The International Coffee and Tea Hour has made its return to SF State, welcoming international and American students to relax and enjoy refreshments during their hectic school day.

Sponsored by the SF State Office of International Programs (OIP), the social program is making its return after a 6-year hiatus caused by a lack of location and equipment for the event.

During a recent coffee and tea hour, students relaxed in the picturesque setting of the Casa Blanca Room in the Creative Arts building, surrounded by colorful paintings that create the illusion of being part of a play. But the actors in this play are the students and faculty having their lunch, enjoying free coffee and tea and engaging in lively conversation.

“It’s very cozy,” said Charlie Lin, a graduate student in cinema. “I think this room is very beautiful. It’s very different from other departments.”

The coffee and tea hour is a nice way to interact with students without having to worry about the mundane aspects of student life, according to attendees.

“This location is very cute, and I’m so excited to see so many students coming in,” said Jennifer Wissnik, international student advisor for OIP. “This is a very good turn out.

“I like to get to know more about the students - it makes my work experience more pleasant. Usually, we meet students for paperwork, following all the rules and regulations. There’s not enough time for us to just talk about ordinary life with them.”
Officials were forced to cancel the event in 1999 after having problems finding a suitable location on campus. Even when organizers had a location, it was hard to get to and the timely maintenance of the coffee machines and other equipment made it difficult for them run the event.

“It has been about 6 years since we had the coffee and tea hour. We decided to bring back the hour at the Student Advisory Council last semester,” said Jay Ward, coordinator of the International Student Services of the OIP. Ward said the faculty agreed to have more social events for international students that were easy to get to and more convenient.

The Coffee and Tea Hour is scheduled for every other Wednesday, on an experimental basis during the semester, according to Ward. They are planning to re-evaluate the date and hour in the summer to find the best time to accommodate the most number of students.

“This is a good place to meet people and have a coffee. I usually don’t have time to do this, but it’s good to relax after the class,” said Grestine Soemanto, MBA.

“I want to meet more people, and make friends,” said Shirley Huang, who earned her MBA last summer. She recently visited campus and the International Tea Hour to see professors and friends.

“I think that having activities for students is the priority” Ward added. “International students are so far from their homes, and they need a support system to learn about the American lifestyle, and to help them adjust.

“The learning of different cultures also takes place outside of classroom and campus.”

The OIP also offers a program called “Discover San Francisco,” offering international students the opportunity to join tours around San Francisco. This includes the upcoming Coit Tower & Tulip Tour, and a spring break trip to Las Vegas.