Penn State Harrisburg’s International Students Office got together on Good Friday to decorate eggs. At the event students could enjoy refreshments, decorate eggs using art supplies including markers, paint and stickers. Students made baskets out of small cardboard to put eggs and candy in.
Ruhi Banerjee, the Global Ambassadors Coordinator, explained why the organization wanted to hold the event.
“We are doing egg decorating for Easter. This event is significant to the people of the United States. International students are coming here from their host country. It is important for them to understand the culture of the host countries,” Banerjee said.
“We thought of introducing this to the International student community to understand what the festival is about. Egg decoration is one way to showcase the culture,” she added.
Students worked together on decorating eggs and baskets. The event also showed students how Easter is celebrated worldwide. International student Sheetal Patatangay saw the event as a good experience.
“Me being an International student and having an opportunity to witness this kind of event on campus is a way for me to come out of the zone of always starting…Being an international student, this is like an exposure to me to understand how Easter is being celebrated around the world,” Patangay said.
The International Students Office is always aiming to show the international students on campus American culture and society.
“They all come here knowing about Easter, they know about eggs, they know about bunnies. In terms of domestic students there would be those who sort of fondly recall their childhood nostalgically, if you will, and be attracted to this event. It provides an opportunity for some cross-cultural discussion and some joy to play,” Dr. Charles Lord, Assistant Director of International Students Office, said.
The students enjoyed decorating eggs and baskets along with learning more about Easter. Stay tuned for similar Easter events next year.
