Many international ISU students won’t be able to go home next week for Thanksgiving because their homes are too far away.

Instead, they will stay on campus or travel with their friends and roommates around the country.

Seung-Minn Baik, intensive English and orientation program student from South Korea, said he has two plans for the break.

“The first plan is going to Maryland with some church friends this Friday, and the second one is visiting my housemate’s home,” Baik said.

He is excited about the break because this is the first time he will experience the American Thanksgiving and also have turkey.

“I have never tried it before, but I am sure that it will taste great,” he said. “I heard that there is something inside a turkey that makes you sleepy. I thought it was very interesting.”

Seong Chow Lim, sophomore in economics from Malaysia, said he will go to Minneapolis with friends.

“We wanted to go skiing in Minneapolis, but we heard that the ski resorts had not been open yet, so we decided to go shopping and to hang around instead,” Lim said.

Keita Fukunaga, graduate student in economics from Japan, said he will stay in Ames to research and study during the break.

Joo-Hyun Jung, sophomore in pre-business from South Korea, said he has no special plans for break.

“It’s kind of sad that we can’t go home for this break. It’s one of those times when I get really homesick,” Jung said. “But I have a lot of homework and projects due right after the break. So I will use this time to catch up on it, so that I can finish off strong this semester.”

Another student from South Korea, Seung Han You, freshman in electrical engineering, said he plans to stay in Ames for Thanksgiving — he will save his money for the trip home over winter break.

“I know Thanksgiving is the time of getting together with families, but, in my case, I can’t go back home. Plus, we [Koreans] had Thanksgiving already in September,” You said.

He said many international students don’t have the money or the time to travel to their home to spend only a week with their families.

“It’s literally impossible. The ticket price for going back to Korea is too expensive, and, it will take 14 hours to fly there. It’s not worth the hassle,” he said.

“The break is only a week long, and after we come back from the break, the finals and homework will be waiting for us. I think the break will be a good time to do some studying so that I can be prepared for the finals.”

He said he is worried about getting his meals during the break because he usually goes out to eat.

Dining centers will be closed from Nov. 20 through Nov. 28 and will reopen Nov. 29, said Janine Bennett, residence hall secretary.

The residence halls will provide all other services to students during the break, however, said Michelle Boettcher, residence hall coordinator, and staff members, community advisers and hall directors will be on duty so that students can reach them if they need help.