CRISSA NELSON | editor-in-chief
KIMBERLY WILCOX | features editor

Hospitality Services teamed up with International Student Services (ISS) to bring students authentic ethnic cuisine and an opportunity to learn and experience other cultures through the most common denominator between them: food. The second annual Taste of the World featured traditional cuisine from a different region of the world each day in the Caf.

“There were two goals. One was to present cuisine from different countries and then as the school is going more international, to educate students on different cultures,” Director of Hospitality Services Samuel Samann said.

The week consisted of a tour around the world, beginning in South East Asia with cuisine from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Traveling on to Africa with cuisine from Ethiopia, Denya, Senegal and Zambia. Then to Southern Asia featuring Napal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Continuing into Europe with England, Italy, Spain and Portugal. And ending with the islands of Hawaii, Samoa and Tonga.

“It’s great to enjoy different food, meet people and see what the differences and similarities are and get insights into their cultures,” sophomore computer science major from Sudan John Gak said.

International students with ISS helped choose the regions, compile slideshows with pictures and facts about the countries and assist in creating a musical ambience.

Students were transported from American soil to foreign lands—not only by their taste buds but through their conversations. International students voluntarily hung out in the Caf during the lunch hours this week to offer a personal perspective of cultures from which the food originated.

Cuisine was selected from submitted recipes by international students and APU chefs from those regions.

Students were encouraged to attend lunch each day and get their Taste of the World passport stamped in order to be eligible for raffle prizes, such as gift certificates to on-campus eateries, a Coca-Cola beach chair or the grand prize, a Coca-Cola bicycle.

The ISS grad intern Regina Soprano helped to coordinate the partnership.

“This week provides a slice of insight into growing up in the featured culture,” Soprano said.

Last year’s success was an inspiration for the continuation of the event and top cuisine choices were incorporated into the mainstream menu over the course of the year.

“I think it’s a good thing because trying something new is hard to do,” freshman international business major from Kazakhstan Enok Kim said. “Especially in the U.S. because it is so isolated from other continents.”

Conversation starters were featured at each table to help spark dialogue between students, providing the opportunity for students to learn from their peers about countries, cultures and cuisine.

“Stupid is uneducated. Ignorant is Pride; even though you have the opportunity to learn you don’t,” Kim said. “I’d rather be stupid than ignorant.”