SCAD’s International Festival has been around since 1998 and offers an experience like no other. Hearing students speak so passionately about where they are from and what they take pride in is something everyone should experience first hand. The annual festival offers just that.
On May 11, students celebrated the 20th annual International Festival. Both the UNI Intercultural club and International Student Services Office (ISSO) organized the event. Tables lined a walkway for visitors to follow and explore new cultures at every stop. Students from Mexico, Trinidad and India hosted interactive activities and provided samples of national dishes for everyone to try.
Mexico was the first stop. The student representing the country offered a selection of sweet and spicy treats, explaining each item of food and why it would suite whoever was eating it. The Trinidad table had stickers and samples of fried food. One of the students representing the country was teaching people how to play a steel pan while the other explained the history of where they are from.
The next table was India. They had a buffet-style layout of snacks that were put into plastic cups and mixed together like trail mix. They danced to music and explained something a lot of people don’t understand — how India is not just Bollywood, but has much more meaning and culture. You can learn more about their home country by connecting through the Indian Student Association.
At the end of the line of tables, there was a selection of different foods from all around the world. Students piled paper plates with beef patties, pudding and rice. Learning about different cultures and backgrounds of other students is a beautiful opportunity for us to experience what the world has to offer. Take a moment to sit and speak with people from outside your own country and learn more about theirs. You’d be surprised what you can learn.
