International Services

• About OIS

  • Hours and Location
  • Mission and Goals
  • Organizational Chart
  • Meet our Staff
  • Emergency Contact Information
  • Contact Us

• International Center

  • Programs & Events
  • IC History
  • Student Groups
  • Bloomington Worldwide Friendship

• Student & Scholar Advising

  • Students

    • F-1 Students
    • J-1 Students
    • Orientation

  • Faculty, Staff, & Visitors

    • J-1 Scholars
    • H-1B Employees
    • Permanent Residence
    • Short-term Visitors
  • Living in the U.S.
• Site Map

---

• Indiana University

  • About IU
  • Bloomington
  • Indianapolis
  • East
  • Fort Wayne
  • Kokomo
  • Northwest
  • South Bend
  • Southeast

---

⇒ Student & Scholar Advising ⇒ Faculty, Staff, & Visitors ⇒ J-1 Scholars ⇒ Scholar Newsletter: November 2009

Scholar Newsletter: November 2009

What’s New?

Athletics Offers IU Faculty and Staff Free Admission to Olympic Sporting Events:

Present your Indiana University ID card at the main gate or ticket office to receive free admission for you and a guest to IU Olympic sports.  This offer is valid for all sports other than football and men’s basketball.  (Source)  Click here for ticket information for football and men’s basketball games.  For more information about IU Athletics, visit iuhoosiers.com.

Important Dates

November 26:

Thanksgiving holiday.  The Office of International Services (OIS) will close at 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, November 25 and resume office hours at 9:00am on Monday, November 30.  The student recess begins after the last class on Tuesday, November 24, and classes resume on Monday, November 30.  If you would like to share the holiday with a local family, contact Bloomington Worldwide Friendship by November 12.

Scholar Profile

Each month, we recognize the activities and accomplishments of one of our visiting scholars, offering insight into some of the research activities and nationalities represented on the campus of IU Bloomington. This month, our featured scholar is Martí Grau.

Martí is from Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain and began his work as a visiting scholar at IU in September 2009.  His research and teaching are in the areas of International Relations and European Studies, and he is being hosted by the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA).  In the spring semester 2010, Martí will be teaching “The European Union on the World Stage” through SPEA, as well as the “Model EU” course through the West European Studies and Political Science departments.

Prior to arriving in Bloomington, Martí was a Member of the European Parliament, where he served on the Foreign Affairs and Internal Market Committees.  He has degrees in Political Science and History from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), and graduate studies from Pompeu Fabra University (Spain) and the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University (Bologna, Italy).

We asked Martí to share more about his experience at IU:

Q: Why did you choose to come to IU?

A: SPEA has a great reputation as one of the leading Public Affairs schools in the US.  My wife had joined the English PhD program at IU before we were married, so I had the opportunity to visit Bloomington regularly for several years.  When my term was over at the European Parliament, SPEA offered me a position as Visiting Scholar, giving me the opportunity to redirect myself towards academic life, both sharing my experience in European Politics with students and doing my own research.

Q: What is one thing you enjoy about IU or the city of Bloomington?

A: I particularly enjoy the fact that IU is located in a mid-size town, with so much of a cultural life, and with easy access to nature and open spaces.  I personally have always enjoyed living in smaller cities during my studies, so Bloomington is a great fit for me.

Q: Are you involved in any activities or events at IU or in Bloomington?

A: My wife and I got opera season tickets, and I regularly attend the concerts at the International Center.  We have been going to the Farmers’ Market every Saturday, and we are subscribed to an organic farm share that we go pick up every week.  We enjoy exploring restaurants and sharing meals with our longtime Bloomington friends.

Q: What are your plans after your program ends?

A: My plans are going back to Barcelona to teach there.  Barcelona just became the site of the secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean, a new political entity that works towards bringing North and South Mediterranean shores closer, in political, economic and social terms.  I will probably consider sharing my time between Barcelona and academic institutions abroad.

Q: What advice do you have for other scholars, especially those new to IU and Bloomington?

A: I would encourage them to take advantage of the interdisciplinary approach that they will find at IU.  From my experience, I can tell that IU faculty are very welcoming and willing to accommodate international scholars’ interests.  Close collaboration among IU departments and schools makes it possible for researchers and instructors to successfully develop their own path.

If you would like to share your story with us, please email Jennifer Ashcraft at jeashcra@indiana.edu.

J Regulation Reminder

If you wish to travel outside the US during your J program, you should:

1. Make sure that your passport is valid at least six months into the future.  In most cases you will also need a valid J-1 visa stamp in your passport before returning to the US.
2. If you are traveling to a country other than your home country, consult with the appropriate embassy/consulate to determine what documents are required for entry.
3. If your DS-2019 has not been signed for travel authorization within the past 12 months, submit a travel signature request via iStart at least two weeks prior to travel.  You will be contacted when the request is approved, with instructions to have your DS-2019 signed for travel.

Remember, travel outside the US includes Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands, and includes any form of transportation (air, land, or sea).  Also, J-2 dependent status is tied to your J-1 status, so consult with OIS if you will be traveling without your dependent spouse and/or children.  If your DS-2019 is issued by an organization other than IU (such as Fulbright), please consult with them regarding your travel.

International Events

IU World’s Fare:

The Office of International Services and Union Board are hosting the 2009 IU World’s Fare on Wednesday, November 11, 5:00–8:00pm in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union.  The event will open with musical performances by the IU Steel Pan Ensemble and the Afro-Cuban Ensemble.  International student groups will represent their cultures through cultural displays, food, music, and dance.  Admission is free, and food tickets are $4 for a sampling of eight food items from around the world.  Cookbooks featuring international recipes will be available at no cost to attendees while supplies last.  For more information about the event, visit the World’s Fare website.

Scholar Luncheon:

The next luncheon will be Thursday, November 19 at the International Center (111 S. Jordan Ave).  This month is a “Brown Bag Seminar” and participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch.  Drinks and dessert will be provided.  An email invitation will be sent out with further information.

Photo Contest Reception:

Over 200 international students and scholars participated in the first-ever OIS Photo Contest.  More than 470 photos were submitted and are currently being reviewed by a panel of judges.  Winners will be announced at the Photo Contest Reception, 4:00pm, Thursday, November 19 at the International Center (111 S Jordan Ave).  Please join us in honoring all participants and announcing the winners.  Select photos will also be displayed in a digital slideshow.  Light refreshments will be served.  OIS would like to thank the following sponsors for donating prizes: IU Alumni Association; IU Credit Union; Pygmalion’s Art Supply; Quick Pic Photography.

International Education Week:

All of the events listed above are part of International Education Week, which will be celebrated November 11–20.  Check the IC website for a full schedule of events.

Things To Do

Enjoy one of the many performances at the IU Auditorium, including Bob Dylan (November 2), Celtic Woman (November 8), or The Wizard of Oz (November 10–11).  Also, the Department of Theatre & Drama will present Shakespeare’s As You Like It November 13–14 and 17–21.

The Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center is presenting the Kazakh Film Series through December.  For more information, visit their website.  Slavic Languages & Literatures offers the Czech Film Series throughout the academic year.  For a complete list of films and events, visit Slavic Languages & Literatures.

The East Asian Studies Center Colloquium Series

continues with Local Practice—National Memories: A Lecture by Evans Chan (November 6), Environmental History of China (November 13), and Is There Any Future for China’s Herders?  The “Ecological Migration” Policy in Inner Mongolia and Tibet (November 20).  All of the EASC Colloquium events will be held from Noon–1:00pm in Ballantine Hall 004.  For more information, visit the EASC website.

Social Beginner Ballroom Lessons:

For the entire Bloomington community, IU Ballroom Dance Club is now offering beginning and advanced social lessons.  Hour-long lessons take place weekly on Fridays at 6:00pm in HPER 171, (directly followed by advanced lessons).  Join them for a time of fun and dance for $7 per lesson.  Web site: www.indiana.edu/~dance

Zen Family Night at RecSports:

Friday, November 6, 7–9pm at the SRSC.  Parent/child yoga session will be provided at 7:30pm and 8pm.  The usual family play areas will also be available throughout the evening.  For more information, visit the RecSports website.

Meet the Instruments Weekend:

November 7–8.  This family-friendly event at WonderLab will offer a mixture of performance, interactive play, and creative movement for exploring the art and science of sound.  All activities are included with museum admission ($6 for children, $7 for adults).

The Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC)

will be hosting a conference on Black rock November 13–14.  The conference and related activities are open to local and regional musicians, scholars, students, and the general public for a nominal fee.  Programs will include lectures, film, and music.  For more information, visit the website for Reclaiming the Right to Rock.

The Mathers Museum will celebrate Native American Heritage on Saturday, November 14.  An American-Indian Style Beadwork workshop will be offered 11am–1pm.  The event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required.  They will also offer the Family Craft Day program from 2:00–3:30pm.

The Bloomington POPS Orchestra and Chorus will play traditional holiday music at Christmas with the POPS on Friday, November 27 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (114 E. Kirkwood Ave).  Two performances (5:30pm and 8:00pm) surround the Canopy of Lights in downtown Bloomington.  Cost: $5 Child; $15 Adult.

A Bloomington tradition, The Nutcracker ballet is set to music of Tchaikovsky and will be performed at the IU Musical Arts Center (MAC) on December 4 6.  Buy tickets in advance for this popular performance.

For a more activities, visit the IU Events Calendar and the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Did You Know?

In 1925, a meeting among Indiana and Purdue alumni resulted in the nation’s second oldest collegiate football trophy: the Old Oaken Bucket.  In honor of the winning school, a chain link in the form of an “I” or “P” is added to the bucket annually.  The 85th matchup will take place on November 21, 2009 at Memorial Stadium.  (Source)  Tickets to the football game can be purchased through IU Athletics.

Other trophies are traded among teams, and each IU athletic team can earn one point toward the overall championship for the Crimson & Gold Cup.  The IU-Purdue rivalry also carries over to into other aspects of university life, including an annual blood donor challenge.

Feedback

Are there items you would like to see included in future editions of the Scholar Newsletter?  Click here to send us your suggestions.