International Education Week (IEW), November 13-17, 2023, is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education aims to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
IEW Goals at Wesleyan:
- Increase awareness of and promote global learning opportunities within and outside of Wesleyan
- Preserve and celebrate our interconnected cultural and linguistic heritages and shared environment
- Foster togetherness via intercultural dialogue
- Encourage interdisciplinary discourse about global pressures that threaten our shared heritage, including English dominance, forced migration, and climate change
Schedule of Events
- Thursday, November 9
Heroic Stories about My Dead Mother
4:30pm | (webinar) https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/99779751869Writer Etgar Keret speaks about his attempt to come up with the stories that capture his late mother. His mom was like Maria in West Side Story and she is also like Thanos from the Avengers. In his very Keret way he ends up with a series of very short stories, snapshots that are mostly a few paragraphs long, that give glimpses of her heroic life from childhood at the Warsaw Ghetto to raising a Sabra family in Israel. Etgar Keret will read a story in his own voice and share his thoughts about the current situation in Israel.
- Friday, November 10
Teach in Asia: A Panel Discussion with Wesleyan Alumni
7pm-8pm | (virtual) https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/94399069041?pwd=d25KdkFwZGxJRzBuYW84S1JmY2NFZz09
Interested in teaching in Asia—the intercultural adventure of a lifetime? There are many great programs and opportunities in countries throughout the continent! Join this one-hour Teach in Asia virtual session on Friday, November 10th from 7-8pm EST to hear about the experiences and insights of Wesleyan alumni who have taught in Bangladesh, Laos, Japan, and South Korea through fellowships and programs like Fulbright, Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program, and English Program in Korea (EPIK). There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
Sponsored by the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) as part of Wesleyan's 2023 International Education Week (IEW)
- Monday, November 13
A DailyChatter Talk: Global Journalism in the 21st Century
11:00am - 12:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StA journalist from Daily Chatter, an independent global news organization, will give a talk about practices of global journalism and the pursuit of fair and transparent journalism.
American Sign Language Game Night
7:00pm - 9:00pm | Fisk 209, 262 High StGame night for anyone on campus that wants to practice their ASL in a fun environment!
- Tuesday, November 14
Global South Asian Studies Open House
Learn about the new Global South Asian Studies Major and Minor, meet some of the GSAS faculty and enjoy food from Udupi Indian restaurant.
12:00am-1:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StWatson Fellow Report from the Field: Livia Cox '22 "Pain, Policy, and the Person
4:30pm - 6:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StThis event will introduce the Watson Fellowship to interested students. We will also have a guest speaker, Livia Cox '22, who will be reporting on her recent world travels as a Watson Fellow. Livia is intrigued by the social, cultural, and political valences of pain and our responses to it. At Wes, her studies in neuroscience and public health (as a neuroscience and SiSP major), her work as an EMT on a local ambulance service, her experience co-founding and running a harm reduction non-profit in Middletown, exposed her to the many ways that healthcare systems fail to serve the most vulnerable and disenfranchised members of our society leaving their pain untreated or mismanaged. As a Watson Fellow, Livia visited and worked in specialized pain clinics, low-resource birthing centers, drug consumption rooms, Buddhist monasteries and traditional and indigenous medicine settings to elucidate the ways and circumstances in which pain is managed, fought, accepted – and even surrendered to or celebrated. Livia currently resides in New Haven, Connecticut, where she is pursuing her master’s of public health at Yale University.Bastel Event
5:30pm - 6:30pm | Fisk 403, 262 High StThe German Studies department will host an event to foster creativity and art on campus. Together we will basteln (collage or craft) together and chat over german conversation. Apfel Kuchen and german cookies will be home backed and served at the event. Come by for some creativity, sweet treats and some chatter - we'd be more than happy to see you!
Spanish Poetry Jam
6:00pm - 7:00pm | Downey HouseShare your own texts and enjoy reciting well known poems.
2023 International Talent Show7:00pm - 9:00pm | Daniels Family Common (Usdan 3rd floor)
Wesleyan’s second annual International Talent Show offers an exciting opportunity for members of the University’s international student community to share their culture and heritage with friends! All kinds of performances are welcome, and we are happy to supply you with necessary tech: projectors, microphones, speakers, etc. Just let us know by sending an email to oisa@wesleyan.edu!
A few things to note:
- The International Talent Show is NOT a competition but a celebration.
- You can perform individually or in a group.
- Organized by international students for international students (including immigrants), and all members of the campus community are welcome to attend.
Sponsored by the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA), the Dance Department, and the Global South Asian Studies Department as part of Wesleyan's 2023 International Education Week (IEW)
Marta Rodríguez Film Series
7:00pm - 9:00pm | Fisk 209, 262 High StIn order to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Marta Rodriguez's birth, a short film series featuring some of her most iconic works is planned, along with a retrospective of her oeuvre. This event takes advantage of the platform provided by the International Education Week, as Rodriguez's body of work incorporates interdisciplinary elements from anthropology, sociology, cinema, and Latin American studies. Her documentary methodology revolves around "participant observation," which is an integral part of both her documentary production and theoretical contributions. - Wednesday, November 15
The Global Grassroots: A Conversation with Tamar Hayrikyan
12:00pm - 1:00pm | Allbritton 314Reflections on community-driven social justice from Mexico, Armenia, and the United States. Trans-national coalition building: your role in fostering resilience and global solidarity.
Chinese Calligraphy Workshop
4:30pm - 5:30pm | Fisk 302, 262 High StThis event will provide participants with a brief understanding of the art of Chinese calligraphy through calligraphy practice.
Greek Film Night
5:00pm - 7:00pm | Fisk 209, 262 High StAs part of our unit on the Mediterranean Diet, Wesleyan’s Modern Greek class will host a screening of A Touch of Spice (2003; Greek with English subtitles). The film follows the journey of a young Greek boy “growing up in Istanbul, whose grandfather, a culinary philosopher and mentor, teaches him that both food and life require a little salt to give them flavor.
International Carnival night
5:00pm - 7:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StJoin the FLTAs and FCGS staff for some fun international games, test your fine motor skills, strategy and language skills while enjoying snacks from all over the world!
Italian Board Game Night
6:30pm - 8:30pm | Romance Languages Lounge, 300 High StBoard games in Italian
- Thursday, November 16
Wes of the World: Study Abroad Info Session and Q+A
12:00pm - 1:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StInformational presentation - short slideshow giving an account of our mission at the Study Abroad Office, the international opportunities that await students, and a general overview of the application process - Short Q+A - this will be an opportunity for students to ask a study abroad ambassador and the presenter questions specific to their experience while abroad in an informal setting
Rolling with the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)
12:30pm - 2:00pm | South College B2/B3A buffet-like DIY summer roll station with cooked ingredients that participants can pick from to make and roll their own summer rolls!
Student Leadership Social with OISA
5:30pm - 7:00pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StAre you interested in developing your leadership skills and positively impacting your peers during your time at Wesleyan? The Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) offers many great programs that are led by students and provide opportunities for leadership skill development!
Learn about leadership opportunities with International Student Orientation (ISO), International Buddy Program (IBP), International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), Wesleyan International Speakers Program (WISP), and Wesleyan Africans Thriving Together (WATT) by speaking with past and current participants.
Sign up here for this International Education Week (IEW) event by Wednesday, November 15th at 5pm. All members of the Wesleyan community are welcome at this event. Free pizza and beverages for all attendees while refreshment lasts!
Sponsored by the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) as part of Wesleyan's 2023 International Education Week (IEW)
"Welcome to the New World": Naji tells his story
6:00pm - 8:00pm | Education Studies Building, 164 Mt Vernon StNaji Aldabaan, a Syrian Refugee and a member of the family featured in "Welcome to the New World" will come and talk about his experience as a refugee and what happened after the book. This book has been read by students in Prof. Hepford's TESOL classes.
Afropop Worldwide
6:00pm - 7:30pm | Ring Family TheaterA Conversation with Banning Eyre: Afropop Worldwide, Culture and Politics Across the African Diaspora. Banning Eyre ’79 is the senior editor and producer at Peabody Award-winning public radio series Afropop Worldwide & Planet Afropop.
Marta Rodríguez Film Series
7:00pm - 9:00pm | Fisk 209, 262 High StIn order to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Marta Rodriguez's birth, a short film series featuring some of her most iconic works is planned, along with a retrospective of her oeuvre. This event takes advantage of the platform provided by the International Education Week, as Rodriguez's body of work incorporates interdisciplinary elements from anthropology, sociology, cinema, and Latin American studies. Her documentary methodology revolves around "participant observation," which is an integral part of both her documentary production and theoretical contributions. - Friday, November 17
Vietnamese Dance Workshop
4:30pm - 6:00pm | Fayerweather 108🌟 Experience Vietnamese Dance Magic! 🌟 Dive into the heart of Vietnamese culture with our lively workshop! 🎶 🎵 Feel the Tradition, Dance to the Beat! 🎵 Let Vietnamese students guide you through an easy, energetic choreography blending traditional dance with catchy folk-pop tunes. Discover not just dance steps, but the rich cultural stories behind each move! 💃🕺 🌍 All Levels, All Smiles! 🌍 No experience needed—just enthusiasm! Join us for a fun-filled, enlightening session. Embrace the joy of dance, the thrill of learning, and the beauty of Vietnamese heritage. See you there! ✨👯♂️
Come and See the Greatest Love of All
5:30pm - 6:30pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StCome and hear an African girl's journey as helped by the greatest love of all.
Soirée Jeux de Société (French-language event)
7:00pm - 8:30pm | Fisk 201, 262 High StFrench immersion game night! FLTAs, Professor Pshevorska, and Maison Francophone representatives each lead different games. Attendees are free to cycle between them.