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International Students Welcome in the Year of the Rat February 2020

February 2, 2022

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WSD’s International Education students kicked off the Year of the Rat with a game-filled get-together at Grant Park High School.

The second annual Lunar New Year celebration took place on Jan. 30 in the Grant Park cafeteria. The party was the latest in a series of student events planned by the International Education department.

“They get the opportunity to come together at least once a month as a general international community,” said Debra Parker, International Education program director.

“These students all have a similar story and sometimes the culture and the language can be overwhelming, so here they find students from a different school with the same language background.”

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International students from eight different WSD schools attended this year’s Lunar New Year party. They played bingo, minute-to-win-it games, rock paper scissors, and dined on dumplings and spring rolls from Young’s Market.

While WSD has welcomed international students in its schools for years, the International Education program is relatively new, 2019-2020 marking its second school year of operation.

“These are recruited students who have chosen Winnipeg School Division for their high school experience,” Parker said. “Some are here for as few as three months, some are here for a semester then going home with their Manitoba credits, and some are here for a year then going home with their Manitoba credits.

“Some students are even here for multiple years. They want to graduate, go on to university or college here, perhaps with thoughts of becoming a permanent resident.”

Hamed Esmaeilzadeh fits the latter description. Hailing from Iran, Esmaeilzadeh made the move to Winnipeg one year ago and is now graduating from Grant Park. He has been accepted into the University of Manitoba and plans to study computer science.

“I wanted to have a different experience. I really wanted to immigrate to another country and get the experience of studying in different language and a different culture,” Esmaeilzadeh said.

Esmaeilzadeh said he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Grant Park and that the regular International Education events helped ease his transition to a new land.

“When you are in a group like this, you feel at home. You have a common sense because everyone is like you. They have a similar experience. We share lots of information every time we had a field trip or party.”

The Lunar New Year event marked the last day in Manitoba for Lorenzo Filippini Battistelli. He arrived in Winnipeg from Turin, Italy in late August, spending one semester at Kelvin High School.

Filippini Battistelli said his time at Kelvin was “amazing” and that he really appreciated the monthly International Education events.

“It was a support for me. When I had problems, I always asked my international friends. I had a lot of fun with them and I’m going to miss them so much,” Filippini Battistelli said.

“These activities that the school division organized were always amazing. Being with these people was always beautiful.”

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