When: October 13, 2009 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Where: USU
26 Oct
International Coffee Hour: South Korea
13 Oct
Indian Student Club :Garba Rass Event
‘Garba Rass’, an event hosted by the Indian Student Club on October 4, 2009 was a celebration of the Indian festival ‘Navaratri’. It was fun filled evening with dance, music, food, exciting prizes and much more. The event was amazing to watch and more exhilarating to be a part of!
The event started at 7 pm at 4918 N 9th street, Parkwood Recreation centre. The hall was decorated with dupattas (scarfs) and beautiful paintings all around the wall. The Organizers tried to combine our ancient culture with modern Navratri. The Emcee first introduced the new committee members to the audience and then everybody introduced themselves. Then special Indian food from the most renowned Indian restaurant was served. The special gulab-jamun (sweet item) added the flavor to food and crowd enjoyed it. Finally the emcee announced “Let’s do it” and thus it began, the garba practice. To the uninitiated, garba is a Guajarati folk dance performed during the festival of Navratri. Men and women dance in a circle around a lamp or statue of goddess Amba. It was precisely this art form which our crowd was trying to master.
The group then began. The DJ was rocking with excellent typical garba songs. At first, the group was unsynchronized and there was much hilarity. But soon, under emcee’s guidance, the dancing became more graceful. The ease with which the participants picked up difficult steps was astonishing. They performed a lot of different steps while dancing. At the end, the kind of coordination and mastery which was on display was simply unbelievable. Men and women in traditional colorful dresses danced to their fullest enjoying every moment of the festival on Sunday. Not only Indians but many Americans as well as guests danced and enjoyed to their fullest!
At the end, the emcee announced a future event such as Diwali Night and everyone was excited about it. To sum it up, Garba Raas was a mesmerizing event to watch as well as to participate in.
9 Oct
AFSA Tea Hour: Kochi, Japan
When: October 08, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Where: Library Lecture Hall 3212
26 Aug
Welcome! International Student
Studio 2 is the check-in and registration place for new International Students this year. Studio 2 is located on the 2nd floor of the library.
Date: 8/12/09 - 8/14/09 and 8/17/09 – 8/18/09
Time: 9:00 am – 2:00pm
5 May
The Pursuit of Beauty: California Indian Baskets & The Art of Ansel Adams
The Henry Madden Library is a safe haven for history. It houses an array of books that tell of years past, of fallen civilization and celebrated victories. It’s very design, that of a basket to represent the rich native history of the land, praises the details of past years. With the library’s latest exhibit, The Pursuit of Beauty: California Indian Baskets & The Art of Ansel Adams, however, it can now boast of being one of the most culturally aware building on campus.
Housed in the picturesque Ellipse room, the exhibit showcases photographs by Ansel Adam, the innovative artist who captured some of the most beautiful shots of the nearby Yosemite Valley ever to be taken, and breathtakingly intricate baskets crafted by California Indians. This blend of seemingly very different aspects of art is what the exhibit calls the “celebration of the land from which they came.” And indeed, as one wanders among the photographs and impressive baskets, one can feel the weight of the history and beauty they represent.
The photos by Adams are all of the natural beauty that can be found through the state, and most focus on the very valley that Fresno State calls home. 
What is most striking, however, isn’t the gorgeous wilderness, but the very honest angles that Ansel used to frame his photos. An onlooker can almost feel the mist on their face as they stare at the photos of the river. This sensation is undoubtedly highlighted by the fact that this same onlooker can see their own reflection when they stare at the photo. They literally look as if they are there in the snow covered valley or watching the sunrise. One of the most interesting aspects of the displayed photographs involves the dates on which they were taken. Photos range from 1919 to 1946 to 1964, across so many periods of turmoil and change in American history. It is almost as if Adam’s photographs are comforting reminders that, even if American’s are fighting foreign enemies abroad or racism at home, the natural, calm beauty of its landscapes is unwavering and infinite.
The baskets, which are encircled by these photographs, are astonishing by themselves. Said to exist to tell “the legend of a people,” they appear to do just that. An onlooker can wander so very close to these works of art, these testaments to a culture so unlike our own, one with its own customs and marvels. It appears as if one recieves a gift of insight when they see the pieces so cleverly weaved.
Speaking of cleverly weaved, one could say the same about the room itself. Designed to mimic they very baskets it now holds, the entire room is surrounded with smooth, sleek, and smart wooden pannels that mirror the strands or raw, earthy materials that weave together to make such interesing baskets. Thus, the entire experience of the exhibit comes full circle.
When the producers of the event gave it a name, The Pursuit of Beauty, they must have known that they had, indeed, found it.
30 Apr
International Coffee Hour: Hawaii & Japanese Culture
The last International Coffee Hour presentation to occur this school year featured Linguistics student Katsuhito Watanabe and his collection of facts on Japan, Hawaii, and the bond between the two countries. Born in Japan, Katsu spent time in America growing up, and when it came time to pick a school, Katsu journeyed to Hawaii.
One of the most interesting features of Hawaii is the possible confusion regarding its name. The islands as a collective are called Hawaii, yet the largest island itself is called Hawaii. What do Hawaiin’s do to avoid confusion? The call it, appropriately, the “Big Island.”
The Big Island was home to Katsu for three years, and during that time, he learned of the key difference between the two sides of the island. The Kona side is the one with the sunny days, clear skies, and sandy beaches, while the Hilo side is home to the rocky beaches, rainy days, and flowing lava. This dichotomy gives visitors the chance to see so many interesting aspects of the island. One of these cool facts is that, on the Big Island, helmet laws are unheard of, and people can be seen traveling through the scenery, letting the wind just blow through their hair!
One of the most interesting things about the Big Island is the influence of Japanese culture, which can be seen through the lens of language and food. In fact, one of the Japanese dishes that enjoys popularity in Hawaii is called “Katsu,” just like the student presenter!
A student presenter he may be, but Katsu set himelf apart from other student presenters in that he brought fans! Katsu teaches English to foreign exchange students in his spare time, and he brought the class on a field trip to hear him speak. The coffee hour was pleasantly packed.
One of the other details of Katsu’s presentation that made it stand out was his inclusion of personal photos from his time on the Big Island. Audience members were able to see pictures of him, poking the lava that flows on the Hilo side of the island with a broken mop!
This presentation was an excellent way to end the International Coffee Hour’s Spring 2009 presentations!
23 Apr
International Coffee Hour: Thailand
Thailand is, according to Fresno State Linguistics student Nucharaporn Liangruenrom, the land of smiles.
Thailand is a land of freedom, like the name suggests, but hospitality is other idea that defines Thailand. The presenter herself smiled effervescently throughout her talk, and never failed to communicate just how friendly Thai citizens are.
The charm of Thailand isn’t surprising, as capitol city and Ms. Liangruenrom’s hometown, Bangkok, is home to 10 million people! But Bangkok is only a tip of the cultural iceberg of Thailand. The country is divided into several provinces, but it is defined by the Northern mountain regions and the luxurious coastal South, home to some of the world best beaches.
Tourists flock to Thailand for these reasons but are delighted by the friendly Thai. They might be shocked by the spicy Thai food too! Ms. Liangruenrom assured her audience that while Thai food might seem spicy here in America, it is way, way spicier in Thailand!
When a tourist arrives in Thailand, they must learn the typical greeting, “sawatdee”. Thai citizens also greet each other with a friendly question, “Have you eaten yet?” So any tourist would know right away that, in Thailand, cuisine is culture! When this typical tourist is finished enjoying the beaches and spicy noodles, they can hop on a smiley elephant! Thailand is also known for its charming mascot, the elephant.
An American tourist would also no doubt be delighted by the linguistic charms of Thailand. Arguably the most fascinating part of Ms. Liangruenrom’s presentation was her discussion of the intricate relationship between the English language and that of the language spoken in Thailand, Thai. It seems that the two languages have found a way to fuse together to create something both unique and fascinating. There are a few linguistic phenomenons that the audience was able to learn about, one of which was the Thai adoption of the English practice of using an “s” at the end of a word to indicate plurality.
In Thai, whenever an adjective is in need of being emphasized, an “s” is added! How interesting! Another interesting practice is the manner in which some English words are chopped when they appear in Thai. For instance, the English word “INTERNATIONAL,” becomes simply “INTER” when used in Thailand.
