Oktoberfest offers diverse opportunity
OTTUMWA — International students at Indian Hills Community College are sharing their diverse cultures with southeast Iowans by taking part in local festivals in both Centerville and Ottumwa.
IHCC’s International Student Organization invited international students to participate in Ottumwa’s Oktoberfest parade. It also took international students to Centerville last week to take part in that town’s annual Pancake Day parade.
“It’s a really great way to showcase IHCC diversity to the community,” said Ashley Albertson, International Affairs coordinator. Students from over 40 different countries are enrolled at the Ottumwa and Centerville campuses.
The International Affairs department at Indian Hills holds a variety of events throughout the year to make the Ottumwa community aware of other cultures, Albertson said.
From 35 international students four short years ago, the international student community has risen to 190 students this fall. “It’s because of Freddy Miranda,” Albertson said. Albertson credits the tenacity of the former director of international affairs with the rise in recruitment. Miranda was killed in a car accident earlier this year while recruiting students in his native Honduras.
Albertson gathered a group of international students yesterday to discuss the Oktoberfest parade slated for 10 a.m. Saturday.
Dakota Bridge of Brisbane, Australia wasn’t able to appear in the Pancake Day parade in Centerville last week, and he may not make the Oktoberfest parade either. “If I can get there,” he will, he said. The freshman is on the IHCC soccer team, and his schedule doesn’t allow a lot of social time.
“I got recruited through the soccer program, NSR Australia,” said the IHCC freshman. NSR is an organization that places students from Australia and New Zealand in U.S. colleges.
Bridge doesn’t have to join an international organization to find other non-Americans on campus. Only three of nearly 50 teammates are American, Bridge said. “Everyone’s new to the surroundings,” he said.
Sawin Jayasekera is one of six students from Sri Lanka on campus. The sophomore has participated in many of the international students’ events. “It’s like a new experience because you get to learn about their cultures. I feel closer to the rest of the world.”
Ali Almadani is studying computer engineering at IHCC and plans to transfer to a four-year college to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and possibly a Master’s as well. Syrian by birth, Almadani has lived in Doha, Qatar for several years.
“People here are super nice,” Almadani said of the locals. “That wouldn’t happen at home.” The smalltown affability was the first thing he noticed in the U.S., Almadani said. “It’s like a big family.”
Almadani joins international student events to learn about other cultures. He learns about American culture from being in this country, but he learns about other countries from the other foreign students, he said. Almadani said it’s nice to be around other foreign students because “they understand how I feel.” He also hopes to educate Americans about the world. “A lot of them know … a little bit,” he said, but he feels the need to explain where Qatar is located. Albertson is organizing as large a group of internationals as she can for the Oktoberfest parade. They’ll bring their flags, their cultures and their desire to enlighten and be enlightened.
Reporter Winona Whitaker can be contacted at wwhitaker@ottumwacourier.com and followed on Twitter @courierwinona.
Caption: Sawin Jayasekera of Asian International School was placed at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa Iowa by Scholarships for USA Pvt Ltd in fall ‘15 to pursue an Associate degree in engineering. With its amazingly affordable cost and excellent education Indian Hills is fast becoming popular for students seeking affordable quality education in US.