Expect Camosun’s cultural tapestry to get even richer on the evening of March 19 as the college’s Peer Connections student group will be hosting their third annual cultural show at the Lansdowne campus.
Peer Connections is an on-campus resource for international and domestic students to get support in order to make the transition to Canadian culture easier. Group organizers plan weekly meetings and regular activities, the largest of which is the cultural talent show.
“I love this group because we’ve shared so much fun together training, volunteering, planning, and facilitating lots of different events, meetings, and activities,” says Bonita Bai, a second-year international student from China. “You will always know that there is a group of people at Camosun that will be there for you and support you in different ways.”
The talent show coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and is meant to spread cultural awareness on campus, as well as provide team-building opportunities for its members.
“Last year, I performed a Chinese song about opening hearts to accept new people and things, and I got really good feedback, which helped me build my confidence,” says Bai. “It felt really good when I was singing to more than 200 audience members while they all raised their hands up and moved with the music.”
Peer Connections is accepting donations at the event for the Help Lesotho project in Southern Africa and the Red Cross Japan earthquake/Asia-Pacific tsunami fund.
Peer Connections student coordinator and talent show co-host Marius Langeland is proud of the camaraderie among the group and the efforts put into creating the show and raising money.
“This is a fully student-produced and run show and the group has a lot of fun,” says Langeland. “It helps students make friends and build their confidence by providing an opportunity for both international and domestic students to show their talents and share their culture with people from other cultures.”
Peer Connections cultural talent show
Monday, March 19, 6:30pm
Gibson Auditorium (Young 216), Lansdowne
camosun.ca/international/students/peer-connections.html