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Friends, football and Disneyworld make students' lists of alternatives to going home for break

Students had the opportunity to have Thanksgiving dinner early Monday evening in the Campus Christian Center.

ABOVE: From left, Ryan Anderson, senior biology major from Hurricane; Varun Narula, a Charleston graduate student originally from India; and Brad Willis, a graduate student from St. Albans enjoy playin with their food during the dinner.

For more on Thanksgiving celebrations, see this edition's story on dinners on campus.

story and photos by WHITNEY DANIEL
reporter

The majority of Marshall's students will be leaving Huntington this weekend. They will head home for a week-long break with a warm, home-cooked meal and quality time with family.

But what about students with family living across the country, or worse, across the ocean? These students and others who have athletic, university or work related obligations have other plans for this year's Thanksgiving break.

Most international students, obviously, will no be returning home for the short break.

"I don't think many will go home," Clark Egnor, director of English as a Second Language Program, said. "Most wait until winter break to go home because it is a much larger time frame."

Many of the international students will either stay in the dorms, explore the country with friends or stay with an American family.

"Our international students take advantage of the Homestay Program and stay with American families," Egnor said. "Others might get invited to the homes of their Conversation Partner, which is another program we have for our students."

The largest group of international students at Marshall is Japanese students. There is a holiday in Japan similar to the American Thanksgiving called Kansha-no-hi. According to www.japanlink.co.jp, Kansha-no-hi was designated a national holiday "for the people to honor labor, celebrate manufacturing and give thanks to one another."

Yuki Sakaguchi, an exchange students from Japan, said, "In Japan, Nov. 23 is a holiday, but I won't be going home. Friday I will go to Florida with my Japanese friend. We are going to Disneyworld and Universal Studios for one week."

Kim You-na, an English literature major from Korea, said there is a Korean Thanksgiving called Chu-seok or Han-ga-we. This is celebrated Aug. 15 and is the biggest holiday in Korea next to New Year's Day.

"Fortunately, in my case, I know some people near here. Two friends, two brothers and three aunts. Maybe Thanksgiving Day, I'll be at my aunt's house and have a big Korean meal.

ÒIf I went to Korea for break, I would have a good time with my family and friends. But above all, what I want most is to have Korean food. I miss that more than my family and friends," You-na said.

Students from Latin America and Canada also said they were a little too far from home to go home for the break.

"I am from Venezuela. As all Latin American countries, we do not celebrate Thanksgiving. But, I have relatives here for more than 25 years now, and we have incorporated this holiday to our lives," Werther Blanco, an exchange student from Venezuela, said. "So this year, I will be here with my family cooking turkey and all those American dishes."

Lindsay Pinkney, a graduate student from Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, studying industrial and organizational psychology, said it is too far and too cold to go home for break.

"Since my family couldn't meet for the Canadian Thanksgiving in October, we are all going to meet in California for the American one. We are going to stay at a friend's beach house where we used to vacation every summer. It is like a second home to me, and I am very excited to see my family," Pinkney said.

And still, there are those from closer locations who aren't willing to make the trip.

"Going home is really expensive. Last year it cost me $500 for a plane ticket," Pam Hughes, a sophomore from Englewood, Fla., said. "Thanksgiving and Christmas break are only two weeks apart, so it is senseless to pay to go home for both."

Students with no other choice but to stay on campus, will be provided with a place to stay.

"Anytime the halls are shut down for a holiday break, Twin Towers are left open. Those not living in Towers can stay in the room of someone they know or Residence Services puts them in a vacant room or a study lounge," Tamiko Ferrell, residence hall director, said.

Although Towers will be left open, the cafeterias are shut down during the break.

"I think it's kind of sad that the cafeteria is closed over break. It's bad enough that some people can't go home, but they also have to come up with their own meals," Sabrina Ghareeb, a freshman biology major from Cross Lanes, said.

Ferrell said, "Usually the majority of students that stay are international students, athletes and those who are obligated to stay because of work or a university requirement."

The football team is among those athletes having to stay in Huntington for the break.

"Football starts in the summer and we don't get to go home until Christmas. That is a long time to go without seeing your family, so it would be nice to get to go home for Thanksgiving break," Joe Deifel, a sophomore business major from Lexington, Ky., said.

Stan Hill, a sophomore graphic design major from Oxford, Miss., agreed. "It is upsetting not to get to go home to spend Thanksgiving with my family, but that's the sacrifice you have to make when you make a commitment like joining the football team."

Other students have commitments such as work.

"If I don't work, they will cut my hours. I have to work one of the three major holidays," Lisa Smith, a junior biology major from Summersville, said. "Although it is just a part-time job, it is still an obligation and I have to work. My family isn't really happy about it, but they totally understand."