Every Friday at 5 p.m., American students and international students meet with each other at the Baptist Student Union for International Hour.
“International Hour is a time for American students to mingle and befriend the international students. It’s a way for American students to share all aspects of our culture and faith in a friendly environment,” said Cathy Curtis, who works with international students through the BSU.
There are about 15 American students who attend regularly, and on average 25-45 international students attend. Despite its name, students usually stay at the International Hour for one to two hours, Curtis said.
“It’s just a good time to talk and get to know the internationals,” sophomore Savannah Towe said. “We try to do different things with them each week. One week we did karaoke and other times we just play games.”
“As Christians, we are all about reaching out to others who are from different places and have different beliefs than we do,” Curtis said. “Not only is it an experience for the internationals, but it is just as enriching for the American students.”
During International Hour students pair up with “conversation partners.”
“An American student is partnered with an international student to spend time with him or her throughout the week by showing them America and our culture, or by helping them with their English,” senior Brandon Doyle said.
The success of International Hour is really due to the commitment of time from the American students, Curtis said.
“It made me feel really shallow to think about how many Americans don’t take the time to get to know any of them or learn about their culture. Most of the time, the internationals don’t have any American friends, and they would really like to have some,” junior Ashley Spell said.
It is a good opportunity for people of different backgrounds to have a place to fellowship and know that there are people going through the same things. Being away from home and having to study are common struggles, Curtis said.
“There’s a general appreciation from the internationals. We enjoy spending time with them and vice versa. It’s a way for us to show that we care about each other,” Doyle said.
“We’re just hoping to make a positive impact on their lives,” Curtis said.