian apple nectar, there were many new and exciting foods to try.

Students could find numerous organizations and study abroad options on display. Romero emphasized that, “having all these countries present makes students interested international programs and study abroad.” A ripple effect occurs as students become interested in study abroad, or they may even decide to get involved with the many events Mason offers for international programming.

The International Cafe is held every month in the Patriot’s Lounge located in SUB I. Students interested in the next International Café can visit the Office of International Program and Services to find out how they can get involved with the next event.