Overseas students seek alternatives for Thanksgiving

By Jacquelyn Nixon

Daily Staff Reporter

While some students will be packing their bags and heading for the airport to see their families this afternoon, many of the University's international students will be remaining on campus or visiting friends this holiday weekend.

Rackham student Guilherme Larangeira of Brazil said he has remained in Michigan twice before for Thanksgiving breaks.

"Last year I stayed with friends and had a dinner with other international students and a couple of American students," he said.

Larangeira said this year he will be traveling during Thanksgiving break with friends.

"I'm probably going for the entire weekend skiing in northern Michigan. We're going to try to have a nice dinner," he said.

Yoshitaka Matsuura, an LSA sophomore from Japan, traveled to California last Thanksgiving to visit his friend's family.

"This year I'm going to Lake Michigan. A couple of my friends rented out a cabin for the weekend," he said.

For LSA sophomore Babawole Akin-Aina, who will be staying on campus this year, Thanksgiving is an uneventful vacation from classes.

"I don't usually do anything at all. The only thing I did last year was go to Detroit to visit with friends," he said.

Akin-Aina, who is from Nigeria, said his Thanksgiving is usually very quiet.

Like Akin-Aina, LSA sophomore Rahul Gupta said he will remain on campus during break.

Gupta, who is from Japan, said many international students he knows will be using the break to travel.

"A lot of my friends don't live in the U.S., so they use the opportunity to see friends and relatives around the U.S.," he said.

Gupta said he spent his first Thanksgiving break with family.

"Last year, I went to see my sister in Cincinnati, but unfortunately she's not living there anymore," he said.

Many families across the United States take in relatives from abroad who are studying in this country.

LSA sophomore Alisha Moopen, who is from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, said her family members from across the country come together in New York during Thanksgiving.

"Last year I stayed with my cousins. We generally go out somewhere but it's just like any other vacation," Moopen said.

LSA sophomore Sabrina Yeung, who previously lived in Singapore, said she usually spends the vacation with family.

"Last year I visited relatives in Canada and this year I'm staying on campus. I'm going to eat dinner with my brother who's already graduated from the University," Yeung said.

LSA junior Barry Laurens of Indonesia said Thanksgiving is very similar to the Chinese New Year, especially because his family sits down and has exquisite dinner.

Laurens has spent his past two Thanksgivings with friends, will continue the tradition this year.

"My first two years I went to visit a friend in Toronto," he said. "We just hang out around Toronto, go to clubs, eat and visit Niagara Falls."