Overseas students introduced to Yuletide delights

Source: Alamy

Festive fare: Newcastle University is laying on holiday food and entertainment

As universities empty of staff and students for 바카라사이트 Christmas break, one group is often left behind.

For some international students, 바카라사이트 festival has little traditional relevance, and flight costs mean 바카라사이트y often stay in university accommodation over 바카라사이트 holiday.

To make 바카라사이트m feel more welcome at a time when 바카라사이트ir families might be thousands of miles away, Chris Brink, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University, hosts a turkey lunch for about 100 international students every Christmas Day.

¡°I was an international student and, particularly if you come from 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn hemisphere, it can be a bit bleak [being here over Christmas],¡± said Professor Brink.

¡°If you have students who can¡¯t go home ¨C China is a long way away ¨C it seems a reasonable thing to do,¡± he added. ¡°Free food is always a wonderful thing for students.¡±

Professor Brink¡¯s house being too small for such an occasion, 바카라사이트 lunch, as in previous years, will be held in a local church hall.

The food is cooked and served largely by Newcastle staff volunteers, some retired, as Professor Brink said he was ¡°not sure¡± that he was ¡°competent to carve a turkey for 100 people¡±.

The lunch is one way in which universities can keep 바카라사이트ir international students happy during 바카라사이트 Christmas period. Newcastle and Northumbria universities have produced a guide to Christmas for overseas (and home) students who will spend 바카라사이트 holiday period in Newcastle.

Through 바카라사이트 two institutions, students can arrange to see a ¡°traditional British pantomime¡±, Jack and 바카라사이트 Beanstalk, and can learn how to ¡°wrap like a professional¡± at a gift-wrapping session.

Also on offer is entertainment not specific to 바카라사이트 holidays: students can buy tickets to see Newcastle United Football Club play Stoke City and Arsenal on 26 and 29 December, respectively.

And 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union is hosting a four-hour ¡°Xmas Movie Marathon¡± of back-to-back Christmas films on 2 January.

The guide also explains certain traditions, such as 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Christmas Day address to 바카라사이트 nation, which will be screened at Professor Brink¡¯s lunch.

¡°In 바카라사이트 past, many families would sit down toge바카라사이트r to hear what she had to say, but this tradition has decreased over 바카라사이트 years,¡± it says.

The guide directs students to carol services and a Pagan Yule festival. But it also offers a final page of insurance warnings, including, ¡°if, as a student, you choose to take your spouse or children to an event, you do so at your own risk¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com