International Club serves culture at annual Food Tasting Party
Hundreds lined up for a taste of international cuisines such as jollof rice, tres leche cake and Vietnamese chicken salad for the International Club’s annual Food Tasting Party, Saturday, in the Student Center Ballroom.
The party, which ran from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., has been hosted by the International Club for a number of years and gives students, staff and the community a chance to try foods from CSC’s international students’ home countries. According to International Club President Princess Uba, senior of Abuja, Nigeria, the party gives members the opportunity to both “showcase their culture” and display the variety of cultures at CSC.
“It (the Food Tasting Party) gives us a good sense of the cultures represented here at CSC. Through it we are able to give everyone a taste of the world,” Uba said.
The evening began with a buffet-style line of various dishes such as Bofrot, a Ghanaian mini doughnut, Congolese spinach and beef and moi moi. When it came to the preparation for the event, Uba said the club began planning as soon as last semester, working with Dining Services to organize groceries after sending in the selected recipes. Members come together the evening prior to the Food Tasting Party to set up the ballroom, and again the morning of the event to prepare the food. Uba described this as an “exciting time” for club members to work together for a successful event.
“It’s usually a very exciting time when we get together to cook and decorate. This event unifies us,” Uba said. “You can’t work by yourself; everyone is interested in helping, even those who don’t have specific dishes they are cooking.”
As attendees found their seats and ate their meals, the night’s entertainment opened with “The International Student”, a play written by club member Manou Mbombo, sophomore of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The performance starred Mbombo as Talisa, an international student coming to CSC and experiencing “challenges and funny moments at Chadron State College.” The play was “based on true stories and experiences” and included various International Club students as cast members.
Uba followed up with an opening speech and introduced Job Corps members before their song and dance performances.
After Job Corps’ performances came the “flag game”, a game where four volunteers were selected to pin the flag on the corresponding country. Winners took home inflatable globes that doubled as centerpieces for the event’s tables.
The evening concluded with a fashion show, featuring selected members showcasing their countries’ traditional dress. Yen Nguyen, junior of Ha Noi, Vietnam, wore an ao dai, an outfit that was originally worn in 18th century courts, but now described as “a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over trousers which emphasizes the feminine beauty of Vietnamese women” worn on special occasions. Paola Rodriguez, sophomore of Marquette, showcased the escaramuza dress, a traditional dress from the Mexican state of Jalisco that was popularized during the Mexican Revolution and now worn on special occasions such as folkloric dances like Jarabe Tapatios and events such as Mexican Independence Day.
