With fall break approaching, students are planning to drive to other cities in Texas, stay here in Abilene, or are still undecided. The international students are no exception to these plans.
Leo Lai, a junior criminal justice major from Shanghai, said he is “maybe going to Dallas with five friends.” Lai is also the vice president and treasurer of the International Student Association.
Diego Zometa, a sophomore chemistry major from El Salvador, said he will be visiting one of his best friends, Brady Barham, in Madisonville, who he met the first semester of his freshman year.
Zometa said “I will have the chance to relax, enjoy nature and put on the boots of a cowboy’s life for three days.”
Ivan Anyaegbu, a computer science major from Nigeria said, “I’ll be here probably reading a couple of books and hanging out with friends.”
Alas, some students do not have the relaxation or out-of-city adventures that their peers will be partaking in to look forward to this weekend.
Jocelyn Benoit, senior ministry and vocation major from Haiti said, “It’s impossible to talk about fall break when you have a bunch of homework and one test due the week after fall break. So, I will be studying.” (same, bro. SAME.)
Vicente Rojas Aguirre, senior engineering major from Mexico, said he will be going to Oklahoma for a retreat with Hillcrest Church of Christ.
Aguirre said, “Fall break is a wonderful opportunity to travel and spend time in prayer.”
Spending time in prayer is an activity that some international students are involved in on Friday nights at the home of ACU Alumni Art and Susan Green.
Art Green said that usually around 100 students attend, including international students from Hardin Simmons University. Art likes to tell people, “My kids are coming home for dinner.”
The Greens have been hosting dinners for international students for 14 years. Susan Green prepares homemade versions of food that is traditional to the different countries being represented by the international student body.
The second part to the dinner is fellowship and devotion led by associate professor of art Ronnie Rama.
Susan Green said the most students that attended the dinner this school year was 186—representing 36 different nationalities at one time. The inside of the house was so packed, that everyone moved outside to hold the devotional and eat, Susan Green said.
Though the international students did not organize a major trip for fall break, ISA is planning on hosting a trip to Six Flags at Arlington for spring break.
