​International students across campus will be able to take part in two more shopping trips in Champaign this semester, courtesy of Eastern’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and the Association of International Students (AIS).

​Bethany Cougill, international student coordinator, said many students miss having their favorite foods, treats, spices and tastes when they are away from home. In order to maximize interest, AIS surveyed the current international students to find out where they do their grocery shopping outside of Charleston, Cougill said.

​“We decided to travel only as far as Urbana and Champaign, so we considered which markets in that area were available to visit,” Cougill said. “In the days before each trip, students are emailed a link to sign up for the trip, and can choose which of the three options is most interesting to them.”

​Cougill said signing up is mandatory, because it reserves a seat on the bus. There are two more trips planned for the semester, Saturday, March 30 and Saturday, April 20.

​Sarah Dadoo, president of the Association of International Students, said students will board a bus at 9:30 a.m. at Blair Hall for both trips, and depart at 10 a.m.

​Upon arriving in Urbana/Champaign at 11 a.m., the first group of students will be let off in walking distance of two stores they can choose to shop at, World Harvest International & Gourmet, 306 West Springfield, and Best of Africa’s Food Store, 208 West Griggs, both in Urbana. The group will be picked up by the bus at 1:30 p.m.

​Group two will be dropped off at 11:10 a.m. and may choose to shop at two stores, both next to each other, Fresh International Market, 505 South Neil, and Annapoorna Stores, both in Champaign. The bus will pick up the group at 1:40 p.m.

​The third group will be dropped off at 11:15 a.m. at Harvest Market, 2029 South Neil, where they may choose to shop, or at Green Onion Asian Market, 2020 South Neil, right across the street from Harvest Market in Champaign. This group will be picked up by the bus at 1:45 p.m.

​Following pickups from each location, the bus will depart Urbana/Champaign at 2 p.m., arriving back at Blair Hall at 3 p.m.

Andrew Paisley can be reached at 581-2812 or abpaisley@eiu.edu.