Twenty-four—that is how many countries are represented by Groton students. Fourteen—that is the international student population percentage. The community may be small, but it is certainly one of the most connected and culturally vibrant. Traditions and customs are some of the many ways students, up to thousands of miles away from home, stay close to their family and make the most out of their time at Groton.
Many students celebrate their culture by teaching other people about it. For example, Dellon Cai ’29 shared his plans for the upcoming Lunar New Year.
“I’m planning to teach other people about Chinese culture, symbols, and how you write Chinese letters,” he said. “And also, like, making the best wishes to them.”
A lot of credit to celebrating a variety of different cultures is also due to the many clubs and organizations on campus. Blair Man ’29 spoke about her favorite holiday, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and how the East Asian Student Alliance made it possible.
“At home, it was like a chance for everyone to get together and enjoy one big meal as a family,” she said. “And then fireworks will go off and it all looks really cool and it’s a shame that it’s not celebrated here as often, but I think that East Asian Student Alliance does such a good job because they bring everyone together and really just makes everyone feel more at home.”
Rebecca Stanton is the faculty advisor of International Community Advising Program (ICAP), another organization designed to assist international students with adjusting to boarding school. She happily reflected on the traditions in France she’s still carrying after 31 years of teaching at Groton.
“There’s of course the 14th of July, which is Bastille Day,” she said. “There is a Mardi Gras, which we celebrate in February, usually.” Groton doesn’t typically cover these holidays, but Madame Stanton still finds ways to celebrate with other French students. “We do one celebration here: the galette Des Ro in January, which celebrates the Epiphany. So at the French club and with the ICAP, I bring a galette from a bakery and then you eat the divided pieces.”
Sometimes, it’s the small things that can be the most meaningful. Victor Barrera ’29 is growing marigolds to celebrate his grandfather, aunt, and dog on the upcoming Day of the Dead that he used to celebrate with his family in Guatemala.
“I can’t have candles here, but I’ll have a fake candle light, put marigolds going around it, grow them, put them in water, and just stay with them the entire day,” he said, adding that being a part of the tight-knit Latinx community at Groton helps with making connections. “We like, we’ll speak Spanish with each other. We like to talk about our home countries.”
When asked about the homesickness that comes with being an international student, Blair responded with, “Oh, yeah. It’s my fourth year at boarding school and the homesickness hasn’t really changed. It gets a bit more subtle as you learn how to handle it a bit better, but it doesn’t grow away. So events like these really help you know, like adjust.”
Every cultural celebration, shared meal, and preserved tradition means more than simply a nice gesture. These actions have a profound impact on the way that students of all backgrounds feel about their time at Groton. Connecting with one’s roots doesn’t just create a sense of belonging—it forges new communities.
