International Day at LiU

Spring is here again and with it comes iDay – the International Day festival organized by the International Students Association at Linköping University. Exchange students and master’s students gathered in Colosseum, Campus Valla to showcase their countries, with cultural displays and food offerings.

The colourful event is a cherished opportunity for our international students to share a piece of home not only with their fellow international students but also with Swedish students and staff. New for this year was a wall where you could write a short greeting in your own language and other outside associations who had expressed an interest in attending were present.

The students at the Indonesian table were delighted to be a part of iDay. Their excitement had reached all the way to the Indonesian embassy where they viewed the event with interest.

The students had prepared the very special Indonesian dish of Tumpeng – a dish typically served at celebrations such as birthdays or a new baby. Ferdinand, one of the students, explained:

“This dish is very special. The rice in the middle is pyramid shaped and the most special person at the party gets to cut the top off it. The great thing about the dish is that the rice is the only constant; the food around it can be anything you choose, so it suits both rich and poor. “

“We are really enjoying iDay", his fellow countryman Aji filled in. "We get the opportunity to learn about other cultures and their food. And we have given everything we can to make our table special.”

At the Taiwanese table there was a constant hustle and bustle around the delicious teas and food but the biggest attraction was the chance to have your name written out in beautiful Mandarin calligraphy.

The 20-odd strong team had spent more than two weeks preparing their exhibition and dance performance. The performance was greeted with cheers and whistles and drew an excited crowd.

“This is a great time to show our country to everyone at Linköping University”, said Yu-ching Hsiao.

Helena Iacobaeus from the International Office was also attending the event, dressed in a Viking dress and representing Swedish cuisine with nettle soup. She values the event highly.

“iDay is always something to look forward to. There is an exciting mix of cultures and always seems to bring a joyful atmosphere to campus”, she said as she sipped Taiwanese winter melon tea.

The International Students Association, ISA, work hard to make this event happen every year. The arrangements start as early as the beginning of autumn the year before to ensure all practical details are ready in time.

This year there was a new organizing team in place who had a steep learning curve to ensure it was yet another success. And judging by the smiling and laughing crowds it seems they pulled it off!

Want to make sure you don’t miss next year’s iDay? Find out more about ISA and follow them on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/groups/isalinkoping/ 

Therese Winder 2012-05-10