International students sculpt their first pumpkins

The University Center for International Education (UCIE) hosted a series of Halloween-themed events for international students on Oct. 25 in the Wright State Community Center.

Pumpkin carving was one of the hands-on activities. The students formed groups of three of more, chose their pumpkins and spent the next hour stenciling and sculpting.

Namrata Dave and Dammy Orebiyi, graduate assistants for the Dayton International Office, attended and helped coordinate the event.

"We believe the international students really enjoy it," Dave said. "Most other countries don't have anything like pumpkin carving. It brings them together in a group; they make friends with people they've never met before."

The students experienced the charms of scraping out their pumpkins and sawing through them in unique patterns. One of the jack-o-lanterns bore "STUDENT LOANS" in place of a mouth.

"We have taken students to the haunted trails before," said Dave. However, the early chill this year warranted a schedule change. Dave said the organization planned to show a movie after the students were done carving instead.

"We've had so much success in past years that it has become a tradition," Orebiyi said. "They love it. It is the profound experience of something they've never done before, one more thing to lock into their memory."

Syed Zabi, a graduate student from India, said this was the first Halloween event he and his group of friends had participated in since coming to America.

Another Indian graduate student, Salman Shaikh, said, "We haven't done this kind of activity before, so it was a very nice experience. We look forward to doing this again next year, as well as any similar events."