Latin-American Thanksgiving Reminds Students of Home
October 16, 2023
By Daniela Alejandra Guevara Sotomayor
On October 9th, VIU international students from Latin America got together to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday not recognized in their home countries.
Daniela Rodriguez, a fifth-year Education student from Colombia and Ecuador, said Thanksgiving, “is about traditions and finding ways to bring your culture into a tradition. It’s nice to bring people together who speak your language and share a similar cultural perspective.”
“When you’re having a hard time searching for motivation, it’s nice to have a study group and then go out and do something to celebrate. I volunteer as a peer helper, and since then, I’ve met many international students. Few of them are Latinos, but I always say quality over quantity,” says Rodriquez.
Rodriguez highlighted key events that promote a sense of belonging among Latin-American international students at VIU, such as Latino nights at The Queens and the Culture Couch Series, a student-led weekly event organized by volunteers who take on the role of hosts and share aspects of their culture with their peers.
The evening often consists of sampling traditional foods, sharing music, and engaging in conversation. Those in the audience gain more understanding about the world and about each other.
Alonso Duran, a second-year Digital Media student from Mexico, says, “Celebrating a holiday not traditionally celebrated in Latin America is unique. It gives you a sense of family and community.” He said these celebrations are an opportunity to merge his own traditions with Canadian customs.
Duran reflected on the challenges he initially faced: “At the beginning, I felt very lonely. There were very few Spanish-speaking people, and you grow tired of speaking only English. Having the Latino community helps you feel safe in a place that is foreign to you, where you don’t have many allies.”
David Hernandez, a third-year Psychology major from El Salvador, discussed the initiatives taken to build the Latin-American community at VIU: “I started by asking anyone who seemed Latino and spoke a bit of Spanish if they’d like to connect. Celebrating Thanksgiving was a helpful excuse to get together with Latinos.”
Melisa Carrera del Rio, in her last semester of an MBA program at VIU, said celebrating Thanksgiving was a way to adapt to Canadian culture while maintaining respect for her own traditions.
