Hundreds of students gathered at Fred Beekman Park for a taste of American food, culture and hospitality at the International Welcome Picnic yesterday hosted by International Friendships, Inc.”It’s great, so many international students and so many different cultures,” said Zang Gang, a graduate student in mechanical engineering. “It’s like a big family. I wish we would have more of these in the future.”Approximately 400 students, friends and volunteers attended and participated in volleyball, soccer and other traditional American games.International students attend the picnic to meet friends and to build relationships. “Social interactions like this create ways for relationships to develop naturally and intentionally among people,” said Rich Mendola, director of the IFI, a registered student organization and Christian-based organization at Ohio State. Mendola said living in another culture can be lonely. “While these students are away from home, they need American friends to help with loneliness and cultural adjustment,” he said. The IFI provides opportunities for genuine friendships to develop between international students and volunteers, Mendola said. “I like this environment,” said Fuchu Shen, a doctoral candidate in economics, talking about the picnic . “Everyone is so kind and relationship is close. I like this kind of relationship, so I can make new friends.”In addition to this picnic, IFI provides airport pickup, temporary housing, sessions in conversational English practice and a course in English as a second language. IFI consists of international students and volunteers from local churches. Each volunteer must complete an application, submit references and attend a two-hour training session. Volunteers are given an overview of the needs of international students, a lesson on cross-cultural sensitivity and the guidelines and values that govern the organization.