Liliana Heaton
Campus ministry Chi Alpha helped welcome international students to Troy University with their annual Welcome to America event, a day with games, friends and a potluck filled with America’s classic foods.
Members of Chi Alpha were asked to bring their favorite foods for the potluck. Mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and green bean casserole were just some of the foods brought, with a southern style sweet tea served alongside, which was a favorite among attendees.
“I was very excited to troy mac and cheese as well as green bean casserole," said Vinh Hoang, a computer science alumnus from Asia. “I actually brought the green bean casserole today.”
Along with the potluck, students participated in a variety of games, including volleyball, soccer and a unique game of bingo.
The goal was as simple as a normal game of bingo, get five squares in a line. The fun twist was the squares themselves; each square contained a trait that players needed to find in someone at the event, such as finding someone who can speak more than two languages or who can’t drive.
The first person to get a bingo received a prize given by the members of Chi Alpha.
The international students that participated in the event got the chance to meet peoplefrom America and other countries. Likewise, Troy's domestic students got to talk to people from other cultures and backgrounds
"For me, it was just talking to one person and that person introduced me to other people,” said Samantha Ruwuya, a graduate biomedical science student from Zimbabwe. "It really just helped with the hospitality of others.”
Many of Chi Alpha’s members were excited to show the international students the views of Christianity, including a prayer before food was served.
“We really just want to show the students what Christianity is all about,” said Sarah Francis, a Chi Alpha member and a junior rehabilitation and disability studies major from Jacksonville, Alabama..
Much of the love and passion for Troy’s community was shared between all attendees with everyone hoping to show the international students the pride of the Trojans, as well as help make these students feel more confident when making friends here in the United States.
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