The long winter months have officially set in, and students everywhere dream of distant lands where they could escape the yo-yoing weather of grossness that is Fargo this winter.

NDSU is here to help with events throughout the week drawing attention to our relationship with the broader world.

On Monday afternoon, over 30 NDSU students from countries all over the world kicked off International Week with the Parade of Nations, where students carried the flags of their respective countries through the union before gathering to talk about their homelands and chat with other students.

“In general, the goal for International Week is to raise awareness of international connections on campus — we have a lot of international students here, and they make a really vibrant and important part of campus culture,” Callie Dominique Speer, the study abroad advisor for International Student and Study Abroad Services, said.

When you live in the middle of what some might term “a frozen wasteland,” your mind might spring to far off lands with the vigor of a drowning person grasping after a rope. But International Week seeks to draw attention not only to opportunities of experiencing distant lands up close and personal through studying abroad, but also to opportunities of getting to know a wider, global community closer to home.

“Several pieces of campus are coming together for this,” Speer noted, “the MU Gallery has two shows with an international focus that extend beyond the bounds of this week, the dining center is doing themed menus for the week, the bookstore is having a display and even the coffee shop is selling international themed coffees. It’s nice to see so many parts of campus coming together.”

For a list of events, including tea tasting and a study abroad fair, see the International Student and Study Abroad Services site.