Our Cosmopolitan Club House residents Shu-Fen Chen, Kazumi Ohira, and Sajini Guntur, were key players in providing the guiding impetus and responsibility for three of our six international dinners. Five of our Thursday evening coffee hours were also hosted by residents of Cosmo house. Several residents also helped host the New International Student Reception in August for 250 students new to the U of I campus!
Cultural student associations were integral in providing the entertainment and atmosphere at events, such as the Philippine Student Association at the Philippine Dinner. The Caribbean Students United presented a fabulous Jamaican Coffee hour with a wide array of specially prepared foods and Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. Calypso and other native dances were performed and the atmosphere created was one of relaxation, a sense of community and hospitality. The following descriptions of Coffee Hour evenings are those hosted by our Cosmopolitan Club Residents.
Our French Coffee hour presented by Frederique Bichat was a splendid evening of "all things French." Frederique had been back to her home country just a week prior to this event, and brought back assorted fresh cheeses, exquisite perfume samples, and slides to share with those attending. In addition, she baked and offered an apple tarte, a ham and cheese quiche, and chocolate mousse (enough for 50 people!). Her slide show presentation was interesting and informative and was narrated intelligently.
Emi Kokhaiakava presented the Russian Coffee Hour and made Russian pastries. Beautiful Russian folk music set the mood. Susan Slivkin, of the Russian and East European Center, shared personal slides of her travels in Russia. Andrei Kuznetsov, an accomplished guitar player, performed and sang Russian songs, and the evening ended with a session of group singing led by Andrei.
Julio Urbina hosted the Peruvian Coffee Hour early in the semester with the help of his Peruvian friends. The large multi-cultural crowd sampled Pervian desserts and drinks and then were treated to a Peruvian Folk Dance performance by Jessica. This helped to break the ice and inspire everyone to dance the ever-popular Macarena, which was played no less than three times that evening, linking people of all nationalities together in a synchronized chain of free- flowing motion and abandonment.
Shu-Fen Chen presented a program on relaxation and "Focusing on Your Inner Self." It was a fortuitous coincidence that her spiritual teacher happened to pay a visit to the U of I campus for a few days at the time of the coffee hour. She was able to help Shu-Fen present this program.
Joseph Patrick Sullivan, our resident entomologist came up with yet another fascinating topic highlighting "Insects in Costumes" (a topic appropriate to the week before Halloween!).
Ashish Debroy and Nick Bjorne were a great help this semester, assisting at coffee hours and dinners. Both are student diplomats from the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA). My thanks also to Mathili Rundlund of OISA and Anna Kasten of the Intensive English Institute (IEI) for helping communicate our program information to international students. Gordon Liao, a member of the Illini Union Board, has been working with us in setting up the Cosmopolitan Club Monthly Outreach Program at the Beckwith Center. Lakshmi Yananadala of the Beckwith Center staff was an integral part of the creation of these programs, and her support and ongoing help has been invaluable.
The many who donated food items to the Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner are applauded! This event would not be possible without the many cooks who help bring all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes to the Cosmo table. The efforts of all who participated in this event made our $350 donation to WEFT 90.1 FM Community Radio a reality. Such generosity! And by so very many!
Pratik Singh, a Resident of Cosmo was the force behind the W.O.W! (What's On Wednesdays?) series of activities planned for the Cosmo House Residents and their guests. This semester's offerings included an aerobic session led by Emi, slide shows by Pratik, group bowling at the Union, horseback riding, etc.
Of course, there are many, many "unsung heros," people I haven't mentioned who remain "behind the scenes" but are always there when a need arises. You know who you are, and you are also appreciated and lauded for your efforts on behalf of Cosmo.
A new 32" television set for the library/TV room was a gift from the Community Foundation of Champaign. This has been used on many occasions for showing videos at coffee hours or after international dinners. It is a great addition to our equipment at the house.
Sidney Epstein of Chicago generously gave a new wall-to-wall carpet in the TV/library room when he learned that the old one was in great need of replacement. The Cosmopolitan Club House was renamed in 1991 in his father's honor (A. Epstein International Center) and Abraham Epstein's sons Raymond and Sidney continue to keep a watch over the Club like guardian angels.
Owners of the Winter Wheat Antique Shop in St. Joseph, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lenkart, donated the two Cosmopolitan Club scrapbooks from the 1920s mentioned and described in Mary Hussey's article in this Newsletter. We appreciate the Lenkarts' generosity.
So you see, there are "big" gifts and "small" gifts of money, time, knowledge, energy, food, and enthusiasm thoughtful acts by a wide range of "friends," Club members, and a dedicated Board, who create the support system and foundation for the Club. It is the willingness of all these people, working together in various combinations that help raise and maintain the level of Cosmopolitan Club programs. Amazing, is it not?
I invite you to become if you are not already a part of this very distinguished group of volunteers and Cosmo supporters.