The International Student Program held its first Global Extravaganza on April 30, 2018. This event was organized to celebrate all the talent that Skyline College’s international community has to offer, and to give a platform for a Marimba band named “Maru-A-Pula” from Botswana to showcase their craft.
It was a colorful and festive event with dance and music showcases from all around the world. The audience tapped their feet to the Nepalese, Burmese, American and African style dances, and then the Classical Music Club transported the audience to the 18th century with a composition by Mozart. There were various international student club tables where students were able to play games from different cultures and traditions.
The main event, however, was the Maru-A-Pula group who filled the quad with the sounds of Africa beaming from their drums, triangles, maracas and marimbas. It was a truly magical experience and that was evident in the way some of the audience got up and moved with the music and ended off the event with a standing ovation.
There was genuine joy looming in the air that seemed to be contagious as you saw it reflected on the faces of every person that was present at the Global Extravaganza. The hard work that everybody put in to make occasion a success was undoubtedly worth it.
ISP will continue to conduct events and workshops to improve the services offered to its students and the entire Skyline College community. If you are interested in learning more about future ISP programs and events, contact the ISP office at skyinternational@smccd.edu.
Article by Naledi Mthembu | Photo by Kevin Perez
