Every year, several parties are organized at emlyon business school. Among them, the BDI’s International Night, an ambitious initiative with a purpose: welcome and involve the international students. Le M, Verbatem’s magazine, has taken interest in this subject to see what makes this event a real opportunity for international students to take profit of emlyon’s associative life.
HIGH FOOD MUSICAL: GET BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL
Last March, the BDI made all the students come back to their childhood, with a “High School Musical” theme, at the popular hotspot “Le Discret” in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon. An “international cuisine” dinner was served in a table service, with some risotto, mac & cheese, raviolis, hummus, samosas and more.
Following dinner, the BDI surprised all the students before starting the party: a cheerleading show in partnership with the school’s pom-pom team, opened the dancing party with the best way possible.
This November, we stay in the same dancing musical atmosphere, with a theme in reference to the famous movie Dirty Dancing. The location of the party is kept secret for the moment, and the BDI seems to have big surprises.
THE BDI’s CHALLENGE: TO ATTRACT AS MANY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE
“We started to prepare this event while we were in internship.”, said Melissa (BDI’s Sec Gé). “We had to know all the problems that internationals were facing, in order to offer them the best solutions. They’re not only victims of a language barrier, but also of a misunderstanding of the “shotgun” system.”
Every year, the BDI sets up a 50% quota for international students to ensure them their seats for the dinner. “We try to make the shotgun system as handy as possible for them, so that the dinner can be a real moment of sharing for both international and French students.”
THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS GIVE THEIR VIEW
Le M directly asked five international students for their opinion on the subject.
“The 300 places reserved for the international students really showed the sincerity and great efforts of the BDI, and I truly thank them for that.” – Boran BI
Aimée Qiu, who has already participated to the International Night last year, said that if the international students were motivated to go to this party, it was because they were feeling “more comfortable with the BDI’s events, where they don’t have to speak French all night. Because yes, the French language is sometimes scary.”
So, should we make all the parties international? Not sure that’s the solution.
“I think not so many internationals are fond of late-night parties, so it’s a little hard to attract them.”, said Jingwen HU.
Thus, strong cultural barriers are present, and we must acknowledge the BDI’s devotion because we would all like to receive such help in one of our future un university-exchange.
