Legacy of Love and Lifelong Connections at I-House Berkeley
International House has long been a place where cross-cultural connection is at the heart of friendships and memories that transcend time and space. This February, let’s celebrate the enduring love and lifelong connections that begin at I-House.
Timeless Ties
For almost ten decades, I-House residents have been exposed to cultures, people, and worldviews different from their own. The friendships that grow from these experiences are central to the purpose and legacy of I-House.
I-House alum and human rights expert Victor Pineda (IH 1999-02) recalls,
“I remember when I had no way to get from my wheelchair to my bed and I felt so stuck and alone but I could knock on Milos’ door and he would be like, “Alright! Let’s get you into bed.” It became almost a regular routine that in the middle of the night, I would wake Milos up and without even opening his eyes, in his pajamas he would just go across the hall and turn me around and go back. And it’s that kind of friendship that makes you realize that you can do anything if you have a good person who’s watching your back. And people like Milos and other people at I-House actually show me that I have so much to share with the world.”
Many friendships that begin in I-House last a lifetime, with friends reconnecting across the globe, often decades after they first met! For instance, just last year, six friends who met at I-House in 1967 reunited for dinner at a Montmartre restaurant in Paris.
Della excitedly shares, “Our server was confused as to which language to speak with us as we kept flowing back and forth from French to English all evening. Little did she know that some of us could have also slipped into German, Spanish, and/or Italian. That is the beauty of I-house. After 56 years, our memories remain precious, our bond remains strong in whatever language we happen to use in the moment.”
Celebrating Love at I-House
Sometimes, what starts as a friendship at I-House blossoms into romantic love! The I-House Couples and Friendships page serves as a running record of over 1,000 I-House Berkeley alumni who found love “under the dome.”
Some I-House couples choose I-House as the venue for their wedding!
Meet Dania and Zunaid: Dania Orta Alemán (IH 2015-17), from Mexico, and Zunaid Omair (IH 2016-17), from Bangladesh, first met at an I-House Gateway Fellowship program dinner. Dania said, giggling,“I asked for his Facebook, and when he first told me his name, I didn’t understand it. I just pretended I understood it. I added him on Facebook just to make sure I got the name correct and, yeah, that’s how we met.” The two would often see each in the I-House Dining Commons. “I usually sat alone because I was very busy,” she said. “It was my last year, and I was applying for Ph.D. programs…and every time he saw me at the table sitting alone, he changed his table to join me.”
Fast forward five years later: Dania and Zunaid in the evergreen Heller Patio on their wedding day.
A Dedication to Love
Many I-House couples share their love story and their love for I-House by generously dedicating bricks, tables, or resident rooms. For instance, Anne and Henry Mollet (IH 1966-67) are pictured here at the 2023 Alumni Reunion Brunch seated on the bench where Henry proposed to Anne many years ago.
The plaque mounted outside their dedicated room reads: Henry Mollet, from Switzerland, and Anne Loewenstein, a native Californian, resided in I-House from 1966-67. They dedicate room 654 in support of the intercultural communication, collaboration, and connections that I-House encourages.
To inquire about how you can honor your special I-House relationship with a dedicated brick, room, or other naming opportunity, please visit here or contact us at (510) 642-4128 or philanthropy@ihouseberkeley.org