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International Students Carve Pumpkins for the First Time

Minkyeong Song , , , ,

FREDERICTON, NB –

International students at St. Thomas University (STU) had a chance to carve a pumpkin for this Halloween, in some cases for the first time.

“I think pumpkin carving is fun because a lot of people have never done it before,” said international student Hyemin Hwang. “It’s tradition for Halloween, and so lots of these international students are doing it for the very first time, and they’re really enjoying it.”

All students had to do is to register, either individually or as a group, and they provided with a pumpkin and carving kit to take home and work on their spooky masterpiece. The students were then asked to submit a picture of the result, and a doodle poll was created for all the international community to vote for the best pumpkins.

The pumpkin carving was put on by STU’s International Students Assn. and Partnerships to International Office.

“This is an event hosted by the international office here in STU. So we’re hosting a carving pumpkin competition. So we sent out a registration form for international students and sign up individually or as teams,” said Gabi Guimarães.

 

Gabi Guimareses with pumpkin carving kit, instructions and a package of candy. (Minkyeong Song/STU Journalism)

“It is going to be real fun, especially because there are a lot of first-year students that have to register. and most international students have not done this before so we’re also excited to see all the outcomes, all the pumpkins, and creativities,” said Carla Guibovich.

Students studying outside of Canada were able to participate by voting for their favorite pumpkin.

This goal was to give students in the partnership a chance to share an experience and learn more about other cultures. Students are from around the world, and this was the first time many of them had a carved pumpkin.

International students from various nationalities are teaming up to slice pumpkins. (Minkyeong Song/STU Journalism)

Other pumpkins sported carvings of witches, spooky and funny faces, and more Halloween-themed scenes.

When it was over, the international official congratulated everyone who took part. “We hope you are having a wonderful fall season. Thank you to all the students who participated in our pumpkin carving competition, we enjoyed seeing all of your creations and are impressed by your creativity and carving abilities.”

The students helped each other to complete the pumpkin. (Minkyeong Song/STU Journalism)

Pumpkins with ghoulish faces and illuminated by candles are a sure sign of the Halloween season. The practice of decorating jack-o’-lanterns originated in Ireland, where large turnips and potatoes served as early canvasses. In fact, the name, jack-o’-lantern, comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.