Category: Blog

A colourful and festive celebration was enjoyed by all in attendance at this year’s Thanksgiving event, with fantastic food, activities and a presentation giving insight into the history of this annual holiday.

Organised by Bristol SU’s USA Society, the sold out event started with a presentation by Founder and President, Blake Makuuchi, about the history of Thanksgiving, how it’s celebrated and what it means to those who participate each year.

Hearing about how meaningful this holiday is to those who celebrate, gave attendees an authentic insight into part of the US culture, and Blake’s presentation touched on the personal importance of the holiday – from Friendsgiving, to calls with loved ones on the day when away from family.

‘I enjoyed speaking to students who attended and being part of an event which people were clearly enjoying. I also liked that there was an element of education / learning about the cultural significance of the event,’ Sarah Price, staff member.

Afterwards, attendees got to enjoy a sit down dinner of turkey and stuffing, along with a vegan option, with roasted sweet potatoes, vegetables and stuffing, and pumpkin pie for dessert – which was certainly a highlight for everyone!

After dinner guests could enjoy activities like ‘match the football logo to the American football team’, adding what they’re thankful for to the ‘Thanks recognition wall’ and also making use of the photo opp wall with friends.

‘I enjoyed the food and the activities (especially the American football game). It was a great place to hang out and celebrate Thanksgiving with my friends, especially as I will not be able to attend Thanksgiving this year with my family,’ Emile Brunet, Undergraduate student.

Many attendees stayed until the end of the event, and the Global Lounge was very pleased to host another successful Thanksgiving led by the USA Society.

‘It is always a pleasure working with the Global Lounge team: stress-free, organised, great communication! I loved the decorations, ambience and the food. It was a lovely event!’ Blake Makuuchi, Undergraduate student and USA Society President

Thanks to everyone who came and a very happy Thanksgiving to you!

We partnered up with Bristol SU’s Mexican Culture Society to host the traditional Mexican celebration ‘Día de los Muertos’, or Day of the Dead, on 2 November. Held yearly to honour the deceased, it’s a celebration full of joy, food and music!

Tickets were so popular, we decided to host it in the Anson Rooms so there was space for everyone. As well as colourful decorations, there were tons of fun activities to get involved in.

Queues formed quickly at the face painting stall, where Global Lounge Ambassadors showed their artistic flair painting intricate designs. Over at the crafting tables there was the opportunity to ‘build your own Calavera’ and make a traditional face mask.

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‘I cannot express how happy we were yesterday being able to share some of our traditions with you all, and at the same time being able to create, in some way, a space that made us feel closer to home.’
Paulina Govea, Research Assistant, School of Chemistry

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After tucking into some tasty burritos, we enjoyed fantastic dance performances and interactive games, including energetic games of musical chairs.

Despite the torrential rain outside, the Anson Rooms was filled with a lively cohort of students and staff. Thank you to the the Mexican Culture Society for their fantastic contribution, the Global Lounge Ambassadors for helping the event run smoothly, the hard work of the Global Lounge team and to all the wonderful attendees who enjoyed the evening!

Watch the video
Bristol SU volunteer, Maddie Green, asked Day of Dead attendees how they would describe the Global Lounge in one word, and this is what they said!

We joined forces with the wonderful students from Bristol SU’s Indian Society to host an exciting Diwali celebration in the Lounge.

As well as over two hundred home and international students, we were delighted to have the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Evelyn Welch, attend the festivities.

Students who celebrate annually wore beautiful traditional dress, with many spending their first Diwali away from home. For others who were less familiar with Diwali, the event was a fantastic chance to learn more about the ‘Festival of Lights’, it’s history and traditions.

Society members spoke about how Diwali is celebrated in different parts of India and traditional refreshments were enjoyed by all. Attendees were also treated to a range of fun activities, including henna tattoos, crafting and painting Rangoli designs.

By the end of the evening, the colourfully-decorated Lounge was filled with dancing, singing and traditional music. Thanks to everyone who came and made the event such a great success.

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Fancy coming to our next event? Sign up to our newsletter or visit our events page to find out what’s coming up.

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📷 Ola Drummond

 

 

On the 28 and 29 of April the Global Lounge, and friends, welcomed students and staff to the Wills Memorial Building for a grand, two-night ‘Open Iftar’ celebration.

Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset while they are fasting for Ramadan (iftar literally means to ‘break fast’). The Global Lounge was delighted to hold the event in person, following virtual celebrations in 2020 and 2021.

The lively, free event brought hundreds of Muslim and non-Muslim members of the university community together in the specially decorated Great Hall to share a traditional meal and learn more about Islam. Both events included a prayer for Muslim guests, a home-cooked dinner and speeches from six guest speakers. The space looked even more magical than ususal, lit up with green lights, to symbolise new life and growth.

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‘The energy and the spirit level from everyone, from the student ambassadors to our advocate, was incredible. I am so proud of what we have achieved.’
Robiu Salisu, Student Inclusion Officer (BAME)

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From undergraduate and postgraduate to staff, all guests had the chance to mingle and share ideas while enjoying a delicious meal cooked up by the Somali Women’s Kitchen. Following Islamic tradition, the meal started with dates, before everyone tucked into some hearty beef samosas and delicious beef and vegetable curries.

Of course, the Global Lounge could not have held such a successful event without the hard work of its fellow organisers:

• Hiba Abdo
• Student Inclusion
• University of Bristol Islamic Society
• Bristol Ahlul Bayt Islamic Society
• Afzal Shah (our community partner).

Alison Golden-Wright, Director of Student Health and Inclusion, was impressed with the turn out, and said: ‘I’d like to say how much I enjoyed Thursday’s Open Iftar. It was a lovely event and great to see so many people in attendance. Well done to everyone involved – all the hard work really paid off!’ News of the iftar event spread beyond the university; it was great to see the celebrations captured on camera by BBC Breakfast and also featured in the Bristol Post.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islam. Muslims observe the month of Ramadan by fasting (not eating or drinking during the hours of daylight) and paying special attention to their charity-giving and helping others.

What is iftar?

Iftar is the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset whilst they are fasting for Ramadan (iftar literally means to ‘break fast’). It is the second meal of the day; the pre-dawn meal is called suhur. Traditionally, in emulation of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, three dates are eaten to break the day’s fast before the meal.

 

 

 

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Fancy coming to our next event? Sign up to our newsletter or visit our events page to find out what’s coming up.

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📷 Christy Nunns

 

 

 

Our global food fiesta brought the University of Bristol community together on Thursday 24 March in celebration of something that’s always popular in the Lounge, food!

But the celebrations didn’t stop there, attendees were also treated to musical performances, Bollywood dancing and a spirited set from Indian-fusion student band, Taal. The variety of entertainment and tasty selection of international cuisine attracted around 150 students and staff, all in all a great success.

It was inspiring to hear lively conversations taking place between students from all over the globe. The food stalls in particular sparked many discussions about the cultural significance of the unique foods served up.

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The wonderful Bristol societies who shared a feast of international fare included:

• Bangla Society
• Chinese Students’ and Scholars’ Association
• Pakistan Society
• Mexican Culture Society
• Asian Society
• Tamil Society
• Bristol Student Action for Refugees (hosted a fundraising stall)

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The Bangla Society cooked some delicious home-made Bengali street food which proved a hit, and the Tamil Society expertly crafted veggie tinga for all to enjoy.

Whilst tucking into their choice of snack, attendees were entertained by performances from talented Bristol students. As well listening to Taal, everyone had the opportunity to hear beautiful music played by Dan Qin and Chenyi Xuan on the ‘Pipa and ‘Guqin’ (traditional Chinese instruments).

An energetic routine from the Bollywood Dance Society (performed by Sophiya Joseph, Maliha Mubarak, David Johnson and Sujith Kannan) was also a highlight.

The fiesta didn’t just unite people over food and spark conversations, it provided a great chance to learn about a fascinating variety of culturally and historically significant cuisines.

Thanks to those who came, hosted stalls, performed, and organised such a wonderful event, and to the Lounge’s talented volunteer photographers, who expertly captured the bustling atmosphere in their images.

Fancy coming to our next event? Sign up to our newsletter or visit our events page to find out what’s coming up.

 

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📷 Kyun Wang and Vidu Chandrasena

If you’d like to volunteer as a photographer at Global Lounge events, get in touch.

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Dear Global Lounge community, we need your help!

In May, the Global Lounge will be recording a virtual series of ‘student life webinars’ and we need volunteers to ask questions during the online presentations.

What are student life webinars?

In these webinars, our Global Lounge Ambassadors will be delivering presentations on a range of topics surrounding student life in Bristol, providing new students with an introduction to university life and the city of Bristol. The webinars will give new students a comprehensive, (and fun!) insight into life in the city, from a student perspective.

How you can help

We need current students to ask ambassadors questions during the webinars, to delve deeper into the subject of the presentation. If you can’t think of any questions it’s not a problem, as you will be provided with one to ask.

Please note that these webinars will be recorded on Zoom, so you must be comfortable being on camera when asking ambassadors your question. We will be using these recordings for incoming students for the 2022/23 academic year.

Each student life webinar will last for 1 hour, and you will be given a piece of Global Lounge merchandise for each webinar you help us with!

To register your interest, please email global-lounge@bristol.ac.uk with ‘student life webinar volunteer’ in the subject title by 9 am, on 28 April.

We will get back to you soon with more information.

In partnership with the USA Society, a grand Thanksgiving feast was hosted in the Global Lounge on Friday 19 November 2021.

A history of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is celebrated every fourth Thursday of November. It originally dates back to when the English Puritans first came to Plymouth, Massachusetts. As these Pilgrims were not used to the harsh New England conditions, they struggled to survive. The local tribe named the Wampanoag tribe helped the Puritans with harvesting food and making shelter. In order to show gratitude to the native tribe, the Pilgrims hosted a feast. This was the first Thanksgiving.

‘It is also time to reflect on the darker history surrounding the holiday’

Thanksgiving is a day where we give thanks to those who have helped us in our lives and give back to the community, with volunteering being a big part. It is also a time to reflect on the darker history surrounding the holiday. Following the Puritan’s arrival into America, colonization began to grow, forcing the natives out of their land. The colonizers would brutally torture and murder those who refused to leave. At the same time, disease from Europe plagued the natives, killing many of the population. This side of Thanksgiving is not discussed enough, and it is important to include it, as it is a key part of American history.

Thanksgiving dinner

The dinner at the Global Lounge began with a presentation given by the co-presidents of the USA Society, who spoke about the history of Thanksgiving. This included both the creation of Thanksgiving as well as the not so favorable parts.

‘It was my very first time to truly experience a Thanksgiving day’

Then, dinner was served! Massive thanks go to the Source Café at the University, for providing turkey – as well as a vegan wellington – for the main, and roasted potatoes, glazed carrots and red cabbage as a side. For dessert; a classic American Pumpkin Pie!

Games and activities

Throughout the night, past Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade clips were shown on the screens as well as American Football games. These programs are typically viewed throughout the day on Thanksgiving in the US.

‘The night was full of activities, food, and chatter. It was a great way to bring those interested in American culture together’

There was also a “What are you thankful for?” tree where people could write down what they feel grateful for and tape it to the ‘tree’, as well as a “’Pin the Gobbler on the Turkey’ game, which is similar to “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” but with a turkey instead!

The night was full of activities, food, and chatter. It was a great way for American international students, who aren’t able to celebrate at home, to sit down and share a Thanksgiving dinner with others. It’s also a great way to bring those interested in American culture together; Global Lounge volunteer photographer, Ke Li, said of the event: ‘it was my very first time to truly experience Thanksgiving day. I’m really thankful for the opportunity the Global Lounge provided to me, to have a such wonderful night to enjoy a different culture and delicious food.’

Blog by Nicole Walsh (of the USA Society), BSc Psychology in Education

Students came together on Thursday 4 November for the first in person Diwali celebration in 2 years – and – the first cultural celebration in the Global Lounge!

‘Diwali is one of the most exciting events’

Things kicked off with snacks and refreshments and some relaxing diya painting and rangoli, before the Bristol Indian Society gave a presentation on the tradition and history of Diwali, followed by a dance performance by the Bollywood Dance Society!

Students were able to get tattooed by a henna artist and, aside from all the activities, everyone thoroughly enjoyed socialising, celebrating Diwali with friends and also sharing the experience with friends and family back home via video call!

‘The rhythm of the music and the vibe of the dances are so attractively thrilling it made me almost feel like being part of the culture’

Many students who celebrate annually arrived in beautiful traditional dress – however the event was also enjoyed by others who have less, or no experience of the Festival of Lights. Towards the latter half of the event, students fully took advantage of the space in the Lounge – dancing and singing along to traditional music!

Global Lounge ambassador and volunteer photographer, Kyun Wang, had never attended a Diwali celebration and said of the event – particularly of the dancing:

‘This is definitely one of the most exciting events to happen since Uni started. The rhythm of the music and the vibe of the dances are so attractively thrilling, it made me almost feel like being part of the culture.’

All Global Lounge events are open to international, and home students – and all student and staff members are welcomed and encouraged to participate, whether with friends, or solo. Be sure to check out the other cultural events happening in the Global Lounge over the coming weeks – join in and meet new people, experience something new and learn something about your fellow students and other cultures!