Before she came to Canada, Celia Yang knew one thing about the country — that it welcomes cultures from around the world.

The Chinese student, currently completing a course in the English Language Improvement Program in preparation for majoring in international accounting and finance at the Odette School of Business, had relatives in Canada extolling its virtues.

“They say that Canada is a country where you can experience many different cultures,” Yang said Friday as she enjoyed World Student Day celebrations along Turtle Island Walk. Activities and performances recognized the community benefits of hosting international language students.

She said the traditional dances by Indian students were her favourite.

“I haven’t seen this kind of dance before,” said Yang. “In China, it is still new to use to see people from different cultures.”

Besides the dances, the day engaged students in drawing a chalk mural, blowing enormous soap bubbles, a giant Jenga game, a Zumba workout, and competing in trivia, construction, basketball, and obstacle course contests, concluding with a barbecue lunch.

“We had a great celebration,” said Katia Benoit, acting director of the Centre for English Language Development. “This event helps to introduce the campus to these students and vice versa. Thanks especially to our sponsors and our inspirational speakers, president Douglas Kneale and Lancer women’s basketball coach Chantal Vallée.”

Yang’s classmate Lillian Liu said her favourite activity was joining dozens of students for the mass Zumba session: “Exercise makes people happy.”

She was pleased to advance her goal of making more friends.

“I thought Windsor is a very beautiful city, but since coming here I have found the people are also very friendly and hospitable,” Liu said.

In addition to bringing students to Windsor to improve their English communication skills, the Centre for English Language Development also offers programs in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The centre will host an information on its certificate program August 15. Find more information on its website.

Students teamed up for a relay race testing their knowledge of Canadian trivia and their ability to carry a tennis ball with chopsticks.

Making their mark: a sidewalk mural invited chalked contributions.

A Zumba fitness session got students moving.

Use the hashtag #CELDWSD2018 on social media to find more images from the Centre for English Language Development’s World Student Day celebration.