International Fest thrives despite cancellation

The sound of students singing karaoke loudly in Tagalog filled the Johnson Student Center as another group kicked around a Chinese Jianzi, something like a wooden hacky sack with feathers. Some simply strolled around the room, sipping on a sweet Ceylon tea blend.

As gusts of up to 50 mph whipped outside, the Johnson Student Center on Wednesday morning buzzed with celebratory spirit.

The event, known as the International Festival, was supposed to take place in the central mall near the Neally Library as part of Santa Ana College’s International Education Week. However, an email was sent out to students 30 minutes before the event started informing them that the event was canceled.

“We were notified that the wind was so terrible that the canopies we put up yesterday were moving and breaking,” said the Director of the International Student Program Tina Newton. “We did a quick check-in to see if it was safe and we decided to cancel.”

Despite the cancelation, some groups showed up with trays of food and dressed in regalia. Newton decided to move the festivities into JSC-219, which she had already reserved as a backup space.

Even with students being told the event was canceled, word of mouth spread about the “unofficial” event. The participating groups, which included students representing Pakistan, Finland, Cambodia, Mexico, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Italy and the Philippines, shared their food in JSC-208, the International Student Center. A group celebrating Korean culture set up in L-222. Students hanging out in the JSC were able to taste lumpia, a Filipino egg roll; Lok Lak beef skewers from Cambodia; a Pakistani rice dish, and other traditional dishes.

“We’ve been planning the Korean table for a few weeks now,” said Director of the Career Center Christina Kim Wagner. “But all this happened this morning at the last minute. All the time, effort and money put into this, we needed to get it up.”

Students also had opportunities to learn about the various countries at ornately decorated tables manned by participants who shared about their heritages and handed out booklets, stickers, and other trinkets representative of their cultures.

“It was pretty fun,” said International student Marita Moni. “I would say that we were able to learn from each other. It’s a way that we can all celebrate.”