I-House offers students international flair

In the midst of ethnic and racial tensions in the world, one multi-cultural community at Tech is thriving.

Established to foster an environment that is enhanced by diversity, this community is composed of undergraduate students from Atlanta and from countries all over the world-New Zealand, Sweden, Korea, Pakistan, Turkey and others.

Here, languages flow from Urdu to Swedish to Korean, and religious celebrations, such as Rosh Hashanah and Ramadan, are shared and observed by all regardless of their backgrounds.

This mesh of eclectic cultures and lifestyles converges on East Campus in the Fourth Street Apartments at the International House, or I-House.

I-House, according to INTA professor Kirk Bowman, is a program established to encompass "a diverse group of students with an interest in international culture, events and politics."

Bowman was one of the founding members of I-House, which had its start last year.

Since then, the program has grown extensively.

20 residents started the program, but now, students have to be placed on a waiting list if they want to live in I- House.

I-House is unlike any other housing community on campus. An application must be submitted in order to be considered for the apartments and the program.

Students must also participate in at least eight activities a semester to keep their residence.

These activities are organized by I-House and usually have an international flavor. The activities range from a foreign film to an ethnic cuisine to a political discussion. Recent activities included an outing to the Indian restaurant Zyka, a trip to the High Museum of Art for the Iranian Film Festival and a party for the Swedish elections.

The wide range of cultural activities, some of which are funded by the Institute, sets I-House apart from other housing communities on campus.

Another unique aspect of I-House is its communal quality of life. On a daily basis, many residents of I-House come together to work on their homework, watch TV, cook or play ping-pong.

"I-House makes you think on a global scale," said Craig Miller, a second-year Management student.

Talha Khan, an I-House resident and third-year Electrical Engineering major from Pakistan, said that she initially assumed that "we would attend the eight mandatory activities and afterward, disappear to our own rooms, as in typical apartment housing."

After spending less than a month with over 40 people, Khan said that "these guys are like my family now."

I-House also hosts a weekly Coffee House on Mondays at 6 p.m. Students at the Coffee House interact with each other, learning about each other's languages and origins.

"You can find people from everywhere here," said Bruno Van-Dunem Martins, a Mechanical Engineering graduate student from Angola.

Everyone is welcome to connect with the international community at I-House's coffee hour in the Fourth Street Apartments. Students can mingle with professionals and students, enjoy free tea and coffee, discover something new and forge friendships with people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

After all, diversity is what drives and builds relationships at I-House. For more information, check out the I-House website, which is linked from www.housing.gatech.edu.