The following article appeared in
the Wooster Daily Record
on August 1, 2004 and in the Wooster Weekly News on July 29, 2004
College of Wooster ambassadors ready to share their culture
WOOSTER - Bask in the beauty of Brazil’s rain forest; check
out the changing lifestyle in China; sample the sporting life in
India; experience a lively mix of music, food, and dance in Ukraine;
and discover the delicacies of Jamaica - all without booking a flight
or reserving a room.
Instead of costly and time-consuming travel arrangements, the cultures
of these countries are available to the community this year through
The College of Wooster’s Ambassadors Program. Established
in 2002, the Ambassadors Program is an innovative co-curricular
organization that provides an opportunity for cultural interaction
between international students and residents in the area.
Each year, five students are chosen as ambassadors on the basis
of their ability to represent the culture of their native country
as well as their enthusiasm for international outreach.
“We select students who are willing to become experts in their
country’s history, customs, and traditions,” said Nicola
Kille, coordinator of the program. “We also place a heavy
emphasis on the students’ desire to share in this cultural
exchange.”
This year, the five ambassadors represent a diverse mix of cultures,
beginning with Brazil’s Ana Clara Azevedo, who will trace
the historical, cultural and political influences of her country’s
many ethnic groups, including the Rainforest Indians. She will demonstrate
how to dance the Samba and how to make puppets that illustrate Brazilian
folk tales. She will share some of her favorite recipes and discuss
the influence of soccer, religion, and politics in her country.
Joining Azevedo is China’s Kelly Pang, who hails from Beijing.
She will talk about the impact of global influences on everyday
life in China, from clothing and music to food and values. She will
also discuss Chinese holiday celebrations and demonstrate some of
the traditional arts and crafts of her country, including prosperity
knots, calligraphy, and a recent fad in America - Tai Chi.
India’s Shabad Thadani, the only male ambassador, will explain
the traditions of his country, including Indian festivals and holidays.
He will also talk about Bollywood and the thriving Indian film industry
as well as the game of cricket. In addition, he will examine some
of the pressing issues facing India today, from overpopulation and
poverty to the caste system and globalization.
Jamaica’s Kimberly Chin-See will provide a guided tour of
her country and describe what makes it such a popular vacation destination.
She will talk about her family history and serve up some tasty Jamaican
dishes. She will give lessons about how to speak the local patois
and establish a link between the lyrics of popular songs and the
history of Jamaica.
Rounding out the ambassadors for the coming year is Irina Pavlova
of Ukraine. Her focus will be on music, food and dance, and she
promises to teach the songs, show the dance steps, and prepare some
of her favorite native dishes. She will also compare and contrast
the political systems of her country to those of the United States
- both of which will be holding important elections this year.
As ambassadors, the students have spent most of the summer researching
topics about their homeland and collecting artifacts to help them
illustrate life in their countries. During the academic year, they
will offer free presentations, on campus and throughout the community,
for schools, businesses, industries, local organizations, and community
groups.
“We are very grateful to the community for its enthusiastic
response to the Ambassadors Program during our first two years,”
Kille said. “The presentations are tailored to meet the expectations
of each group, and we look forward to sharing the culture of these
countries with area residents again this year.”
For more information or to schedule an ambassador to speak with
a group, contact Kille at (330) 263-2074 or ambassadors@wooster.edu.
Information is available at www.wooster.edu/ambassadors |
