Community education - International students learning more than how to make coffee at Dunkin' Donuts (450)

By ALANA PERSSON, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Behind the counter of the Dunkin' Donuts on South Main Street, customers will find group of international college students working to perfect their English, as well as their iced coffee.

This summer, students from the Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, China, Turkey and Thailand were granted the opportunity to work at local Dunkin' Donuts through the nonprofit organization Council on International Educational Exchange Work and Travel USA program. The partnership between the council and the Work and Travel USA program began in 1969, and since has been helping facilitate a partnership between international students and businesses in the United States during each summer season. This year, over 15,000 international students were accepted into this program and are working in stores across the nation through the J-1 visa.

The program not only helps students learn new skills in a career field, but also helps them build relationships with the local community and with each other. Living together in the new Lakes Region Community College apartment complex, students have had a chance to experience various forms of cultural exchange, which they hope will shape them into more open-minded people when they return home in the fall.

Bringing knowledge from their own fields of study, which include communications and computer science, students are constantly in an active learning environment, both at home and at work. While at Dunkin' Donuts, students have relied on the willing assistance of American workers to help them learn how to take orders, communicate with customers, and take part in active daily conversations.

"During my time here, I have improved my English, and have been able to gain confidence in myself," said Anastasiia Sudakova, a 19-year-old student from Ukraine. "This is the first time I have been away from my family, making decisions all by myself, and through this experience I feel like I can be independent when I go home."

One student hoping to return home not only with a greater understanding of herself but also the United States is 21-year-old Russian student Oksana Pak. In her home country, Pak attends university with a major in international relations, therefore she found it important to learn English and get a better understanding of American culture.

"After spending time in America, I have seen the tensions our nations feel are not between people, but are just a problem between governments," said Pak, who went on to say she hopes this experience can be used as platform to build a positive relationship between nations in the future.

Fellow Russian colleague Vika Abduzakhmanova echoed Pak's sentiment, both saying they have felt welcomed by the local community and look forward to returning to the United States again in the future.