Area residents may sample bubble tea or attend a mock wedding full of the costumes and culture of India during Southeast Missouri State University's celebration of International Education Week, which kicks off Friday and concludes Nov. 22.

Umesh Malhotra can't wait for the wedding, which will wrap up festivities. Malhotra, a Southeast student from New Delhi, India, is helping to coordinate the traditional Indian ceremony.

"Everybody will be wearing the traditional dresses," said Malhotra, who heads up the Indian Sub-continent Student Association. The groom and his party will wear red or pink turbans. Thirty-five students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are members of the association at Southeast and all will be involved in the wedding, portraying everything from the bride and groom to family members and the Hindu priest.

There will even be a stage set up for the wedding, which will be held in Dempster Hall's Glenn Auditorium. The wedding will begin at 5:30 p.m. and last two hours.

By Indian standards, that's fast. A traditional wedding in India lasts seven to 13 days, Malhotra said. "It is a full family thing," he said.

Acquiring understanding

Jill Venezian, coordinator of international community programs at Southeast, said the mock wedding and other activities during the weeklong celebration presents an opportunity for students to understand diverse cultures.

"For the international students, it is an opportunity to share their countries and their lives at home and to show us that the world is much bigger than our front yard," she said.

It also gives Americans a chance to meet students living far from home and make new friends, Venezian said.

Southeast has 235 international students taking classes this fall.

The celebration will kick off Friday with an international festival from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the University Center lobby that will feature students and items from various countries ranging from Argentina to Taiwan.

The public can sample bubble tea, a recently popular Asian sensation, or other foreign fare like Japanese pizza, which has corn as a topping.

"Bubble tea is very popular in Taiwan where it originated and throughout Asia," Venezian said. The bubbles are large pearls of tapioca, and the tea is consumed with a fat straw.

In addition to various foods, participants may hear samples of music from other countries and see international students in traditional dress.

Henna tattoos

They also can view craft demonstrations and even have temporary tattoos applied with the dye from a henna plant. "It really is popular in the Mideast and also is popular in Africa," Venezian said. "Henna is really an ancient beauty product."

An auction will be held of items donated by international students and university staff, including silk scarves, ornamental chopsticks and a tapestry. Proceeds will benefit Friends Without Borders, a campus organization for international and American students.

Beginning on Monday, students in the university's intensive English program will be encouraged to eat lunch during the week with American students in the University Center dining rooms. Participants will be wearing plastic leis. Students are encouraged to exchange names and telephone numbers.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

When: Friday, 4-6 p.m.

Where: University Center lobby.

Sample food from around the world, listen to music and see students dressed in native dress. Craft demonstrations and an auction also will be held.

JEWISH HUMOR

When: Sunday, 3:30-5 p.m.

Where: Missouriana Room.

Israeli film director Einat Kapach will explore Jewish humor using film clips. Space is limited. For reservations, call Jill Venezian at 986-6872.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

When: All week, Nov. 18-22, noon to 1 p.m.

Where: University Center dining rooms.

Intensive English students will converse with American students over lunch. Students can exchange names and telephone numbers.

FILM SCREENING

When: Tuesday 4-6 p.m.

Where: Seabaugh Polytechnic Building, Room 201.

View a composite of six short films by women filmmakers from India, Cambodia, Peru, Uganda, Kenya and Indonesia dealing with the problems of population and development. A short discussion by physics associate professor Giulio Venezian will follow.

STUDY ABROAD FAIR

When: Thursday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: University Center lobby.

Students can learn about opportunities to study abroad.

INDIAN MOCK WEDDING

When: Friday, Nov. 22, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Dempster Hall's Glenn Auditorium.

Advance reservations required. E-mail reservations to semo_iscsa@hotmail.com or contact Umesh Malhotra of the Indian Sub-continent Student Association at 587-2222.