International Students Visit Philadelphia

Ten international students went to Philadelphia for a cultural trip during spring break, Mar.21- Mar.23, 2014. International Student and Scholar Services (I.S.S.S.) sponsored this trip and offered hotel rooms, rides, and hot breakfasts during the trip for those who attended.

“Last year, I offered the trip to Philadelphia for international students for the first time. This is the second year,” said Paul Miller of I.S.S.S.

During the trip, students can explore Philadelphia and visit wherever they want to go. Some students were able to go and enjoy ethnic cuisine. It was a chance to enjoy the foods of their homeland, while they visited a city much bigger than Chambersburg.

“It was nice because the weather was fine. We could walk wherever we wanted. We found a nice Arabic restaurant, which is not common in many places. It was authentic,” said Anna Harutyunyan’17 from Armenia. “We went to couple of museums. It was kind of an educational trip.”

“I know that there are international students who don’t have a lot of resources. Some of them don’t have the money to travel over spring break,” Miller said.

American students are often able to go home over spring break, but the international students are usually stuck on campus. For this reason, Miller began offering opportunities to travel at a very low cost to students.

“I found that the many international students have heard about Philadelphia, but they never have the opportunity to go there. If they have not had the chance before to see the birthplace of our nation, Philadelphia, this is a great opportunity for them,” said Miller.

Philadelphia is a historic city because it was once the capital of America. Visitors can tour historic places such as the Independence National Historical Park. Students who come from different countries and cultures can learn American history while visiting these places, while also having fun.

“During the trip, I think the most interesting thing was The Liberty Bell Center. It shows me how Americans tried to have freedom from slavery and their struggle over the rights for women. It was really impressive,” said Aerin Kim, an international student from South Korea.

Miller thinks it was a successful trip. He awaits more feedback from the international students who attended.

For more information about Wilson I.S.S.S., please contact Paul Miller at paul.miller@wilson.edu.

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