Laquarius LoudermiLk STAFF WRITER

The Association of Inter-national Students (ASI) ended International Education Week with Arabian Night in the Stu-dent Center on Nov.19. Arabian Night was a chance for the stu-dents at Texas A&M University-Commerce to get a feel of the Arabic culture.

“We wanted the students to understand and know the Arabic culture,” graduate stu-dent and ASI president, Helen Magalhaes said.

The goal for the ASI’s In-ternational Education Week and for Arabian nights was to

gain more members and set themselves aside from other international organizations.

“Most students thought that we did not exist on campus, or they got us mixed up with other organizations,” freshman psychology major, Eduardo Sneed said.

Arabian Night was carefully planned by its members to at-tract students who anticipated coming to the event and for those who just passed by.

“I felt the Arabian theme from the set up, food and the music,” sophomore information systems major, Jon Taylor said.

Some students said they at-tended, because they were curi-ous about Arabian life.

“I wanted to try the food and learn more about the culture,” Taylor said.

With this particular culture many different types of food were brought in to be tasted.

“The chicken that was served was great, and the dessert was sweet,” junior biology major, Brittany Pa’shay Edwards said.

Some students said they were surprised that although cultures have some differences, some staples are the same.

“It’s nice to know that chick-en and potatoes are common in almost every culture,” freshman industrial engineering major, Christi Chaplin said.

There were a lot of activities at Arabian Nights that gave the

event an Arabian feel.“The activities that we have

are henna painting, making coin belts and a DJ for the night to dance,” Magalhaes said.

Another activity ASI planned for was the most anticipated activity for the night, which was the belly dancer that was brought in.

“Most people thought that the belly dancer was just a ru-mor,” Magalhaes said. “Tonight we have a surprise for everyone in attendance.”

Some students were also i n a t t e n d a n c e t o s e e t h e certain performer.

“I really want to see the belly dancer so she can teach me how See NIGHT page 3

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Commerce helps Cambodian city

adam troxteLL SPoRTS EDIToR

Commerce and Pailin, Cambodia, officially entered into a sister-city part-nership on Thursday, Nov. 19, during a signing ceremony held in the Innova-tions Room of the Sam Rayburn Student Center at Texas A&M University- Commerce.

After a Buddhist monk blessed the

ceremony, the mayor of Commerce, Quay Throgmorton, signed the official agreement in the presence of A&M-Commerce President Dr. Dan Jones, members of the Cambodia Service Learning Project and guests.

“Hopefully, this will really put Com-merce on an international map,” Throg-morton said. “Folks will know that not only the university, being part of the A&M-System, is involved in schools throughout the world, but that the city

wants to be involved in those types of activities also. Any publicity is good publicity, so we look forward to what this may bring to the city.”

Dr. Jones said he is proud of the uni-versity’s role in the initiative.

“This is such a wonderful model of what universities do best, and that is to teach and learn by doing good works,” he said. “I can’t think of a better ex-ample of a good work than bringing together two people of very diverse

cultures. This program is certainly consistent with that commitment on part of the university to bring the world to Commerce and the benefits from the mutual exchange of perspectives and ideas.”

The city has been working with the Cambodia Service Learning Project on the sister-city initiative. Political science department head Dr. JoAnn DiGeorgio-Lutz. who teaches the course, said she

See VILLAGE page 3

Campus sees belly dance

School, group works toward helping AIDS awareness

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Partnership blessed by Buddhist monk

samantha henry STAFF WRITER

Texas A&M University-Commerce office of Di-versity and Cultural Af-fairs, Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and ANGLS presented World AIDS Day Dec. 1 to promote global awareness of AIDS.

“ I k n o w d i f f e r e n t groups have done things with regard to World AIDS Day in the past, however this is my first time know-ing any programs targeting the day,” Office of Diver-sity and Cultural Affairs Director Robert Dotson said. “I am working to get publicity up about World AIDS Day.”

There were information tables set up in the Sam Rayburn Student Center (SRSC) on Nov. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. According to Dotson the booths will be hand-ing out information on HIV, HIV prevention, other sexually transmitted dis-eases, counseling infor-mation, and other health related materials.

There was also a Diver-sity in Dialogue panel dis-cussion from 12 to 1:15 p.m. in the Innovation Room of the SRSC. The topic of the discussion and “The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Central/South America, Caribbean, and the U.S.”.

Students gain look at culture, life

TODD GRIER / THE EAST TEXAN

A bellydancer entertains attendees of Arabian Night in The Club on Nov. 19. The Association of International Students put the event on for students to gain a perspective on Arabic culture. Aside from dancing, Arabic food and Henna tattoos were offered.

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Courtsy photo ramascreen.com NICK MINTON/ THE EAST TEXANPage 4 - Students take trip to great out doors

Page 6 - New Moon flashes little hope

Page 7 - Lasley LSC offensive player of year

VALEN CHAVEZ / THE EAST TEXAN

Courtesy photo zoom38.com

Texas A&M University-Commerce

and ANGLS put an event on for

world AIDS day.