Song requests for a recent Karaoke Klub Nite included: Vicente Fernandez’s “El Rey” in Spanish, Aamir Khan’s “Mitwa” in Hindi, Les Cowboys Fringants’ “En Berne” in Canadian French, and a few Demi Lovato and Celine Dion songs thrown in for good measure.
The once-per-semester celebration brings together international and domestic students to belt out songs in Hindi, Spanish, French, English and other languages.
“International students can sing the songs they really love from back home without feeling guilty about it,” says ISMP Head Mentor Chihiro Tamefusa ’16, who says the discomfort comes from singing in another language that others might not understand. But at karaoke night, she says, everyone can sing whatever song they want. “International students can feel comfortable singing, and for non-international students who are learning a language, they can practice and learn more,” she adds.
Hosted by the International Student Mentoring Program (ISMP) and Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages, the event is open to all students from The Claremont Colleges.
“It is an incredibly fun environment with international and American students singing songs they don’t know in languages they don’t speak,” says Lazaros Chalkias ’16, an ISMP member.
