A Beautiful Experience
When asked what life is like in Italy, Ilaria says, “Beautiful, it’s my birthplace and home of all my family and friends.” This contrasts sharply with her first experiences in America. Ilaria came as an exchange student pursuing her PhD late in 2021. “At first only bad things happened,” she said. “It was a shock, […]
Reflections on Decades of Serving International Students
Bob Tanquist and his wife, Marilyn, began volunteering with IFI before it had a name! The church they joined after moving to Columbus in 1979 connected them to IFI founders Phil and Ruth Saksa and Mabel Bahler. Bob and Marilyn enjoyed helping at IFI dinner meetings, bringing food, and gathering with students until about 2005 […]
The Vibrancy of Volunteering
Kayla and Fatoumata became friends through IFI and both shared their side of the story with us. To read Fatoumata’s perspective, click here. Kayla, an IFI volunteer, and Fatoumata, an international student, crossed paths about 3 years ago in August of 2019. They both had signed up to help out at IFI’s annual furniture sale […]
A Stranger Became the Maid of Honor
Even though Fatoumata’s brother already lived in the U.S. before she joined him from Mali, she still faced many challenges, including language barriers and finding community. She arrived in July 2015 to study Business at Cincinnati State, excited to learn how American people lived. Fatoumata first heard about IFI events from a coworker and began […]
Help in the Midst of Emergency
On December 1st, 2021, Alina suddenly felt a pain in her stomach. Alina had come to the US just a few months before from Germany to study and play soccer in Peoria, IL. She expected to have many experiences in America, but not surgery. Alina called Paula, a staff member at IFI who had helped […]
Overwhelmed with Appreciation
Anfernee arrived in the US from Trinidad and Tobago in July of 2019 to pursue a degree in business at Illinois Central College. When IFI staff members picked Anfernee up from the airport he knew very little about them. However, IFI staff and volunteers showed Anfernee that they were always willing to be of assistance. […]
Indian Friendship Team Loves in Culturally Relevant Ways
IFI seeks to offer cultural activities specific to the students it serves, whether Chinese, African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin, or a variety of others. For Indian and Nepalese students in Columbus, IFI has formed the IFI Indian Friendship team. This team is especially important because U.S. universities have seen an influx of Indian students compared […]
7 Tips for Watching Movies with International Friends
Have you been wanting to watch a movie with an international friend, but you’re unsure how to start? Learn from Larissa, a Dayton IFI Staff member, who has great tips about the best ways to watch movies with internationals! What are the benefits of watching movies with International Friends? Movies open up opportunities to talk […]
Volunteers Share Maple Syrup Making with Students
Nine years ago, Tom and Jody Slemmer didn’t know how to make the maple syrup that now attracts groups of international students out to their farm. Originally, Tom and Jody lived in the suburbs, but they both loved the outdoors and wanted a place where they could watch things grow. With no “real” farm experience, […]
The Good Samaritan
Onwell arrived from Zimbabwe in 2019 to major in Business Administration. Before journeying to the US, Onwell contacted IFI for airport pickup. “I felt safe with IFI because I arrived at night, clueless, and they took care of me and provided me with everything I needed for the night.” While new in the US, Onwell […]