MUSC International Bazaar excites the senses

By J. Ryne Danielson

View More Photos

MUSC’s International Bazaar was held Thursday, April 23 on the horseshoe. The annual event celebrates the richness of cultures represented on MUSC’s campus with food, crafts, and performances from around the world. One hundred sixteen flags were arrayed around the Horseshoe. Of those, 86 represented students, faculty, or staff at MUSC.

Emcees for the event were Delia Voronca, a Public Health Sciences student from Romania, and Janina Wilmskoetter, a College of Health Professions student from Germany. The two are co-presidents of the International Student Association, representing the MUSC International Community. Performances included Taiko, a Japanese art form that combines percussion and martial arts, a Middle Eastern dance, music by a Chinese flutist, and an African drum and dance ensemble. “It was fun, interesting and a wonderful opportunity to get a flavor of the international society in Charleston and at MUSC,” said Anjan Motamarry, an international student in the College of Graduate Studies.

Kathleen White, R.N., said: “We don’t often take the time to celebrate our international community. The international bazaar does just that – with music, dance, art, food, and conversation. I took my daughter out of class mid-day to experience it with me. She missed high school global studies, but enjoyed speaking French, eating Greek for lunch and Romanian cookies for dessert, while listening to Native American music and watching Latin and African dance.”

Madhura Athreya was once an international student and now works at MUSC as the lab manager for Peter Kalivas, M.D., in the Department of Neurosciences. “It is such a treat to experience homemade food of different cultures and even more of a delight to get some homemade food from your own,” she said.

Kevin Wiley, the Program Coordinator for the Center for Global Health, said: “I enjoy helping Rebeca Mueller prepare for the Bazaar as a member of the Center for Global Health team. The work is really rewarding, especially raising flags of countries represented at MUSC. I always marvel at the cultural richness and international diversity here. Events like the International Bazaar go a long way in preserving that richness.”

Ryne writes for The Catalyst as part of the MUSC Public Relations team.