On May 5, Fulford Preparatory College (FPC) in Merrickville held its second annual International Day where students showcased their countries, cultures and traditions for the community.
Alhanouf Al Farsi is a grade 12 student at FPC from Oman. She says she really enjoyed having the opportunity to share the different traditions and customs in her culture. “It was really great to see people interested in learning about what I had to say and share about my country.”
Her favourite part about the fair was meeting people from the community and learning more about the town she is living in. She loves the small-town feel in Merrickville and finds the people extremely friendly and helpful. “It’s a delightful little village,” she says. “Back home in Oman, I was not really connected to the people living in my town because it was a really big town with lots of people, but it is easier to meet people here because you can always see them around the town.”
The countries recognized this year were Oman, South Korea, Russia, Macao, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Nigeria, Mexico and Kuwait. The students put on a great show, complete with traditional dress, food and music. Visitors had the opportunity to learn how to play Mah-jong (a traditional Chinese game), get their name printed in different languages, win prizes and take home some free souvenirs. The teacher responsible for International Day, Jennifer Gransden, says they had about 50-60 guests at this year’s event, which is quite a few more than they had last year. “It is our hope that this event continues every year, and that members of the community will be just as eager to celebrate as we are,” she says.
