The chance to learn about international traditions will soon be offered to all students during the upcoming international cafe.

This event, put on by the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE), will give both international students and Central students the chance to talk about various ways to celebrate the New Year.

Along with trivia quizzes there will be speakers of all different origins talking about what New Year’s means to them and to their people. Students will be able to connect with the commonalities and differences between the universal holiday that is New Years.

Dr. Nadene Vevea, assistant professor of Communications Studies, said this event is meant to “connect the native Central students to the international students that we have here on campus.”

There is sometimes a disconnect between international and normals central students. The international cafe is hoping to break that disconnect and connect the students together.

“If you go to the SURC at lunch time you will see all of our international students and they are all sitting at a table together and all the other Central students are in their own spaces,” Vevea said.

Gabriela Fernandes, junior nutrition major, is from Brazil and explained different New Year’s Eve traditions specific to her home country.

“On New Year’s Eve…we usually have lentils,” Fernandes said.

According to Bookers International, eating lentils on New Years is considered to beneficially affect your health as you go through the year.

“My friends that are from Brazil said they shake money,” Fernandes said.

Although she wasn’t sure what the reason is for this specific tradition, Fernandes did confirm other events that often take place in Brazil.

According to Fernandes, many Brazilians that live near the ocean jump over seven waves while they make a set of wishes they want to come true during the new year.

However, similar to Americans, Brazilians often try to attend parties in the cities to celebrate the oncoming year.

Traditions happen no matter where you are. They are ingrained in the culture of each and every different society or group of people. These New Year’s traditions and many more will be the topic of this event that the CLCE and the office of International Studies and Programs are hoping will help to improve the communication between our native and international students.

Thus, bringing them together as one community of Central.

There will be snacks and light desserts served, but they ask that people provide their own lunch. Attendees must RSVP through the CLCE website.