The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Association’s inaugural potluck was a roaring success, according to organization president Naser Maliar.
“Faculty and students from the TESOL program enjoyed a wonderful evening of food and fellowship,” Maliar said.
TESOL graduate student Christopher Buck hosted the event as part of the TESOL Association’s organizational outreach.
Students and faculty in the TESOL program enjoyed food from around the globe, including traditional dishes from Afghanistan, China, Germany, Russia and Saudi Arabia. In addition to cuisine, the association also facilitated a small concert of traditional music from Korea, China and Russia performed by exchange student Sung-mi, an accomplished musician from South Korea. Association President Maliar also asked TESOL faculty members Ho Ryong Park and Saihua Xia to accompany Sung-mi with additional songs.
Following these musical performances, the students took turns performing songs and dances popular in their home countries.
“To be sure, there are several very talented dancers in the TESOL program,” Maliar said.
However, even as the students shared their different and unique cultures with each other, they also bonded over a shared love: coffee.
“If you go to any of the TESOL classes, there is a very good chance that you will be able to enjoy a cup of coffee,” Maliar said.
Lamia Abu Dawed, a Murray State TESOL graduate student, brought a selection of Turkish coffee that is very popular in Jordan. A coffee presentation was also given by Mater Alharbi, another TESOL graduate student originally from Saudi Arabia, detailing different methods of coffee production around the world. Alharbi served an assortment of global coffees as an accompaniment to his presentation.
The TESOL Association looks forward to a great year of activities. Interested students can contact Dr. Latricia Trites, director of the TESOL program, at ltrites@murraystate.edu, or follow the program’s Facebook page (MSU Student TESOL Organization) to learn about upcoming events.
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