With fall break fast approaching, some students will go home for the weekend, while others will go on trips. For ACU’s international students, going home is not always an option, forcing creativity when it comes to fall break activities.
Jingwen He, senior graphic design major from Guangzhou, China, said she enjoys the extra day off and the opportunity to spend time with friends. He travels to Dallas every year shopping, eating Chinese food and going to a big Asian supermarket.
“Going to Asian restaurants is one of my favorite things,” He said. “Dallas has many good Chinese food choices. I feel like the Chinese food in Dallas is very similar to what I had in China. It made me feel I was home.”
International students come to ACU from different cultures to study and to make American friends. Fall break gives students an opportunity to travel and see parts of Texas besides Abilene.
Shota Maeda, senior biology major from Chiba, Japan, said he likes to travel and get to know people better.
“I’m going to Camp Eagle with a group of people, a mix with Americans and internationals on fall break,” Maeda said. “We are going to do a lot of activities to know each other, such as catching fishes, kayaking and building a campfire for worship.”
Sebastian Karlsson, senior theater major from Stångsmåla, Sweden, said he likes to use his free time during fall break to rest and have fun.
“I’m going to a retreat with my friends. We are going to a ranch outside of Abilene,” Karlsson said. “We are going to get rest from studies, getting time talking with friends, cooking barbecue together and having devotional.”
Fall break is a good chance for students to relax Just one day off can help them catch up on some studies.
“I’m from China; English is my second language, so makes the classes are harder, sometimes I really need a day to catch up with my studies,” He said. “Having three days of holiday, I can use one day to really concentrate on my studies and another two days to have fun.”