Finding people to connect with can be difficult, whether you’re an international student or a domestic student. However, it can be especially hard for international students who often have to travel across oceans to receive their college education. Cultural differences can be a huge hindrance in these cases, and no matter how well we get along with local students at our college, a level of loneliness persists. This space can usually only be filled by other things or people that remind us of home. Finding things that remind us of home can be tricky in a foreign country, but entertainment is a great tool to stay connected to our roots.
An accessible way to achieve that feeling of home is through music entertainment. Music makes us feel nostalgic, enhances our mood, and creates bonds between groups of people who particularly resonate with it. It’s one of the perfect bridges between where we are and our home.
One way I felt closer to my Georgian roots as a student at Emerson College was by going to see a Georgian jazz concert with a few other Georgians from the universities in the area. At that point, it was my second semester of sophomore year. I know one friend from high school who also goes to college in Massachusetts, and he added me to a group chat full of other Georgian students.
Giorgi Mikadze, a musician and associate professor at Berklee, would be performing jazz at Berklee College of Music and we decided to check it out. It was free admission too, which was also quite appealing. The concert was composed by Mikadze on the piano, accompanied by a bass player and a drummer. They played jazzified renditions of melodies drawn from prominent Georgian films, cartoons, and musical theater productions from the 20th century. “You know the Great American Songbook?” Mikadze asked the audience. “Well, this is the Great Georgian Songbook.”
Although the music itself wasn’t necessarily familiar, (the melodies were drawn from older films I never watched growing up) going with other people from my home country, supporting a musician from my country, and talking about the show in our shared first language afterward made me feel truly connected to my homeland for the first time that semester.
Music drives our need for connection and community, but don’t miss out on fun experiences if you have no one to go with. Experiencing this form of art can be quite rewarding as a solitary activity as well. I’ve experienced concerts all by myself, hosted by the Celebrity Series of Boston. This organization holds music events of all kinds — ranging from different genres, prices, and celebrities. The Celebrity Series of Boston and the Berklee College of Music are only two of the unlimited free event opportunities in Boston. Outdoor performances are a staple during the summer, and some organizations to watch out for during this time are ZUMIX, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Tanglewood, Lowell Summer Music Series, and many more. Watch out for concerts on Salisbury Beach, in the BPL courtyard, Prudential Center’s South Garden, Boston Common, North End Greenway, and overall citywide neighborhood concerts.
If you’re an international student who craves art and music, keep your eyes peeled for the Berklee performances, Celebrity Series performances, and neighborhood cultural centers, and be sure to check The Boston Calendar. I would strongly encourage anyone going through homesickness to either make a group chat with people from your home country or join one. Facebook groups and Subreddit communities are solid ways to look around and see who’s in your area. Going out to experience familiar-sounding music with familiar people can help settle that stubborn loneliness.
By Natia Kirvalidze
Natia Kirvalidze studies Writing, Literature, and Publishing at Emerson College. She is a Publishing Intern at Campus Clipper and serves as the Features Editor for Page Turner Magazine. She enjoys playing chess, hiking, and making checklists.
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Tags: community, entertainment, international, music