International students biggest users of MUN's campus food bank

More than half of Memorial University's food bank users in St. John's are students who make up a smaller portion of the school's population: international graduate students.

"The need is great," saidPaul Murphy, president of the MUN campus food bank.

On average,4,800 bags of foodgo out the food bank's doors every year, and60 per cent of those on thereceivingendare international students.

They come to Memorial University from Africa, the Middle East, India, East Asia and South America.

"The students come here and then find apartment rents are steeper [and] food is more expensive. They find that their costs are greater than they thought, andsometimes they run out of food before the end of the month," said Murphy.

Economic relief

"I'm not surprised," said Emmalang, an international student from Massachusetts.

Lang, whois working on a folklore PHD, said many internationalsare living on the edgefinancially, and are in desperate shape.

"I've seen peoplewalkto the food bank and, when Iask them about it, they deny it," saidLang.

"They don't want their parents to know that they've come to this great universityand their parents areoften sacrificing quite a bit to send thembut they are not able to eat," saidLang.

'Poor student' stereotype is real

"It's not a joke.It's not a joke," Murphy said, addingthat many graduate students from around the world are justscraping by.

"If anything comes along, a little extra costor a little extra charge, they [have]to pay somehow, and then you don't have money for groceries," said Murphy.

In December, the food bank saw a 30 per cent jump in Christmas hampers.

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Then, weeks later, the studentswere back in droves.

"We had lineups for most of January," Murphy said.

Lang, who's been living in St. John's for almost three years, canattest to the hardships of living the international student life. At times, she has had to budgetto an extreme.

"How many days can I make this bag of rice last? What is the cheapest way for me to buy potatoes,"she said she asks herself regularly.

"I've had meals where all I've eaten is potatoes.I rarely eat meatand almost neverby fresh vegetables," addedLang.

Tougher times ahead

Tuition fees for international students are going up 30 per cent in the fall of 2018.

Two new fees are also being introduced: a campus renewal fee and a student services fee.

Langisn't impressed.

"We're being left with an unpleasant taste in our mouths because we're facing another fee hike," she said.

"Last year the chaplaincy set up a winter coat drive so you could get acoat. Our students shouldn't need that."

At the food bank, Murphy saidhe's already seeing the effect of rising fees.

"Last Monday night I had a student come in and he hadn't been here since Christmas because he's had to start saving up his money in case there was a fee increase," he said.

"He's trying to solve the problem by coming here and getting his food here, and then saving the money that way."