Last Friday, the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center held its second annual Thanksgiving Around the World. The event was created in order to give exchange students, or students who were curious about different cultures, a chance to meet new faces and try exotic dishes. 

The Multicultural Center is near campus, located on Jackson st in a small house. The interior of the home features a kitchen, living and dining room and an upstairs. They offer free assistance to exchange students whether that’s providing language dictionaries, instruments or somewhere to cook.

A variety of groups on campus and organizations came together to share the evening. Sarah Markham, a fourth-year business management major, is part of the International Peer Program here at Oregon State University.

“Yes, I’m part of the International Peer Mentor Program. It’s for international students to be paired with someone who’s been at OSU for awhile, and we answer any questions they have about school or life in America,”Markham said. “Just be a mentor for them.” 

Markham said both turkey and mashed potatoes are catered, but guests are all welcomed to bring their own home-made dishes that represent their culture. 

Many international students attended the event, including Yoo Jin Seol, a third-year graphic design major. Seol came to the event with a couple of her friends.

“Two of my friends are part of the international program and they wanted to do a Thanksgiving event,” Seol said. “I’ve never really had Thanksgiving food, I spent a lot of time in America, but I never had like a Thanksgiving celebration. In my country we have different Thanksgivings.”

Seol grew up in South Korea, but has lived in Oregon for three and a half years. She said she plans to graduate from OSU.

The house was packed with students and families in line to try the food. Paulo Murillo, a third-year Ph.D candidate, studying geography, attended the event, having been apart of the International Cultural Service Program.

“Today is our official retreat from ICSP, and we come to talk about the term, and it’s a good time to talk to my peers from ICSP, and have some food,” Murillo said.

Murillo came to Oregon following a graduate student job offer back in 2015, and is expecting to graduate next year. 

“Oregon is amazing, it’s a very nice stay and a very nice town to study,” Murillo said.