iCafé, International Friday Café’s virtual café, teams up with campus partners to explore the world as global citizens and frequent "virtual" flyers!
Play Travel Trivia hosted by Extension (winner gets a prize!) and enjoy our Global Playground hosted by Recreation. Receive a free apron by sharing a recipe in the Cook Club! This fun global exploration happens during lunch time on Fridays (PST).
Connect with your Triton community over culture, trivia, fitness and cuisine. Join us and bring a friend...It's free and fun of course!
Information and Schedule: https://global.ucsd.edu/news-events/friday-cafe/index.html
Past Event: 10/23/20 IFSO Hosting iCafe: Mexico
Living abroad with children and/or adolescents opens up a whole new world of opportunities to experience a new language and cultures. It also inspires us to look at our own language/s and cultures from a different perspective. School is an important part of our kids’ lives and it will continue to be when living in a different country. When interacting with our kids’ new school and teachers, sometimes, we might not understand the way things are done, and we may be hesitant to ask questions. We want to support your process and give you tools to successfully build family-school-community relationships. Let’s start by looking at ways to initiate and maintain communication with teachers and schools. We will also explore questions, possible misunderstandings and ways to resolve them. And, we will look into community resources and your family’s special role as your country’s ambassador.
Guest speaker: Maria Luiza (Malu) Dantas, PhD
Event sponsored by EIA, ISPO.
In collaboration with IFSO.
CANCELLED Date: January 26, 2021@noon
We are working on logistics for new date/time/etc.
Please check back for updates!
What does it mean and look like to be a bi/multilingual family? What are the opportunities available to support bi/multilingualism at home and when living abroad? Bi/multilingualism is a choice and you can make it! But you don’t need to do it all by yourself. Like parenting, raising a child bilingual or multilingual can be challenging but there is also help available to make the journey. We want to support your journey by looking at relevant research and creative language tools and approaches; exploring challenges and possibilities; and creating opportunities for you to meet other like-minded families.
Guest speaker: Maria Luiza (Malu) Dantas, PhD
Event sponsored by EIA, ISPO.
In collaboration with IFSO.
Date: Dec 8, 2020
Time: 12 noon to 1:30 pm
Register Here
***Open to UC San Diego Staff, Faculty, Scholars, Partners, and Community***
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Make a Reindeer Shaped Treat with IFSO!

Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Step 1: Register here
***Event is open to all, feel free to share the registration link***
Step 2: Purchase the following to participate in the interactive portion.
Shopping List:
- Pretzels
- Rolo Chocolate (or other round chocolate easy to melt)
- Red candy/chocolate, M&Ms or skittles work great!
- Candy eyes (or mini marshmallows, frosting, white chocolate chip, etc.)
- A method of slightly melting chocolate (microwave, toaster oven, oven, etc.)
Questions? Reach out to us at ifsoprograms@ucsd.edu
Step 3: Join us Virtually on 12/10/20 at 4:00pm to make our pretzel Reindeers and talk about our favorite holiday treats!

Do you want to learn about the brewing processes and general beer styles? Learn from a brew master's perspective and take a virtual walk around the brewery. There will also be an interactive portion with an option to purchase the beers that will be used during the pouring demonstration; should you choose to do so (this option is not mandatory) this would easily extend to a virtual beer tasting for your home enjoyment.
Past Event:
Step 1: Register!
DATE: 10/21(Wednesday)
TIME: 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Please note that due to the beer theme, this event is for participants that are 21 years of age and older.
Step 2: Purchase/Pickup beer, not mandatory, but an option for those that want to partake in the interactive portion
Optional: Beers for purchase; these will be used for the pouring demonstration:
-Weekend Hazy IPA
-Mesa Nueva Mexican Lager
-If time, Raspberry Wundersauer
If you will be virtually participating with the pouring demonstration, please pre-order and/or pick up in advance of the event at either location; online pre-ordering is also available for convenience on Rough Draft’s webpage
- UCSD Pub (Mesa Nueva, East Campus, 3869 Miramar Street, La Jolla, 92037): Wednesday - Saturday 6 to 10 PM
- Miramar Tasting Room (8830 Rehco Road, Suite D, San Diego, CA 92121): Tuesday - Friday from 12 pm to 7pm.
- Each 16oz crowler can is $4
Step 3: Meet us virtually on 10/21/20!
Join IFSO (with your cup of coffee/tea) to meet the UC San Diego Triton community!
We will be hosting a Coffee/Social Hour on Friday, June 12, 2020 from 3:30p – 4:30p!
We look forward to meeting you virtually and discussing movies/shows, food/restaurants, and much more!
Registration: Register Here
IFSO would like to bring together all music enthusiasts, musicians, and singers for an interactive virtual concert!

What does this mean? You can showcase your skills whether it be instrumental, A Capella, or something else; all ideas or forms of musical expression are welcome!
This event is open for all levels and any type of music genre. This is not a competition, we are solely building community. If you love music, please join us.
Past Event:
Date: Thursday, August 13
Time: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
RSVP: Click Here
***Attendees are not required to perform, those that solely want to listen and enjoy time spent together are always welcome*
Come learn about American Football and watch the Superbowl!
IFSO will have our own private room with 5 big screen TVs and a pool table. There will be an informal presentation before the Superbowl viewing with free food; first come first serve. Additional menu items and drinks will be available for purchase.
Past Event:
Sun, Feb 2, 2020, 3:00 PM @ Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery @ The Brewer's Loft (Room)
8980 Villa La Jolla Dr
San Diego, CA 92037
The English-in-Action (EIA) conversation program matches international students, scholars and spouses with volunteer conversation leaders to help with conversational English language skills, simultaneously helping you to acquire a better understanding of American culture and to acclimate more quickly to UC San Diego and the San Diego community.
The EIA volunteer conversation leaders are community members, faculty, staff, and students.
International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. Initiated in 2000 by the US Department of State and the Department of Education, the week is dedicated to enhancing international awareness across UCSD campus as well as to reinforcing the importance of the exchange of students and scholars across borders.

Anyone with RIMAC membership or Intramural Pass looking for a way to exercise and interact or connect with other staff members or students at UC San Diego? Intramural sports are amateur teams on campus, made of students, scholars, staff, or community members. Games are 1 hour long, once per week, on campus. Anyone can join the teams; they are just for fun. See a listing of RIMAC intramural team sports.
Help someone learn your language, and enjoy conversational practice in their language in exchange! Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/UCSDLangExchange/. This is a self-run program where you review who is available and choose your partner based on your language preferences.
Oceanids is a UC San Diego organization and support group promoting friendship and services to the UC San Diego community. They offer many services for international scholars such as the Kitchen & Baby Equipment Exchange (please refer to temporary closure note below) as well as activities ranging from a Whale Watching trip during the Winter quarter to a Desert camping trip; to receive these announcements, please sign up here.
Oceanids has 20 different interest groups and the three listed below are popular amongst new postdocs or scholars at UC San Diego; the link will direct you to each group's specific webpage for details:
Hiking In and Around San Diego County
Moveable Feast I
Wine Tasting II
Oceanids full list of interest groups
KITCHEN EXCHANGE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Due to concerns of cross-contamination with regard to COVID-19, we will be temporarily closing the Kitchen Exchange as a precaution to protect both our campus community and staff until further notice. Thank you for your understanding.
Please contact either Liz Johnson @ (503) 504 8564 or Judy Vacquier @ (858) 361 0418 and we will arrange to meet with you.