Weekly Digest 2/5/15

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February 5, 2015 Office of International Students and Scholars Weekly Digest

International Food and Music Festival - March 14, 2015 The Office of International Students and Scholars and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are pleased to announce the return of the annual International Food and Music Festival! This festival is meant to bring Tulane’s international community together and showcase your food and culture to the Tulane and New Orleans community. International students and scholars bring so much life and diversity to Tulane and this festival is a great opportunity to come together and celebrate your contribution! Please consider bringing cultural items, cooking, volunteering, or performing for this event. Sign up HERE. Important Announcements     Optional Practical Training (OPT) Application OPT is a benefit available to all students who have been in F-1 status for at least one academic year. OPT allows you to work in your field of study for up to 12 months (27 months for certain STEM fields). OISS will be taking your OPT application on the following days: Monday 3:00 OPT Intake  Tuesday 8:30 OPT Intake Thursday 3:00 OPT Return Friday 8:30 OPT Return If you are not able to come on either of these days, please call 865-5208 to make an appointment to come and drop off your OPT application. EVENTS OISS EVENTS There will be no coffee hour this week on 2/6/15 OISS DAY CANOE OUTING ON BAYOU CANE!   When:   Saturday, February 28, 2015, Time and Pickup Details Uptown:  will begin loading the bus on Freret Street by the Library at 8:30 a.m. and bus will leave at 8:45 a.m. Downtown: Bus will arrive at Deming at 9:00 a.m. and will load and leave for Cane Bayou immediately. Return time to campus between 3 and 4 pm.  How much:   The trip fee is $40.00, which includes guide service, the use of the canoes and paddling accessories, and lunch.  Be Prepared: Please bring bug spray, clothes that can get wet, a bottle of water and other snacks or necessary items you may need. OISS will provide transportation. DEADLINE FOR SIGNUP – FEBRUARY 20TH, 2015 Please CLICK HERE for flyer. Please CLICK HERE for tickets Audubon Zoo Ticket Sale   Tickets are available for $5 plus fees via Brown Paper Tickets - (CLICK HERE)    èPlease print out your ticket and bring it to the OISS Office. Your print-at-home ticket will be exchanged for a physical zoo ticket the front desk.    TULANE AND LOCAL EVENTS Conversation Partner Program at Tulane. This program pairs an international student with an American student or native English speaker so that you can practice your English in a casual setting and connect with more people on campus. Often we see that international students group together and miss out on the full Tulane experience, and this is an easy way to get to know someone you might not otherwise meet.  The program involves 4-5 meetings of about an hour throughout the semester, but many partners end up meeting more often as they get to know each other. We will begin partnering people up this weekend, Jan 31/Feb 1, so if you are interested please get your application in as soon as possible and we will match you with an American student on a first come first serve basis.  Sign up here: http://tulane.edu/global/esl/conversation-partners.cfm HINARI TRAINING The Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences will offer a full-day in-person HINARI Training: Access to Global Health Resources, at the Diboll Auditorium at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine on Friday, February 6, 2015. This hands-on class creates program awareness prior to departure for an in-country experience. Topics include: ·         Access full-text articles ·         Effectively search PubMed using PubMed Filters, and use the HINARI portal ·         Locate HINARI training resources, evidence-based practice resources and e-books ·         Develop authorship skills ·         Conduct HINARI training course or presentations on HINARI Class: HINARI Training: Access to Global Health Resources Instructor: Lenny Rhine, Ph.D., coordinator of the ‘E-Library Training Initiative’, a Librarians Without Borders® /Medical Library Association project Date: Friday, February 6, 2015 Time: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Continuing education credit: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM | 8 hours of MLA CE contact hours | An application for 5 hours CHES (entry-level) / 1 hour MCHES (advanced-level) Category I continuing education contact hours (CECH) has been made to the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC| This program has been approved by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners for 7.5 hours of continuing education credit for social workers through Tulane School of Social Work.  Registration: Go to http://tulane.edu/cce/ce-calendar.cfm. Deadline to register is February 5, 2015. Cost: Students: $10 (refundable deposit). All other participants:$25 (Day of is $50). For more information and brochure, please CLICK HERE TEDxTU Thursday, February 5, 2015. 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Dixon Hall. Now in its fifth year of operation, TEDxTU will present a two-hour stage program featuring TED –style talks and TED videos. Speakers will include some of New Orleans’s most active innovators, from entrepreneurs to educators, and public service professionals to students. This year’s theme is “Create Tomorrow.” TEDxTU is sold out each year, so please reserve your tickets today by clicking HERE. Pachanga in the Patio! Friday, February 6, 2015. 5:00pm – 7:00pm. Jones Hall Patio.  As part of the LAGO 2015 Graduate Conference, the Stone Center for Latin American Studies will host a pachanga with live music and food. The pachanga will feature New Orleans samba-funk band, Chegadão, and the food will be provided by Norma’s Bakery. Friends of Music ft. Danish String Quartet Wednesday, February 11, 2015. 8:00pm – 10:00pm. Dixon Hall.  Come listen to the Danish String Quartet as they share their love for music through a wonderful performance sponsored by the Newcomb Music Department. Tulane students listen for free with student ID. All others please call 895-0690 for ticket prices. For more information please contact Diane Cass via email at dcass1@tulane.edu or via phone at 504-865-5267. Spring Festival Celebration Saturday, February 14th, 2015. 12pm-2pm. 2nd Floor LBC Held on the first day of the first lunar month and lasting for two weeks, the Spring Festival is one of the grandest and most important annual event in China. It is an event for people to celebrate family reunion and is full of rich and colorful activities such as Red Packets. During celebrations this year, TCSSA will serve traditional Chinese cuisines and present a great show to all the guests. Tulane BCM: Dinner & International Conversation Hour  Join Tulane’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry every Thursday night at 6:00pm for a free family dinner and at 7:00pm for their International Conversation Hour, which is geared towards helping international students work on their English. The BCM house is located on 7111 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70118. N’Kafu Traditional African Dance Company Community/family-oriented dance classes are hosted every Friday at The Studio, 1520 N. Claiborne St, 70116. All dance levels and genders are encouraged. The classes are scheduled from 7:00 – 8:30 for only $10 per class or $35 monthly. Please click here for more information.                                   News and Other Announcements  News Articles and Interesting Reads New Orleans Language - Tulane New Wave Tulane Alumnus Named Young Healthcare Executive of the Year STAFF  Ainsley Fagan Student Affairs Associate afagan1@tulane.edu Evan Kirk Operations Assistant ekirk2@tulane.edu Nancy Lauland H-1B Employees nlauland@tulane.edu       Kristy Magner OISS Director kmagner1@tulane.edu Beth Nazar J-1 Students and Scholars enazar@tulane.edu Belinda Schneider F-1 Students belinda@tulane.edu Classified Spotlight Looking for a new place to live? Check out these newly available locations! Roommate Wanted at The Muses Apartments Please refer to the linked flyers for more details. Check out the classifieds link at the bottom of the digest for more!                                On Going Weekly Events Downtown hours  Location:  Tidewater Building, Room 2460 Time:  1:00- 4:00 Dates:   1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 2/28 If you need documents or mail brought from OISS, please email or call us before 10:00 am that day. Coffee Hours Uptown coffee hours will now be held weekly (Fridays 3-5PM). Please check this section of the digest for the most up-to-date information.                             February Coffee Hours February 20th – 3-5PM at the OISS Office Prayer Space (Downtown) Tidewater Building (Downtown Campus) has allocated Room 1819 from 1-3 pm on all weekdays as quiet prayer space for students of all religious denominations. Check the digest weekly for more updates about times and locations.                                                             Mardi Gras Series Each week leading until Mardi Gras, OISS will feature tips and facts about the Carnival Season !!!Parades this Weekend!!! Oshun Friday, February 6, 6:00 p.m. Founded in 1996, this fairly young parade is in its 19th year. Cleopatra Friday, February 6, 6:00 p.m. Founded in 1972, the all-female Krewe celebrates its 41st anniversary. Pontchartrain Saturday, February 7, 1:00 p.m. The parade will offer a wide array of bands, horse units, dune buggies, motorcycles, and jesters, in addition to their memorable floats. Choctaw Saturday, February 7, 2:00 p.m. following Pontchartrain. This parade’s roots are in southern government. Its name comes from a Native American tribe that inhabited Louisiana.  Sparta Saturday, February 7, 6:00 p.m. This will be the sixth year the Knights of Sparta hand out a secret throw that parade-goers can only get by asking the rider for the “mystery throw.” Additionally, this kreweʼs king is not revealed until the day of the parade. Pygmalion Saturday, February 7, 6:15 p.m. They are one of the few coed krewes. Their collectibles include cups and lighted medallion beads. Carrollton Sunday, February 8, 12:00 p.m. Founded in 1924, Carrollton has a long-standing tradition of rolling exactly at its designated time. Carrollton is the Fourth oldest Carnival parading organization, behind (in order) Rex, Proteus, and Zulu. King Arthur and Merlin Sunday, February 8, 1:00 p.m. following Carrollton. The krewe is best known for their afternoon parade on the first Sunday of Mardi Gras, known as “Family Sunday”. Alla Sunday, February 8, 2:00 p.m. following King Arthur and Merlin. The Krewe is recognized for their bright, beautiful floats designed by Blaine Kern Artists, multiple bands, marching groups, and generous throws.  FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT OUR 2015 MARDI GRAS GUIDE HERE Mission Statement Links Follow us The mission of the Office of International Students and Scholars is to provide leadership in the internationalization of Tulane University by supporting the Tulane international community and facilitating cross-cultural interaction. By way of support, OISS offers quality programs and services and ensures compliance with federal immigration regulations. Our strong belief is that a vibrant international community enriches Tulane University and the New Orleans community and is an essential component to understanding our role within the global community. OISS Classifieds OISS Website OISS Fall Activities OMA Calendar of Events​ Tulane International Community for Partners, Spouses and Dependents Click on the images to keep up with our social media! Weekly Fact: The can opener was invented 48 years after the can.