Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

VSA Fall Reception

Leah C.

November 14, 2009 - 5:00 PM

Last Thursday, I was invited to attend the Vietnamese Student Association Fall Reception, and boy was I impressed! The goal of the event was to introduce and welcome members, nonmembers, faculty and friends. As well as to represent what the Vietnamese Student Association of University of Oregon had to offer. The attire for the event was semiformal, which fitted the atmosphere. Everyone was dressed up, the girls in dresses, and guys with button up shirts and ties. The dinner was held at Gerlinger Lounge, a very cozy room, dimly lit with wood accents, antique furniture and a large fireplace. The lounge is probably my most favorite place on campus. I've only been to the room 3 times. Once for my Diversity Building Scholarship reception, and the second was for another cultural event that I unfortunately vaguely remember.... except for the fact that someone was playing the piano.

We started the night with a speech by one of the directors this year, and what she said made me reflect how I personally felt and what I wanted HKSA to be. She shared her experience with the club, and how she did not know so much about the group when she first got involved with the exec team, but gradually grew to love them as a family. I know many of the dedicated members who attend their general meetings, and the things they do are so sweet and personal, such as charity events, beach retreats and "secret Santa" on Christmas.

Like HKSA, they are not exclusive, the majority of their members are not all Vietnamese, and they welcome anyone from all backgrounds to join. What does set us apart is that VSA is a larger group, with bigger funding, and with more goals and events that they can achieve. Did I mention that the Fall Reception dinner was free? They are also very organized, and have a lot of past knowledge and experiences on their team. I've always admired VSA's events and goals, and their dedicated members. This is something I want to achieve for the Hong Kong Association. I would love to have committed members, where not only will we see each other during our meetings and events, but outside of the group as well.

Anyway, back to the reception. We played a few icebreaker games, which involved organizing ourselves within several groups based on height, age, and birthdays without speaking. The team that organized themselves correctly first, got in line for food first. Dinner was provided by China Blue, a local Chinese restaurant, and consisted of rice, broccoli with beef, a shrimp and chicken dish, and a tofu vegetable dish. While we ate, a slideshow of past and present photos were being played on a projector, which was very touching. The bond that all the members have with each other is a very rare and beautiful thing for a cultural group. I am very happy for the Vietnamese Student Association for having such a successful group. Even their fellow sister clubs from Oregon State, and Portland State University made their way down to Eugene to attend the reception. I left the reception with a few new friends and a better idea of what I want the Hong Kong Student Association to become, a family for students away from home.