bisc Student Talk Summer News Stewart North (Chair of Trustees) DATES FOR YOUR DIARY The Welcome 2019 2 - 27 September Welcome Meals 13 - 24 September (excl. Sundays) Internaonal Recepon 12 October Christmas Dinner 30 November Prayer Meengs 10.30 - 11.30am, once a month 6.45 - 7.30pm, once a term ask at BISC for exact dates Page 2: Introducing Emma Student Helper, Navin From Russia, with Love Page 3: BISC Needs YOU! Open Hearts & Homes Page 4: Student Talk Building for the Future Go Global PAGE 4 FUN at the Indonesian Night! Ana & Lily helping at The Noise One highlight of our summer term has been... the Indonesian Night, organised in collaboraon with the Indonesian Society made up of students from BU, UWE and Bath. Andre who helped organise this event tells us more: BISC was the first place in Bristol that made me feel at home far away from home. It’s also the best place for all internaonal students to meet and share their stories, experiences and cultures! As the President of the Indonesian Students Associaon in Bristol & Bath, I thought it would be great to collaborate with BISC in organising the Indonesian Night. There are more than 60 Indonesian students studying in Bristol, with around 60% under- grads and 40% postgrads. My fellow Indonesian, Soulaya, came up with this idea of holding the event at BISC and worked hard with her team to collaborate with BISC. The main purpose of the event was to introduce Indonesia and its culture to home & internaonal students. We performed Indonesian music, singing and dancing performances; as well as offering authenc Indonesian food & drinks. Andre explains further: For appeser, we prepared Pisang Goreng (Fried bananas). Bakso & Bakwaan Kuah (Meatball Soup) were served for the first course. There were Nasi Padang Rendang (slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and various spices) and Gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce) for the second course and there was Es Timun (Iced grated-cucumber drink). Well done Indonesian Soc! Another highlight is working with student volunteers... Each week we welcome an amazing team of student helpers who just love help- ing at BISC! Ana from Russia is doing a degree in Cellular & Molecular Medicine with a view to doing a PhD. She invited her friend Lily from the UK, who is doing a Masters in History, and they have become stalwart bakers every Monday. So, why did you choose to get baking? Ana: I love baking! BISC for me means community & support. I like that the staff members radiate this & we can ask them anything. I enjoyed face-painng at the Noise as l like drawing & painng. Lily: I’ve always liked doing baking – I’ve enjoyed geng to know people, it’s another group of friends to chat to, and at the same me I’m developing skills in baking & teaching some of the internaonal students how to bake English cakes! BISC has some nice acvies, and opportunies for internaonals to get out and visit the country. 2019 Join the BISC Global Family (newly estabished alumni & friends network) As many of you prepare to return to your home countries, aſter spending a wonderful me at BISC in this beauful and kind city of Bristol, why not join our BISC Global Family group. We would love to keep in touch, to organise BISC meet-ups whenever we visit your home cies and make sure you connue the lively interacon with one another that you so enjoyed here at BISC. To join, simply email [email protected] with two contact details (e.g. a current email address; WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook or Skype account details), referencing Joining BISC Global Family in your subject. Go Global This Issue Bristol Internaonal Student Centre 45 Woodland Rd, Cliſton BS8 1UT 0117-915 9826 [email protected] Building for the Future Phase 2 As we write, Phase 2 of our building work is under way... With increased numbers at the weekly meals (well over 100 at the Soup Lunches for instance!) and similar events, so our need to sustain capacity and staffing has grown. We are therefore building upwards! In altering some of the upstairs layout and adding 3 more rooms to the exisng 5, we will increase tenancy income. The building alteraons will be ongoing throughout the summer, to be completed in me for the Welcome. The tenants will also enjoy a larger kitchen and living space, resulng in greater opportunity for intenonal community living. The BISC centre connues to be a busy bustling hub of internaonals milling around, chang, catching up with classmates & making new friends. This is what BISC is all about – a meeng point, a cosy lounge, hot (cheap!) food, and a warm welcome from staff & volunteers. BISC has a vital role in welcoming students from every corner of the world; opportunies abound to create a warm, supporve place for students needing friendship, someone to chat to, somewhere to relax, enabling students to find community on their doorstep. We believe BISC’s wel- come is far-reaching in students’ lives even long aſter they return home! If you wish to help build this extraordinary home away from home, please email [email protected] for volunteering opportunies. For financial giving, please visit www.biscfundraising.org.uk Every giſt is gratefully received! Celebrang a GREAT YEAR TOGETHER! The year began well with the busy Welcome period in September ‘18. Our lovely extended lounge was used to capacity with vast numbers of new students enjoying our 10 EVENING of FREE MEALS and having the chance to get to know us & one another. Many say how wonderful these meals are in helping them feel quickly at home in Bristol. Many also refer to the kindness of volunteer drivers who go out of their way to take them to their accommodaon. (See page 3 for our needs for the upcoming September Welcome!) Following on in October was our Internaonal Recepon, welcoming 600+ students to an evening of food, fun and entertainment, with a warm welcome from Mayor Marvin Rees. During the year we connued to have a full programme of events, including our annual lavish Christmas Dinner, a fun Pancake Party, Easter Lunch and a weekly Conversa- on Café. Events with university sociees included Bowling, Crazy Golf, the Polish Night and the Indonesian Evening. Coach trips took us to London, Windsor, Cardiff, Oxford, Stonehenge, Straord-Upon-Avon, the Cotswolds and Cambridge. Over Easter, Jacqueline & Charl linked with BISC Alumni abroad - a chance to enjoy meals together & for the students to share fond memories of their me in Bristol! Lately the 10K Run & The Noise events have aracted students wishing to make a difference supporng local communies. The internaonal student work connues to grow each year, with plans for a new UoB addional campus and UWE expansion. BISC keeps developing & adapng from inially hosng mainly commonwealth students, to hosng more European Erasmus students in later years, to hosng the large increase in Asian students with the growth of the economy in that region. BISC has grown as a significant centre for hospitality, welcome and wellbeing, as a home away from home and a family type community away from home. Plans already underway to extend in- ternaonal student accommodaon above the recently extended lounge will give opportunity for even more intenonal community and sustainability. We are so grateful to the BISC team and the wider team of wonderful volunteers and trustees for your incredible me and heart commitment. THANK YOU TO YOU ALL! Introducing Emma We are needing to grow our BAKING and SOUP LUNCH TEAMS... due to ever-increasing numbers at our weekly meals. Could you help? Volunteers would be required to help weekly or bi-weekly during university terms, and be able to work in teams under the guidance of our head chefs. Our Baking Team bake at BISC on Mondays or Tuesdays at a me that is conve- nient between 9am-5pm, with a chance to sample their wonderful cakes with the students on Wednesdays or Fridays during lunch me. For Wednesday Soup Lunch, volunteers help in two shiſts. 1) Prep food at BISC from 9.15-12; then 2) eat with the students, alongside serving & clearing up, all from 12-3pm. Volunteers can help for either the first or the second shiſt, or sign up to do both. We are also keen to recruit any supporters who could help ad hoc with DIY tasks around the building. We have decorang to do during the summer break, or you can add your name to the list of helpers needed during term me. For these tasks we will make arrangements for a me that suits you. If you’d like to join a team, please contact Jacqueline at [email protected] or tel. 0117 9159826 before 10th June OR aſter 6th August when BISC reopens aſter the summer break. PAGE 3 PAGE 2 ...our interim Operaons and Events Manager It has been a pleasure welcoming Emma Wall as our interim O&E Manager since January this year. Emma has responsibility for the BISC centre, ensuring that the meals & events are run to a high standard, whilst also creang a welcoming home for all BISC students; she also depuzes in the Director’s absence. Emma, tell us about yourself! Firstly I’m 5/8 Welsh, plus a lile bit Italian and English! I was born in Scotland but have lived most of my life in Bristol. I’ve been a primary teacher for nearly 30 years in inner city Bristol schools, and I’m also a poet and oſten do poetry reading fundraising events for a local homeless charity. My husband and I have been respite foster carers for the past 12 years. How did you get to hear of BISC and its work? I’ve been a long term supporter of BISC and for several years now my husband & I have arranged for a group of students to come to our house for a special Aſternoon tea, a real highlight for us. What do you enjoy about working at BISC? I love preparing for the soup lunch, and deciding on menus for these and the Aſternoon Teas. I enjoy meeng students and developing friendships as folk come week by week, geng to know each oth- er on a personal level. I’m passionate about welcoming and nocing individuals, making sure everybody feels included. I love working with our volunteer teams and having a laugh with them as we prep for the meals! What do you enjoy doing in your spare me? Doing fostering and playing games at weekends; meeng friends for coffee; wring poetry; and me with husband Johnny. Have you travelled much? Oh yes! Hong Kong, Thailand, Tenerife, Tunisia, Brazil, France…etc. Thank you Emma for the fabulous way you have helped BISC for this interim period! BISC Volunteers having fun...Join us for baking, cooking or serving a meal, or to lend a hand doing DIY tasks! Emma treang BISC friends to homemade cakes Bisc Needs You! Mayor Marvin Rees & BISC friends at the Internaonal Recepon 2018 Navin & friends running the 10K for BISC Some students enjoy geng stuck into all of our acvies, such as Daria and Daria, friends from Russia! How did you hear about BISC? Daria (1): I saw BISC excursions adver- sed on a board outside BISC on Woodland Rd, and thought that sounded interesng! I invited Daria to join me. We’re both doing Educaon and I want to work in Educaon Policy. Daria (2): I’d like to go into teaching, and become an educaonal psychologist. What events have you enjoyed doing? Trips, Conversaon Café and meeng local people, the Christmas Dinner and Easter Lunch. Why did you support The Noise, cooking 100s of burgers for the Family Fun Aſternoon? We’ve never done volunteering before and so were curious about this opportunity. Also it was interesng vising another part of Bristol outside of the uni area. Daria (2): - I will go back to Russia with the hope that one day we could have something similar to BISC in our universies! Student Helper, Navin ...joining the BISC Team At BISC we oſten have students who wish to help us in different aspects of the work, parcularly helping the teams with admin or meal prep. Some students are able to give substanally more of their me to assist the core team in helping run events, providing invaluable support on the Day Trips team and doing gener- al help around the centre. Navin from India has been with us since January, and has endeared himself to all who work at BISC with his gentle loving nature and his good humour! Tell us about yourself: I’m from the Maharashtra region of West central India, and I’m here doing a Masters in Social Movements, aſter having done a degree in English Literature. It’s my first me away from home, so I knew nothing of Britain! I find people here so nice and friendly, like they stop to show you the way, even when in a hurry. What differences have you found between India and England? Well, the weather is unpredictable! The most unpredictable thing I’ve known in my life! And the food is not as tasty as in India, though maybe more healthy! How did you first hear of BISC? Well I found out that at one of your big events (Internaonal Recepon) there was going to be free food, so that grabbed my aenon! I picked up a programme and started coming to the meals & acvies. I love being at BISC. Helping here is not like working in some bureaucrac place, it seems like you’re contribung to something special. And it’s like being in a family. Everyone cares for you and some of the older volunteers treat me like their son! Thanks Navin, it has been a true joy to have you on the Team! Open Hearts & Homes The Welcome 2019... will run from 2-27 September, with the Internaonal Recepon hosted on the 12 October. Do put these dates in your diaries! As ever we are looking for willing helpers to drive students from the staons to their accommodaon, help on an evening Welcome Meal team, or to be on a list of hosts for potenal emergency accommodaon. Let us know if you can help! Email [email protected] or phone 0117-915 9826. We will contact all helpers during the month of August to make final arrangements. ...Our Local Link Hosng Scheme A warm welcome is behind everything we do at BISC. We love seeing the students fit in so quickly upon arrival, joining our events, sharing their lives with us over a meal. We would love for more to benefit from this welcome by extending the opportunity for them to visit a local home, through our Local Link scheme. If you love welcoming folk into your home, for a coffee or a meal, taking students out to visit places of interest, & just geng to know students from abroad, do consider joining our Hosts group. At present we have 25 hosts, but we could always do with more! If you are interested, please contact Ann at BISC on [email protected] or phone 0117-915 9826 for more informaon. From Russia with Love Daria & Daria, our friends from Russia
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biscStudent Talk Summer News
Stewart North (Chair of Trustees)
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The Welcome 20192 - 27 September
Welcome Meals13 - 24 September (excl. Sundays)
International Reception12 October
Christmas Dinner30 November
Prayer Meetings10.30 - 11.30am, once a month6.45 - 7.30pm, once a termask at BISC for exact dates
Page 2:Introducing Emma Student Helper, NavinFrom Russia, with LovePage 3:BISC Needs YOU!Open Hearts & HomesPage 4:Student TalkBuilding for the FutureGo Global
PAGE 4
FUN at the Indonesian Night!
Ana & Lily helping at The Noise
One highlight of our summer term has been...the Indonesian Night, organised in collaboration with the Indonesian Society made up of students from BU, UWE and Bath. Andre who helped organise this event tells us more: BISC was the first place in Bristol that made me feel at home far away from home. It’s also the best place for all international students to meet and share their stories, experiences and cultures!As the President of the Indonesian Students Association in Bristol & Bath, I thought it would be great to collaborate with BISC in organising the Indonesian Night. There are more than 60 Indonesian students studying in Bristol, with around 60% under-grads and 40% postgrads. My fellow Indonesian, Soulaya, came up with this idea of holding the event at BISC and worked hard with her team to collaborate with BISC.The main purpose of the event was to introduce Indonesia and its culture to home & international students. We performed Indonesian music, singing and dancing performances; as well as offering authentic Indonesian food & drinks.Andre explains further: For appetiser, we prepared Pisang Goreng (Fried bananas). Bakso & Bakwaan Kuah (Meatball Soup) were served for the first course. There were Nasi Padang Rendang (slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and various spices) and Gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce) for the second course and there was Es Timun (Iced grated-cucumber drink). Well done Indonesian Soc!
Another highlight is working with student volunteers...Each week we welcome an amazing team of student helpers who just love help-ing at BISC! Ana from Russia is doing a degree in Cellular & Molecular Medicine with a view to doing a PhD. She invited her friend Lily from the UK, who is doing a Masters in History, and they have become stalwart bakers every Monday. So, why did you choose to get baking? Ana: I love baking! BISC for me means community & support. I like that the staff members radiate this & we can ask them anything. I enjoyed face-painting at the Noise as l like drawing & painting. Lily: I’ve always liked doing baking – I’ve enjoyed getting to know people, it’s another group of friends to chat to, and at the same time I’m developing skills in baking & teaching some of the international students how to bake English cakes! BISC has some nice activities, and opportunities for internationals to get out and visit the country.
2019
Join the BISC Global Family(newly estabished alumni & friends network)
As many of you prepare to return to your home countries, after spending a wonderful time at BISC in this beautiful and kind city of Bristol, why not join our BISC Global Family group. We would love to keep in touch, to organise BISC meet-ups whenever we visit your home cities and make sure you continue the lively interaction with one another that you so enjoyed here at BISC.To join, simply email [email protected] with two contact details (e.g. a current email address; WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook or Skype account details), referencing Joining BISC Global Family in your subject.
Go Global This Issue
Bristol International Student Centre45 Woodland Rd, Clifton BS8 1UT0117-915 [email protected]
Building for the Future Phase 2As we write, Phase 2 of our building work is under way... With increased numbers at the weekly meals (well over 100 at the Soup Lunches for instance!) and similar events, so our need to sustain capacity and staffing has grown. We are therefore building upwards! In altering some of the upstairs layout and adding 3 more rooms to the existing 5, we will increase tenancy income. The building alterations will be ongoing throughout the summer, to be completed in time for the Welcome. The tenants will also enjoy a larger kitchen and living space, resulting in greater opportunity for intentional community living.The BISC centre continues to be a busy bustling hub of internationals milling around, chatting, catching up with classmates & making new friends. This is what BISC is all about – a meeting point, a cosy lounge, hot (cheap!) food, and a warm welcome from staff & volunteers. BISC has a vital role in welcoming students from every corner of the world; opportunities abound to create a warm, supportive place for students needing friendship, someone to chat to, somewhere to relax, enabling students to find community on their doorstep. We believe BISC’s wel-come is far-reaching in students’ lives even long after they return home! If you wish to help build this extraordinary home away from home, please [email protected] for volunteering opportunities. For financial giving, please visit www.biscfundraising.org.uk Every gift is gratefully received!
Celebrating a GREAT YEAR TOGETHER!The year began well with the busy Welcome period in September ‘18. Our lovely extended lounge was used to capacity with vast numbers of new students enjoying our 10 EVENING of FREE MEALS and having the chance to get to know us & one another. Many say how wonderful these meals are in helping them feel quickly at home in Bristol. Many also refer to the kindness of volunteer drivers who go out of their way to take them to their accommodation. (See page 3 for our needs for the upcoming September Welcome!) Following on in October was our International Reception, welcoming 600+ students to an evening of food, fun and entertainment, with a warm welcome from Mayor Marvin Rees. During the year we continued to have a full programme of events, including our annual lavish Christmas Dinner, a fun Pancake Party, Easter Lunch and a weekly Conversa-tion Café. Events with university societies included Bowling, Crazy Golf, the Polish Night and the Indonesian Evening. Coach trips took us to London, Windsor, Cardiff, Oxford, Stonehenge, Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Cotswolds and Cambridge. Over Easter, Jacqueline & Charl linked with BISC Alumni abroad - a chance to enjoy meals together & for the students to share fond memories of their time in Bristol! Lately the 10K Run & The Noise events have attracted students wishing to make a difference supporting local communities.The international student work continues to grow each year, with plans for a new UoB additional campus and UWE expansion. BISC keeps developing & adapting from initially hosting mainly commonwealth students, to hosting more European Erasmus students in later years, to hosting the large increase in Asian students with the growth of the economy in that region. BISC has grown as a significant centre for hospitality, welcome and wellbeing, as a home away from home and a family type community away from home. Plans already underway to extend in-ternational student accommodation above the recently extended lounge will give opportunity for even more intentional community and sustainability. We are so grateful to the BISC team and the wider team of wonderful volunteers and trustees for your incredible time and heart commitment. THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!
Introducing EmmaWe are needing to grow our BAKING and SOUP LUNCH TEAMS...due to ever-increasing numbers at our weekly meals. Could you help? Volunteers would be required to help weekly or bi-weekly during university terms, and be able to work in teams under the guidance of our head chefs.Our Baking Team bake at BISC on Mondays or Tuesdays at a time that is conve-nient between 9am-5pm, with a chance to sample their wonderful cakes with the students on Wednesdays or Fridays during lunch time.For Wednesday Soup Lunch, volunteers help in two shifts. 1) Prep food at BISC from 9.15-12; then 2) eat with the students, alongside serving & clearing up, all from 12-3pm. Volunteers can help for either the first or the second shift, or sign up to do both.We are also keen to recruit any supporters who could help ad hoc with DIY tasks around the building. We have decorating to do during the summer break, or you can add your name to the list of helpers needed during term time. For these tasks we will make arrangements for a time that suits you.If you’d like to join a team, please contact Jacqueline at [email protected] or tel. 0117 9159826 before 10th June OR after 6th August when BISC reopens after the summer break.
PAGE 3PAGE 2
...our interim Operations and Events ManagerIt has been a pleasure welcoming Emma Wall as our interim O&E Manager since January this year. Emma has responsibility for the BISC centre, ensuring that the meals & events are run to a high standard, whilst also creating a welcoming home for all BISC students; she also deputizes in the Director’s absence.
Emma, tell us about yourself! Firstly I’m 5/8 Welsh, plus a little bit Italian and English! I was born in Scotland but have lived most of my life in Bristol. I’ve been a primary teacher for nearly 30 years in inner city Bristol schools, and I’m also a poet and often do poetry reading fundraising events for a local homeless charity. My husband and I have been respite foster carers for the past 12 years.How did you get to hear of BISC and its work? I’ve been a long term supporter of BISC and for several years now my husband & I have arranged for a group of students to come to our house for a special Afternoon tea, a real highlight for us.What do you enjoy about working at BISC? I love preparing for the soup lunch, and deciding on menus for these and the Afternoon Teas. I enjoy meeting students and developing friendships as folk come week by week, getting to know each oth-er on a personal level. I’m passionate about welcoming and noticing individuals, making sure everybody feels included. I love working with our volunteer teams and having a laugh with them as we prep for the meals!What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Doing fostering and playing games at weekends; meeting friends for coffee; writing poetry; and time with husband Johnny. Have you travelled much? Oh yes! Hong Kong, Thailand, Tenerife, Tunisia, Brazil, France…etc. Thank you Emma for the fabulous way you have helped BISC for this interim period!
BISC Volunteers having fun...Join us for baking, cooking or serving a meal, or to lend a hand doing DIY tasks!
Emma treating BISC friends to homemade cakes
Bisc Needs You!
Mayor Marvin Rees & BISC friends at the International Reception 2018
Navin & friends running the 10K for BISC
Some students enjoy getting stuck into all of our activities, such as Daria and Daria, friends from Russia! How did you hear about BISC? Daria (1): I saw BISC excursions adver-tised on a board outside BISC on Woodland Rd, and thought that sounded interesting! I invited Daria to join me. We’re both doing Education and I want to work in Education Policy. Daria (2): I’d like to go into teaching, and become an educational psychologist.What events have you enjoyed doing? Trips,
Conversation Café and meeting local people, the Christmas Dinner and Easter Lunch. Why did you support The Noise, cooking 100s of burgers for the Family Fun Afternoon? We’ve never done volunteering before and so were curious about this opportunity. Also it was interesting visiting another part of Bristol outside of the uni area. Daria (2): - I will go back to Russia with the hope that one day we could have something similar to BISC in our universities!
Student Helper, Navin...joining the BISC TeamAt BISC we often have students who wish to help us in different aspects of the work, particularly helping the teams with admin or meal prep. Some students are able to give substantially more of their time to assist the core team in helping run events, providing invaluable support on the Day Trips team and doing gener-al help around the centre. Navin from India has been with us since January, and has endeared himself to all who work at BISC with his gentle loving nature and his good humour! Tell us about yourself: I’m from the Maharashtra region of West central India, and I’m here doing a Masters in Social Movements, after having done a degree in English Literature. It’s my first time away from home, so I knew nothing of Britain! I find people here so nice and friendly, like they stop to show you the way, even when in a hurry.What differences have you found between India and England? Well, the weather is unpredictable! The most unpredictable thing I’ve known in my life! And the food is not as tasty as in India, though maybe more healthy!How did you first hear of BISC? Well I found out that at one of your big events (International Reception) there was going to be free food, so that grabbed my attention! I picked up a programme and started coming to the meals & activities. I love being at BISC. Helping here is not like working in some bureaucratic place, it seems like you’re contributing to something special. And it’s like being in a family. Everyone cares for you and some of the older volunteers treat me like their son! Thanks Navin, it has been a true joy to have you on the Team!
Open Hearts & HomesThe Welcome 2019...will run from 2-27 September, with the International Reception hosted on the 12 October. Do put these dates in your diaries! As ever we are looking for willing helpers to drive students from the stations to their accommodation, help on an evening Welcome Meal team, or to be on a list of hosts for potential emergency accommodation. Let us know if you can help! Email [email protected] or phone 0117-915 9826. We will contact all helpers during the month of August to make final arrangements.
...Our Local Link Hosting Scheme A warm welcome is behind everything we do at BISC. We love seeing the students fit in so quickly upon arrival, joining our events, sharing their lives with us over a meal. We would love for more to benefit from this welcome by extending the opportunity for them to visit a local home, through our Local Link scheme. If you love welcoming folk into your home, for a coffee or a meal, taking students out to visit places of interest, & just getting to know students from abroad, do consider joining our Hosts group. At present we have 25 hosts, but we could always do with more! If you are interested, please contact Ann at BISC on [email protected] or phone 0117-915 9826 for more information.
From Russia with Love
Daria & Daria, our friends from Russia
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