Video: On Campus For The Holidays

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)—Though there’s no place like home for the holidays, some international University students will be staying put.

Research shows that nearly 1 million international students attend schools in the United States.

Ashkan Kalili is from Iran. He’s been a Mississippi State University student for 5 years now and has spent every American Christmas in Starkville.

“It’s kinda sad because your away from home. You don’t have your family and friends around and it’s the part that makes it kinda difficult,” said MSU International Student Ashkan Khalili.

Issues like that  is where locals like the De La Cruz family step into help.

“We will invite mostly Philippinos, Indians other Asians, Pakistani to celebrate, like Christmas Eve, we’ll  be doing the Christmas Eve party and during other times of the year if they are around just to give them uhhh the atmosphere of being with a family during this holiday season,”said Retired Mississippi State Professor Armondo De La Cruz.

Armondo De la Cruz and his wife Ruth open their home each year for any student unable to head home for the holidays. Mr. De la Cruz says it’s a tradition he will continue because he was in their shoes once.

” The holiday season as I’ve experienced, when I came here in the 60’s as a student by myself, is probably the loneliest time of the year that you are here. I use to spend Christmas day and new years eve by myself on top of a YMCA building just looking outside, admiring the lights,”said De la Cruz.

At one point in time the whole university would completely close including the residence halls and cafeteria, now things are a little different.

“For students who are not able to leave during the break once we’re aware of their break housing needs and they sign up with us, we will give them the access they need for their room during that particular period of time. We have hall staff that are on call during the break and we will make sure that everyone has cell phone numbers and away of getting in touch with our staff during the break,”MSU Housing Director Ann Bailey.

Mississippi State now has 25 students scheduled to stay on campus this season.