International Evening

This Semester’s ‘International Evening’ was held on Thursday, 16 February in the Seomra Caidrimh. The president greeted the visiting exchange students, who come from colleges in the US (Boston, Chico, and Colorado), Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Poland, and Spain. The students brought delicacies typical of their countries: waffles from the Czech Republic, a very strong sheep’s cheese and famous beers from Belgium, Californian raisins and chilli dips, cakes and chocolates from Poland etc., etc. They also brought songs, dances and games to teach to their colleagues. Michael, Wendula, and Marie taught 2 verses of a Czech folksong called Hulka Modraaká ‘Blue-eyed girl’, which became Halka madraaká …, and then Holko modrookó …, Hilki midriikí … etc. Marta and Milka taught the ‘Polonez’ dance, with the help of music from Andrej Wajda. Then it was Jennifer and Maggie’s turn to get everyone doing some American line-dancing. Auriane led the way in a Belgian game which involved passing a glass round in a circle, without becoming slipping up. We also heard the Jacques Brel song 'Le Plat Pays', which Valérie (Namur), explained to everybody. Stephanie talked about her university hat (calotte), a flat, soft, fez-like hat, on to which students pin various badges signifying completion of stages in their university career; the top of Auriane’s calotte is maroon-coloured, indicating that she is a student of the Université de Louvain. At the request of Caroline (IUFM Versailles) Laura Ní Mháille, an St Patrick's College student who went on an Erasmus study visit to Feldkirch, Austria, in 2004-05, taught everyone 'Lámh, lámh eile a haon, a dó …'. Bernie Donnelly, Administrator, International Programme, and Uáitéar Mac Gearailt, Chairman International Affairs Committee, organized this friendly meeting of cultures as part of the inaugural College Intercultural Festival.