Monday, February 8, 2010

Fellowship work and board game recreation!

As my spring semester is progressing my task list is getting longer, full of assignments and homework. Last week, In the midst of my daily school work, we had an International Board Game Event.

This event was organized by International Students Services, where I work as an for 10 hours a week. As part of the organizing team, I assisted in planning, preparing flyers, catering, arrangements, and hosting the event. This event not only was a good recreational break, but also an opportunity to sharpen my administrative skills – My Fellowship work in International Student Services is truly a good learning experience for me!

The International Board Game Night turned out to be a joyous event. There were lots of interesting board games selected from different parts of the world, like: Dominoes, Carcassonne, For Sale, Snakes and Ladders, Ticket to Ride, etc. Placards were placed at the tables where each game was being played; each game was hosted by a predetermined person. I was host of the game, “For Sale”, a European style card game

The event took place in the evening and as such, sandwiches, chips, cookies, and soft drinks were served at the event. Munching and playing simultaneously added more fun. I was impressed that regardless of the hectic school schedule, many students made it for the event. A group of 10 students from Peru, who were at the school last week for an educational and cultural competence seminar, also participated in the board game event. It was a pleasure to interact and exchange some cultural views about the board games with the Peruvian students.

There is a popular misconception that playing board games is childlike. But, according to me, it is a great brainstorming and creative leisure pursuit. I was amazed to see that some students were completely engrossed in planning strategies to win the game, and some were also using pen and paper to strategize while playing. Very Interesting!!

Overall, for me participating in this event was refreshing and innovative break from my daily, monotonous routine. I wish more such events keep happening at TCS, and I hope that I keep up my good work as a fellow in International Student Services.