Home Away From Home

Welcome Students

2012-02-20T16:47:00.004-06:00

This semester, we have over 550 international students from 56 different countries. Please take time to welcome the 129 new international students that joined us this spring. We want to say welcome to the DBU family!

Here is a list of the countries represented at DBU this Spring 2012 semester:

Angola
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Benin
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Cameron
Chad
China
Chile
Colombia
Denmark
El Salvador
Ethiopia
Ghana
Guatemala
Haiti
Hong Kong
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Ivory Coast
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Korea
Laos
Liberia
Macau
Mexico
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Palestine
Panama
Peru
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Uganda
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zimbabwe
Zambia

News - Feb 23rd - Carter BloodCare Blood Drive - Help Save A Life!

2012-02-20T09:54:00.006-06:00

The DBU Student Government Association and Carter BloodCare are partnering to sponsor a Blood Drive Thursday, February 23, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Great Hall. We would love to see you there and ask that you consider taking a moment to help save a life!

For guidelines on donating blood, go to the Donor Guidelines section at: http://www.carterbloodcare.org. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail the Student Government Association at sga@dbu.edu or call SGA Advisor Heather Hadlock at 214.333.5340.

DBU's Baseball Season Begins Today

2012-02-17T10:43:00.005-06:00

DBU's baseball season begins today! Before the season begins, we are already ranked #33 in the nation. Last year we finished the season ranked #16 in the nation and made it to NCAA Super Regional Tournament. Come out this year and support our Patriots!

If you are unable to make it to the games, most of the games will be broadcast with commentary and interviews. For more information, follow the team at: http://www.dbupatriots.com/

You can also follow DBU sports news on our website or on twitter.

Christmas Home Stay

2012-01-03T13:19:00.012-06:00

This Christmas season, international students from DBU participated in the Friendship International House Christmas Home Stay Program. This program provides international students an opportunity to stay with an American family for two weeks. Students are able to get a great cultural experience while participating in fun activities with their host family.

Minah Choi, from South Korea, participated in the Home Stay Program this winter, which proved to be an unforgettable experience.

One of the memorable activities that Minah and her host family participated in was a Christmas tuba concert in downtown Dallas. The audience sang Christmas carols while the performers played their tubas. Even Minah joined in the singing, which turned out to be lots of fun! Another neat activity was the Rodeo. Minah was able to see some real cowboys and get a good taste of the Texan culture.

Minah and her host family went to Austin, the capital of Texas, for three days. They arrived on Christmas Eve and went to First Baptist Church of Austin. This was Minah’s first time to attend an American church. The church had a special Christmas Eve service, which Minah really enjoyed.

On their second day in Austin, Minah celebrated Christmas with her host family. When Minah woke up on Christmas day, she found a stocking with her name on it that was full of presents! She then spent the rest of the day talking, playing games, and watching movies with her host family. Celebrating Christmas with them was very special for Minah. “Even though I spent my Christmas without my real family, I felt love and comfort from host family.”

On their last day in Austin, Minah was able to visit the State Capitol. She and her host family had a picnic there, played games, and took lots of pictures.

When asked to describe her experience, Minah replied, “I loved the stay with my home stay family! I experienced so many things there. The two weeks I spent with my home stay family were so valuable for me!”

International Retreat 2011

2011-10-26T08:34:00.006-05:00

This semester, 160 students went on the International Retreat from October 21st - 23rd. The International Retreat, hosted by the BSM, was a great opportunity for both International and American students to hang out, make new friends, and have tons of fun!
The theme this semester was "Transformation." Students explored how love, specifically the love of Christ, can transform one's life. Students attended sessions, which consisted of worship, led by Diverse City, and a time for students to share how Christ has transformed their lives. Also, students spent time in small groups, allowing them to get to know each other better and share their lives with each other. When asked about the International Retreat, Chihiro Sakai (from Japan) said, "My favorite part of the International Retreat was the small groups. It was a good time to talk more about deep things and know more about the other students in the group."

The International Retreat was packed with fun activities! The first night, there was a super fun dance party! Students had a blast as they loosened up and danced all kinds of dances. Even the students that are normally shy danced, surprising many! Students also participated in lots of fun games. Some of the games included a mud slide and capture the flag. Finally, students competed in a soccer tournament, providing some students an opportunity to show off their soccer skills.

The International Retreat was so much fun this semester! Esther Shen (from China) did a great job of summarizing how awesome the retreat was: "The International Retreat was a great way to know new people...The small group time was my favorite because we had some really deep conversations...I loved the games! They were really fun!"

All for others...

2011-08-19T08:17:00.007-05:00

For the 5th year in a row, Dallas Baptist University has been named to The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The program started in 2006 and recognizes institutions of higher education for the "commitment to and achievement in community service." Through this program, the public is made aware of the contributions colleges and their students are making to local communities and the nation as a whole.

For the 2009-2010 school year, DBU logged more than 135,000 hours of community service completed by its' students. To gain that many hours, over 4,000 students participated in serving their community in one way or another. Justin Gandy, Director of the Center for Service-Learning stated, "The vast number of students involved in service learning demonstrated DBU's commitment to expressing the love of Christ and developing servant leaders." Ultimately, the recognition is an honor but what really drives all members of DBU is the "desire to follow the lead of Jesus and serve others as He did."

Have you heard?

2011-07-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

Even though Summer is coming to a close, the fun is still taking place! International Student Outreach Ministry (ISOM) has been putting on events every Sunday this summer and they have been amazing! The last two Sundays we were able to eat wonderful food, listen to a testimony, and watch Disney movies!

Next week we are going to play games on the Wii with Spiritual Life. Be sure to come by and hang out with us!

Summer Fun!

2011-07-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

Even though summer is half way over, summer fun at DBU is still taking place. DBU held a Howdy Party for new students to welcome them to their new home! The party was a cowboy theme with lots of fun country style games and activities. After a typical southern dinner including fried chicken, we learned how to line dance and played games like a 3-legged race and a watermelon eating contest.

Every Sunday throughout the summer ISOM takes place. ISOM stands for International Student Outreach Ministry and it a great way for Americans and International Students to get to know each other and build relationships. This year through ISOM we have played games in the gym, thrown water balloons, watched movies, played board games, and ate hot dogs!

Yesterday, the current IEP students when to the Stockyards in Fort Worth, ate lunch at Risky's BBQ, and toured the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth.

To participate in the summer fun, come by this Sunday, July 17th, to watch Toy Story 3 with us!

And It's Game Time!

2011-06-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

Recently, Dallas Baptist was selected to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regional baseball tournament. Last week, they showed up and defeated the other 3 teams in the tournament earning themselves a spot in the super regional tournament. Today, the DBU Patriots will travel to Santa Clara, California to take on University of California, Berkley this weekend in hopes to beat the bears! If they win 2 out of 3 games they will then go on to play in the College World Series tournament with 7 other teams in Omaha, Nebraska. How cool is that?

DBU has even made national news with recent victories! USA today published an article http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/baseball/2011-06-08-dallas-baptist-college-world-series_n.htm?csp=34sports as well as a baseball insider http://www.collegebaseballinsider.com/11Postseason/DBU060811.html

Baseball is famously known as America's favorite past time.

In fact, there is a fun children song dedicated to the sport:

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Baseball is also popular is South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Dominican republic, Cuba, and many others. The Summer Olympics supports baseball as one of its competition sports.

We wish them the very best this weekend as they play their hearts out all for the Glory of God!

A Visit Down South

2011-05-09T16:15:00.000-05:00

Last month DBU representatives traveled to South America to tell students about Dallas Baptist University and show all that it has to offer. Specifically, DBU went to Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia to attend international student fairs. DBU also met a lot of families that had children interested in studying in the United States. Each country was so beautiful and unique in its own way!

International Week

2011-04-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

So last week was DBU's annual international week! This is a great time for American students to get to know about their peers from other countries! We began the week by having an international chapel. During chapel we presented flags from all over the world representing the international students that attend DBU. Also, during the chapel an international band led worship and testimonies were given from international students telling DBU about their life and how they ended up at Dallas Baptist University.

The rest of the week followed with activities and all sorts of other fun! On Friday, many international student groups hosted events. In the afternoon, KSA (Korean Student Association), ICF (International Chinese Fellowship), and JSS (Japanese Student Society) had a "street festival" with all different kinds of food including sushi, kimchi, and of course rice. No only did we eat great food, but we were able to make our own sushi and create origami!

Friday night, SASA (South Asian Student Association), ASU (African Student Union), and OLAS (Organization of Latin American Students) put together an event to share their culture with others!
OLAS celebrated their culture with a pinata filled with candy for students to break open and let pour on the ground! ASU and SASA showed some traditional choreography for others to enjoy. There was a ton of cultural food and most students were wearing their traditional clothing which was wonderful and so extravagant. Overall the night brought so much unity between each culture and it was just one big family party!

Checkin' Out Texas

2011-03-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

This semester, one of the trips our new IEP students took was to the Texas Hall of State for a day to learn a little about Texas.

After the Texas Hall of Stare we headed over to the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art Museum.

There are tons of other events the IEP and other international students go on throughout the year so get excited because you too can be involved!! This weekend, SASA (South Asian Student Association) is going to have some fun with events they have planned so check back soon to see all the fun!!

Arriving in America!

2011-03-25T15:44:00.003-05:00

As an incoming student, there are a lot of questions that you might have, one of the first being "Who is going to pick me up from the airport?" Well this blog is to let you know what to expect once you get off that plane.

After getting off the plane, your first step will be to go through customs in the airport and grab all of your luggage. After grabbing all of your belongings you will walk through 2 large automatic doors start to look around.

Once going through the doors, a DBU staff member will meet you and take you back to you new home, DBU.

This particular student from Vietnam had family living in America so they were also at their airport to meet him.

Once arriving on DBU campus you will see this:

After looking all around campus you will come into the International Building, sign some paperwork, get a bite to eat, and get some rest because that jet lag is hard to overcome.

Before long you will have met a lot of new people and made some great friendships!

American Born, Kenyan Lived

2011-03-07T17:05:00.001-06:00

One really cool thing about DBU is a lot of MK's (missionary kids) come here! They help connect Americans to international students in ways that would not otherwise be possible. Andrew, a junior at DBU, is an MK from Kenya who is a great guy that has such a huge heart and passion for international affairs and students. Here is a little bit of his story.

Q: Were you raised there or in another country?
A: I moved to Kenya when I was five years old, but we moved back and forth quite a bit. All in all I lived overseas for nine years, including the six consecutive years leading up to my High School Graduation.

Q: What led your family to do that?
A: My mom is also an MK from Tanzania, and so she wanted my dad to experience what she had. Also they both felt that God had called them to Kenya. My dad is a school teacher at a private school there. He teaches 7th grade History and English. The education was similar to one you would receive here in the US at a private school...thankfully. Not all MK's have that opportunity, that is why my dad's job is essential. The school we were at ensures a solid American education to MK's in Kenya.

Q: What are some major differences (educationally and culturally) between Africa and the U.S.?
A: There are some major cultural differences. Whenever you make generalizations, there are always exceptions, so I do not mean this is true of all people in either culture but as a general rule. Usually, Kenyans have a totally different sense of time than Americans. They do not consider time to be as important as we do here in the US. They typically show up late, and stay long. They are more relationship focused than task oriented like we are in the US. Furthermore, generally they are more community/family oriented than Americans who value self/individualism more.

Q: What didn't you like about living there?
A: I didn't like the relative poverty. Being far away from family. The food. The traffic.

Q: What did you like about living there?
A: I did like the weather/landscape. Kenya is absolutely beautiful. The school and friends. The slow, relaxed life-pace.

Q: How does this help you to relate to international students here at DBU?
A: I feel that because of this experience I can relate to the international students better for a couple of reasons. First, I understand what it feels like to be in a foreign country/culture, surrounded by strange food, language, and traditions. Also, I have experienced a little piece of many different cultures, so I can relate to them in that way, sharing with them some of their home culture.

In closing, Andrew stated "I loved living in Kenya, it gave me such a broader world view. I would dare to say that is made me a better Christian, and I would encourage anyone who has not been out of the US to go- it will change your life."

Happy New Year!

2011-02-03T11:31:00.000-06:00

Lunar New Year- often called Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese Holidays. The festival begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day of the month. Chinese New Year's Eve, is a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, bring in the New Year together. Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunisolar Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in the most over the year. Many other countries besides China celebrate this as their New Year such as "Korean New Year" and "Tet" (Vietnamese New Year).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

This year at DBU, our Welcome Party had many Chinese activities such as traditional dancing, drawing, and food.Besides traditional Chinese activities, we held a raffle to give away fun prizes and had a screaming contest to see what represented country was the loudest at the party. Overall, the party was a wonderful way to bring in the Lunar New Year!

School Days!

2011-01-25T16:40:00.000-06:00

After a wonderful Christmas break, school is now back in session. The first few weeks are always exciting with tons of activities and events! To bring in the new year, Intensive English Program hosted a game night with food and fun!

Before classes start, all new students have to go through orientation. Orientation day might be long, but friendships are started, important information is learned, and no one ever leaves on an empty stomach!

After the orientation, students head over to check out cool organizations on campus and events they might be interested in getting involved in.

After learning about all the things one can be involved in, it was time to meet the President of the university. This is an opportunity that every student at DBU gets the chance to do. Most universities in America do not offer a chance for students to meet the President so this is a really special experience.

On Saturday, the bi-annual International Welcome Party will take place. There will be tons of ethnic food, music, and activities all to meet knew people and have fun. Since this year is Lunar New Year, we will have a lot of Chinese aspects incorporated throughout the party! My next post will be all about the party so be sure to check it out and look at all the fun!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T14:39:00.000-06:00

Here at DBU a new semester is just about to start! New students are coming in from all over the world. There will be students from:

Nepal

India

China

Korea

Taiwan

Brazil

Chile

Australia

Tanzania

Canada

Indonesia

Uzbekistan

Romania

Japan

Vietnam

Nigeria

Guatemala

Thailand

Bahamas

Tanzania

Ethiopia

Chad

Cameroon

and counting....

We are all really excited for a new year and eager to see what great things are to come here at DBU!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-07T14:38:00.000-06:00

Here at DBU, you can definitely tell what time of year it is! With the lights, decorations, fun activities, and atmosphere, Christmas time at DBU is such a wonderful time! One tradition that DBU has every year is the campus lighting evening. On that night, students, faculty, and staff all come out to drink hot coco and eat cookies while the campus is lit up all around. There are lights all over trees, buildings, and statues.Santa and a horse-drawn carriage may even be spotted!

After the Christmas spirit is brought into campus, organizations and programs start enjoying it as well. Last Friday, students from the Intensive English Program had an end of the year party where they sang Christmas songs, heard the Christmas story, built gingerbread houses, and ate tons of goodies!

Another DBU tradition is the Christmas Festival put on by the Department of Music. This year the program was called "The Joyful Sounds of Christmas" and that is exactly what it was, joyful!

Homecoming!

2010-11-29T16:21:00.000-06:00

In America, one thing that most every school has is a homecoming week. This is popular for both high schools, colleges, and sometimes even middle schools. Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back students and alumni of an institution which includes activities for students and alumni such as sports, cultural events, and a parade.

At DBU, the homecoming week started off on Sunday with building of the floats that would represent each student organization and be shown off and judged during the parade.

On Wednesday, there was a Coke Break with snacks and drinks as well as a movie in the quad. On Thursday was Mr. Big Chief, the most popular event during homecoming week. Basically this event is a male beauty pageant with many turns and twists to make it fun and exciting! The winner wears an American Indian head dress during the parade which takes place on Friday. During the parade, each class is represented by their homecoming court nominees. The cheerleaders and Minute Men are also involved to cheer and fire up the crowd.

Friday evening a variety show usually takes place, this year being "Days at DBU: A Broadway Revue." Finally, on Saturday the big sporting event took place, a basketball game! Before the game there was a tailgate party with tons of good food and fun! The DBU basketball team crushed the opposing school which made the week all the better!After the game there was a bonfire bash with dancing and food!

Come out next year to join in on all the fun!

CFNI Dinner

2010-11-11T12:21:00.000-06:00

Christ For The Nations is a local school that is truly about sharing Christ to all nations. Since Dallas Baptist University and CFNI are nearby one another, we have joined forces and welcome many of their students when they complete course work at CFNI. On Monday evening, many CFNI students came to DBU for a dinner and information session about transferring and what is entailed when coming to DBU.

Before we got into all the information, we had a worship time, prayer and a wonderful dinner of both Brazilian and Mexican food. We enjoyed each others company and made new friends.

In the future there will be other events for CFNI students interested in coming to DBU. If you have any questions feel free to contact International Admissions at 214-333-6856.

A Visit to America's Favorite Team

2010-10-26T13:23:00.003-05:00

Going to the Dallas Cowboys' stadium might seem like the impossible, but the international club, SASA (South Asian Student Association) made it happen. Early Saturday morning we loaded the vans and headed to Arlington, Texas to visit the new Cowboy stadium!

Once getting to the stadium, we were overwhelmed by the size of it, but anxious to go inside. We started off the tour by going into a typical suite that everyday people can rent during a game, after that, we moved on to the press box where all the news reporters go.

After getting some really neat views and learning interesting facts, it was time to go to the locker rooms! The Cowboys' locker room was extremely neat and organized! There were even big tv's in there so the players could see themselves on the television after interviews and what not.

After the players' locker room went went to the Cheerleaders dressing room! The best part is that a current DBU student is Dallas Cowboys' Cheerleader!

After that, we did the best thing of the whole tour, went down to the field and got to take pictures in the end zone! It was amazing to know what it would feel like to be on the field playing.

Finally, we went to the gift store and bought fun stuff to take back in remembrance.

Fall Break at its Finest

2010-10-18T14:53:00.000-05:00

Fall Break was a very busy time for the international students. After going to Austin on Monday, many of the students were tired but that did not stop us from staying busy.

On Tuesday, a group of students headed over to the Korean House in North Dallas to enjoy some Korean food as well as to welcome new students!

After lunch, many of students went to Sam Moon to shop and get great deals on items.

Wednesday was an even busier day with a trip to the fair! Early in the morning we loaded the vans and headed out, hitting much traffic on the way since the Texas fair is the biggest and best in the nation. Once in the park we headed straight over to see a dog show then broke up into groups to enjoy come good ol' fair food for lunch. Fair food is unlike any other, where everything is fried from corn dogs all the way to butter! After lunch we were able to see many other exhibits including a very neat bird show, automobile show, Big Tex, and many farm animals.

On Friday, many of the students went to Fort Worth and got a tour of the area! This weekend some students are going to go to Arlington to tour the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Be sure to check it out!

Conversation Partners!

2010-10-12T09:39:00.001-05:00

A fun thing that goes on every other Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the international office is Conversation Partners. Conversation Partners is a time for American students to meet and interact with international students, having fun and building friendships!

Before partnering up, we played games in groups! It was great with tons of laughs and similes!

After playing games, we sat down with our partners and got to know one another!

If you are interested, come check it out!

The dates are:

October 14th

October 28th
November 4th
November 18th

Down South.... to Austin

2010-10-05T16:13:00.000-05:00

Taking a day trip to Austin might seem like a lot to cram into one day, but it was well worth it. After loading the bus, we hit the road and about an hour and a half later stopped at our first place, Cracker Barrel.The Cracker Barrel chain is a Southern themed chain and serves traditional southern comfort food. Aside from the restaurant, there is a country store inside that sells collectibles, old time toys, classic candies, scented candles, and many holiday themed items. Once someone is done eating, they can always wander outside and sit in one of the many rocking chairs on the porch.

After the quick stop, we got back on the bus and headed down the road for about two more hours! By this time, we were all very hungry and ready for lunch. We ate at the amazing Tex-Mex restaurant called The Oasis which sits on a hilltop overlooking Lake Travis in the capital of Texas.

After eating lunch and looking around, it was time to go to the capital! What a beautiful city and wonderful building. It is amazing to think that Texas is governed largely in this building.

Be sure to come along next time to join in on all the fun!

Early Morning!

2010-09-28T16:33:00.000-05:00

Praying around a pole might seem odd to many. But in America, as well as many other countries around the world (about 27), it is quite common come the 4th Wednesday in September. It is recognized as an "annual gathering of Christian students of all ages at the flag pole in front of their local school for prayer, scripture reading, and hymn-singing, during the early morning before school starts." Today, See You At The Pole (SYATP) is an actual organization. If interested in it, visit: www.syatp.com

At DBU, our SYATP even started off with coffee, orange juice, and donuts. After gathering in groups with friends and peers, we started singing and listening to verses from the Bible. Simply, it is a prayer rally where students meet at the flag pole to lift up their friends, family, school, teacher, and nation to God, as well as praying for other schools and nations around the world who do not get an opportunity to do such.

SASA Cricket Event

2010-09-21T16:03:00.000-05:00

Once a semester, South Asian Students Association (SASA) usually holds an intense cricket game!

Before the game, a short meeting was held as well as an eating period where we were able to mingle and make new friends.

After hearing about all the fun events and introducing the officers, we headed out to the intramural field to play a good ol' game of cricket!!

Make sure you come out next semester to join in on all the fun! :)

Etiquette Dinner

2010-09-16T16:21:00.001-05:00

Every so often, Dallas Baptist University College of Business and Graduate School of Business present "Etiquette Training in Formal Dining Protocol and Dressing for Success" and invite students. This time, about 20 international students were able to attend the dinner!

Before dinner, we were taught what to wear in a business setting. Models came out to display different examples of attire that can be worn.

After that, the speaker came forth and taught us how to eat properly. We started with the 1st course, either a soup or salad and went all the way through to the dessert.

It was very informative and such an enjoyment! From this point forward, many students will now know how to eat properly in a formal setting. I think that everyone should have at least one experience with such a training session; it is great knowledge and preparation to have for certain future situations. The international students loved the food and thought it was overall a fun experience!

American Home Visit!

2010-09-14T14:12:00.001-05:00

About once a month, the Intensive English Program students get to go to an American home nearby, and get to experience fun, American style. Last week, a group of students went to Darrel and Cheryl Eppler's home to bake cookies and play games! Baking cookies from scratch is something that no longer has to be done for it is so easy to pull them out of a package and put them in the oven, but it was so enjoyable to learn how to do that and see everything that goes into a single cookie!

After putting together the chocolate chip cookies, we baked them for only about 10 minutes, then were able to eat them. We also made sugar cookies, but those came in a package. We decorated them with frosting and devoured them as well!

After eating cookies, fruit, and popcorn, we sat down in two groups and played games. At one table, we played dominoes and at the other table, we played spoons, which is a card game involving spoons!

The evening was so fun and great getting to participate in new games and activities!

Long Weekend, Lots of Fun!

2010-09-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was Labor Day weekend, and in America, a lot happens on this weekend! It became a United States federal holiday in 1894, and originated as a celebration of workers and their families for all the trade and labor that had taken place. Traditionally, in America, Labor Day is a symbol of the end of summer, involving much rest and parties. It also marks the beginning of NFL and college football seasons! However, at DBU, it has been a weekend of fun for different international clubs on campus!

Friday, during lunch, was the monthly S.A.S.A. (South Asian Student Association) meeting. We went to the dining hall on campus to eat and enjoy each others' company. Since we were at the dining hall, we were able to eat whatever we wanted and as much as we wanted. We laughed and joked, having a blast during the middle of the day after a long, crazy week of school.

Saturday night was the International Chinese Fellowship Welcome Party. We first started the night off with a quick info session, then moved on to games and food! As an ice breaker, we went around the room, asking people questions about fun stuff they could have done. The person who found all the answers first won a small prize. After getting to know each other, everyone was pretty hungry! We went and served ourselves some amazing Chinese food such as rice, orange chicken, vegetables, and chow mein. While eating, we just visited some more and enjoyed each others' company.

On Monday, VISA, or Vietnamese International Student Associated hosted one of their fun meetings! To start the night out, we watched the movie, Kung Fu Panda while some of the Vietnamese ladies worked in the kitchen preparing the food. After awhile, it was time to get cooking. They decided to cook using a charcoal grill, something that can be very difficult to do. After about an hour of working on that, we finally got it working. For the meat, we ate different cuts of pork. One was a ground style that they mixed with many different seasons and grilled in small patty like forms. For the other two, one being bacon, we grilled on the electric grill. While the meat was cooking, the ladies were getting the vermicelli (noodles) and vegetables taken care of. We had cilantro, basil, lettuce, carrots, and bean sprouts all to go with our meal! After about 2 hours of cooking, we were finally able to eat. We ate and visited for a while more! I cannot wait to go to the next one!

Party Time!

2010-09-02T15:59:00.000-05:00

The beginning of school is always a crazy time! But what is better than a huge party with tons of food and friends? The International Welcome Party is a huge event that takes places every year where all of the new and returning students can come and mingle with each other!

Once the party got under way, everyone was introduced and students stood up to represent their country. We moved on to hearing about all the different international clubs and learning about all the cool and fun events we could attend.

Afterward, we completed a questionnaire in groups, going around the room and trying to answer questions about countries all around the world.

Once we finished and congratulated the winning team, we sang songs and ate some delicious finger foods!

Tutoring!

2010-08-30T16:12:00.000-05:00

Are you having some trouble with your studies?

Do you need help starting a paper?

Do you want to work on your conversation?

No matter what the case may be, come get FREE tutoring!!!

Ready, Set, SKATE

2010-08-30T08:20:00.000-05:00

School for academic students has officially begun! With crazy classes, demanding work schedules, and finding decent studying time, it is difficult at times to have a social life. Nevertheless though, Student Life continues to host great events, especially during the first week of school to get students involved and create life-lasting friendships.One event that was held this week was roller skating at the Arlington Skatium.

Hannah and Kelly from Vietnam,

Sunny from Taiwan,

and Joey from China all went and loved it! They all want to go back again!

We had such a fun time roller blading and skating! On top of the we even had free pizza and soda! I can't wait will next year because it is going to be so fun!

After skating, a few of us went to get frozen yogurt which is similar to ice cream, but BETTER! With so many options is took a long time to figure out what we wanted. But once we bought it and sat down, we ate it so fast since we were all so hungry!

There were other events happening this week like a movie night, a concert, coke break, and welcome party! I can't wait to share those with you next week!

Mixin' it up!

2010-08-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

Last week was filled with so much fun!! Before school started all the new freshmen academic students moved in and took part in SWAT (student welcome and transition.) This 4 day event gets students accustomed to living on campus and preps them for school!

One of the events that was super popular was the International Mixer. All the freshmen came to the international office and got to hang out with international students. There was international food, music, food and tons of information about all the clubs! It was estimated that there were about 400 students in all!!

The next day, a group of international academic students went to downtown Dallas and enjoyed looking at different art museums. There was art from many different cultures from all over the world! We even rode a trolley that took us up and down the main part of downtown Dallas.

and the count is on...

2010-08-20T10:41:00.000-05:00

With school right around the corner, there has been a lot going on! In this last week students have been to chapel, 'help day,' academic orientation, and meeting with the president of Dallas Baptist University. Even though it has been super busy, it has all be fun!

To start the week off, chapel took place! There was singing and a nice lesson given by one of the teachers.

The next day was international help day! Wonderful people donated items that students could take and put in their door rooms for free! Even towels and bedding were there!

Wednesday was the busiest day of the week. In the morning the new academic international students were provided a yummy breakfast and then sat through an orientation where they learned all about DBU and what to expect in the upcoming semester.

After orientation they headed to the cafeteria to enjoy some campus food. It was a new experience will all types of American food as well as tons of new students!

After lunch, they went to Dr. Cook's house to meet him as well as enjoy some refreshments and listen to him play the organ.

Even though many students were worn out after the long day, it was definitely enjoyable!

Frisbee Time

2010-08-17T09:23:00.051-05:00

Even though the summer is coming to a close, it seems as though the events just keep getting more and more fun! On Sunday we had an extreme game of Ultimate Frisbee!

Anyway, after some BBQ (Barbecue), beans, and bread, we headed out to get down and dirty. We split into two teams, learned the rules, and started playing!

The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby. Players may only move one foot while holding the disc.

Even though the game got pretty intense, we pulled together as a team and showed some spirit!

Eating food, playing games, and making new friends is a great way to end a Sunday night!

Talk About a Heat Wave

2010-08-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

Hot. Humid. Sticky. Sweat. Blistering. Sizzling. Scorching. Wet.

This is the type of weather you can expect during summer time in Dallas, Texas. Right now the weather has been in the low 100s (Fahrenheit) for the last few days! The heat has been radiating off the ground!

BUT... we get very cold here too! So if you are not too fond of the heat, be ready, the snow is a'comin.

Graduate Luncheon

2010-08-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

What's a better way to end the school year and graduate than with a great lunch and wonderful fellowship time with other students? Well yesterday, that is exactly what the international students did.

Before lunch, the graduates got to spend time with their family and introduced them to faculty and staff that helped them through their time at DBU.

This is Preety from Nepal with her parents!

Saki Horikawa and her mother are from Japan!

This is Lorena with her parents, bother, and grandmother. They are from El Salvador.

This is Serena with 3 of her friends. Serena is from Taiwan.

Anna, from Korea, is standing second from the left with 3 of her co-workers and friends along with her boss, Randy.

Dr. Dowd, Vice President for Graduate and Corporate Affairs, gave a fantastic speech letting all the graduates know that they will always be a part of the DBU family. When the graduates first came to Dallas Baptist University to study, they were assured by faculty and staff that they are now a part the DBU family. Not only that, the faculty and staff also made sure each student knew they were going to do whatever possible to make their experience here great! It was really encouraging to know that Dr. Dowd along with many others really care and want each and every student to succeed.

After meeting all the graduates and listening to Dr. Dowd, lunch was served.

The food was wonderful and definitely filled us up. Not too long into lunch, Anna got up and sang "You Raise Me Up." It was such a pleasure to hear her sing with so much passion and love.

After more fellowship time and watching the graduates received an award, we took pictures and enjoyed each others presence.

What a great way to end the year and say goodbye to those who were there along the journey.

Trip to Downtown Dallas

2010-07-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a very exciting day for the new international students that just arrived from Taiwan! To welcome them to America and their new home, we went to downtown Dallas! After donuts and a short meeting, we loaded the bus and headed on our way! Along the way we were introduced to many interesting land marks as well as old buildings.

Our first stop was Texas Hall of State. This building was built in 1936 to celebrate Texas' 100 year anniversary. After that celebration it was supposed to be torn down; however, it remains standing today and is a great attraction to those interested in a little bit of history about Texas.

The building was tall and beautiful with murals and intricate designs in the architecture and style. One of the most interesting facts was the chairs they had for the centennial still remain today. To express how old they are, Queen Elizabeth II sat in one of them; however, it is unknown which one it actually was.Once we were finished looking around and hearing about the building and those involved in building it, we went outside and took pictures of the amazing fountains and designs outside.

After we loaded the bus, we went and drove down Main Street in Dallas. This street had many old buildings and neat eateries, something very enjoyable to look at. Once beyond Main Street, we stopped at Pioneer Plaza to walk with the cattle herd. Pioneer Plaza honors Dallas' cowboy past by celebrating the trails that brought settlers to Dallas.

After that, we went about 2 blocks down to the Dallas City Hall. There was an amazing view seen from outside of City Hall of some of the buildings in Dallas as well as a neat water front. The water front is made into a beach twice a year where there is an international festival full of different foods and traditions.

After exploring downtown for a few hours, we had built up quite an appetite. To end the day, we headed to Spaghetti Warehouse; an old warehouse made into a restaurant. We decided to sit in the trolley in the middle of the restaurant which was a really great experience. That atmosphere was a lot of fun and we had a great time socializing and getting to know one another.

There are many other events planned and I am am very excited!

A little taste of America

2010-07-23T10:21:00.000-05:00

Why did you come to DBU?

"I came to DBU to further my studies not only for me but for my family and country."

-Mary (Namibia)

"I came to DBU mainly to achieve the dream of my career and for the DBU cross country and track team. I came to DBU mostly because it is a Christian school and it gives moral values to the students as they keep on going with their studies."

-Susan (Kenya)

What do you like most about DBU?

"I like DBU because of the value it stands for and not all universities in America have the same values. Not only that, but DBU has so many international people that are from different countries that came here to study. I believe that DBU people and president think that not only American people should be educated but that every nation should."

-Mary (Namibia)

"DBU is a Christian school, the campus is beautiful, and there are many other international students."

-Haley (South Korea)

"I like DBU mostly because of its environment and the socializing of students from different places, countries like China, Korea, Japan, and other countries. I also like DBU because they have many facilities like the library and computer labs. The classes are so good, not like big classes because you can walk up to your professor and they talk to the students. I also like other facilities like playing fields, basketball, volleyball, and all others."

-Susan (Kenya)

"I like DBU because the people are very kind and friendly. Secondly, there are many activites that help me improve my English skills.

-Erica (South Korea)

What is the biggest difference between here and home?

"The biggest difference to me is the infrastructure in America. The economy is better and there is access to so much more. When you live in the U.S. your perception about life changes completely. Everything is so fast paced and there is constant innovation everywhere. Therefore to match this change, your mind set has to conform to the way things are done.

-Satta (Sierra Leone, Africa)

"Here, you guys are law abiding. At home, traffic rules and that stuff, we're not so much into that."

     -Sandra (Ghana, Africa)

"Language is the biggest difference and driving. Also, people here are big, tall, and strong and in Japan people are very small."
   -Yosuke (Japan)

"Culture. And learning about Jesus."
     -Hannah (Vietnam)

What would you like to tell students who are interested to coming to DBU?

"I highly encourage students who have the desire to come to DBU, Dallas Baptist University, and see for themselves. This is a school that I came to and liked. In my mind, I did not know DBU is the way it is, but even right now I am happy because it is like a home away from home. I like DBU so much!"

-Susan (Kenya)

Sunday Night Fun!

2010-07-14T11:17:00.001-05:00

Sundays are usually days where one can relax and prepare for the upcoming week, but for those who would rather eat food, play games, and meet new people, "International Student Outreach Ministry" (ISOM) is for you!

Usually ISOM consists of a dinner, talking to new friends, and a fun activity. Last night's theme was "Summer Camp Games," and it really did feel like summer camp. After a Taco Cabana dinner (Mexican food) with enchiladas (a corntortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chilli peppersauce), rice, beans, chips, and salsa, we started playing games!

The first game we played was a relay! In order to complete this, one had to run half way across a basketball court, pick up a foam stick, put in on his or her head, and spin around 6 times. After doing that, the student would run back to the team and tag the hand of the person waiting to go next. Whatever team finished first won! The best part was that most everybody was dizzy from spinning so coming back to the line took a little while but it was so fun to watch! This game was pretty close, but the yellow team was able to take the win!

After that game, we played passketball. This game is a mixture of basketball and ultimate frisbee. If you are holding the ball, you cannot move, you can only pass. The object of the game is to get it into the basket! Just in case you were wondering, the team with the yellow flags won again!

After a 5 minute water break, the final game began! This game is like tag, but instead of tagging someone, you just have to pull his or her flags off. Once both of the flags are pulled off, the person is out of the game. The last person standing with at least one flag still on wins! This game was so fun! It was all in friendly competition but very intense.

Next Sunday is movie night so bring out the popcorn and candy!

A Day at the Ballpark

2010-07-08T09:53:00.001-05:00

Last night the IEP students had a true American experience, a baseballgame of course! After having a Tex-Mex dinner, the students loaded intothe vans and headed to Arlington, Texas to watch the Texas Rangers takeon the Cleveland Indians.

Onceat the ballpark, they displayed their excitement in many of thepictures taken! After getting inside, the students got in line forDollar Hot Dog Night!

They loaded each one up with mustard and ketchupand then we walked to our seats.Once at our seats, the basics of thegame were explained and the watching began.

The game was rather excitingwith the Rangers scoring first, then dropping behind by a few, but nottoo much later the game was tied up and before we knew it the Rangerstook the lead again!

About 3 hours after coming into the ballpark, the game finally ended with a score of 4-3 RANGERS! When the Rangers won, the crowd cheered and fireworks went off!

After such a win, the Rangers got to walk off the field with their head held high and we were able to walk back to the vans with a smile on our face!

Fourth of July in Dallas, Texas

2010-07-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

On July 4, 1776, we claimed ourindependence from Britain and democracy in America was born. Since that day, each year on July 4,Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues,picnics, and family gatherings. One of the most fun and famous parts of that day are the firework shows that occur in the evening in many cities across the United States. Texas is a place, no matter where one is, fireworks will most likely be seen, or at least heard.

Going to a lake, eating watermelon, hamburgers, and hot-dogs is a traditional Texas style of celebration. This weekend many international students will be going to Wyatt's Family Farm for tons of food and fun! While Mr. Wyatt grills the food on the barbecue, the students can participate in volleyball games and go on hayrides. When the sun finally sets, there will be a firework show for all to enjoy with many colors and loud booms!