Written by Victoria Surtees, Teaching and Learning Specialist, Internationalization.
Did you know you could set your Outlook Calendar to include holidays from most countries and religions across the world? You can do it in less than 2 minutes with just a few simple clicks.
So why should you?
Well, let’s face it, when we celebrate our cultural festivals, we get busy. Like really busy. All the cooking, decorating, social engagements, and party planning… it’s hard to focus on much in the throes of those preparations. Students and colleagues are no different. In fact, if you’re an international student, festivals can also mean feeling especially lonely, separated from family, food, and traditions. Festivals are wonderful – but they can make it challenging to focus on reading a chapter or finishing an assignment. For students, it is a great relief when their instructor is aware of their cultural festivals and how it might impact their engagement. So give it a try – add holidays from India. The Philippines. Jewish religious holidays. Korean holidays! Maybe you’ll discover something new and exciting…. And maybe… just maybe, if you can, you’ll shift your assignment dates to accommodate some widely celebrated – but not provincially or federally legislated – holidays like Diwali or the Lunar New Year. Your students will thank you, I promise.
How to add international holidays: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-holidays-to-your-calendar-in-outlook-for-windows-f16d872f-8dad-4750-bb7c-166e72c26977
For a paper version, check out UFV’s EDI Calendar: https://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/presidents-office/edi-resources/EDI-wall-calendar_Print.pdf