The Colorado Mesa Univeristy International Student Alliance began a new tradition last spring semester called, Cultural Café. This event is put on by the International Student Program and Tomlinson Library, particularly, the directors of both, Annie Gingerich and Sylvia Rael. The event is an effort to bring awareness to their department and the international student population.

The event is an hour long, featured once a month. The event is held in the 24-hour area of the library. So far, they have covered Japan, Kenya and Botswana and India since Cultural Café began this past March.

“We classify this as a cross-culture learning and sharing event, and so far, we have been very pleased with student and faculty response,” Gingerich said. “We typically have students and faculty give presentations, but sometimes it varies.”

This month the culture presented was the Philippines, given by three students with very different backgrounds.

Mark Domingo, a CMU hospitality management student, lived in Hawaii his entire life before moving to Grand Junction. However, he has lived a somewhat traditional Philippino lifestyle. His family, parents included, are from the Philippines.

During the presentation, Domingo said, “It is important to me, that I keep up with my native language so I don’t lose it.”

Omar Shawly, an exchange student from the Philippines, was originally born in Mecca. He moved to the Philippines when he was very young. He went to culinary school and is an international student. 

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Omar explained the transportation system and shocked the audience when he described his extremely tedious commute every single day. He told how he had to ride three different modes of transportation for about two hours before he arrived.

Justin Pascual, the International Student Alliance (ISA) Club Coordinator, was the only presenter that was born in the Philippines. He moved to Hawaii when he was six. Pascual told of his experiences living there and how his family carried many of the traditions when they moved.

All three men presented a slide show, passed around pictures, and even displayed some visuals. While presenting they wore a traditional Philippino shirt and even told the history of it. It was a shirt instated to the people of the Philippines by the Spanish, in order to separate them. The shirts are a see-through mesh material, that way the Spanish could ensure that they were not trying to conceal weapons.

This experience offered both a literal and figurative taste of a different culture. Sodexo catering service provided egg rolls, a sweet rice cake and matcha tea.

Cultural Café is free and allows for connections all over the world. This is one of the many events campus offers, in an effort to educate students with real-life scenarios.

The next event will be Nov. 1 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in the library. Blake Bickham will be presenting on his experience in Uzbekistan, during his service with the U.S. Peace Corps.

For more information on upcoming events through the International Alliance, contact Annie Gingerich.