International Week at MCC
Ryan McCullough
For two days only, MCC students got to traverse the world while staying in the familiar courtyard of the Kirk Center.On Nov. 16-17, The Global Bazaar, sponsored in part by the International Students Association, filled the courtyard with the smells of Asia and the sounds of America, provided by MCC locals, Boys and Frogs. AA Wholesome Bakery, an Asian bakery, set up shop for the bazaar. Samantha Leitner stepped out of her comfort zone to try some of the pastries, like a small bun filled with a green tea jelly and a roll stuffed with a coconut butter cream.
“I love trying new things. It’s better than the prices they have in there (the Kirk Center),” Leitner said.
Not too far from the bakery, a booth was selling traditional Japanese cuisine. Patrons could buy bento boxes (a Japanese boxed lunch) and Japanese pancakes filled with a sweet bean paste, among other things. Ann Gieske was drawn to the smells of the booth and bought a bento box.
“I don’t really know what’s in it. I just like Japanese food,” Gieske said.
Students that attended recent study abroad programs were at the bazaar to answer any questions about their experiences.
Chelsi Rohloff and Alyssa Boid recently traveled to Ireland for four weeks. Rohloff and Boid took classes in Irish storytelling and the history of religion. Periodically, a guest speaker would come to their class to relate a traditional Irish story or myth. Though, they had trouble recollecting the stories told to them.
“These people would just sit and go. It’s like they’re telling you a book,” Rohloff said.
Brandon Heard and Rachael Bowen had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with the study abroad program. Surprisingly, only one person on the trip spoke Spanish fluently. This turned out to not be a problem because so many Costa Ricans they interacted with knew English.
“I took Spanish in high school and when you’re in that environment, it brings it back to you,” Bowen said.
Both Heard and Bowen said one of their favorite experiences was the zip-line they got to ride on. The longest was a mile long.
“You have the canopy, which is about 150 feet up and you’re 100 feet above that,” Heard said about the zip-line.
Grounds for Thought served up international coffee and hot chocolate for the bazaar. The coffee beans that make up the Grounds for Thought house blend come from Ethiopia all the way to Guatemala. This international coffee blend can be purchased everyday in the library café.
