By TRENTON JUDD
Student Reporter
The International Student Association’s annual Festival of Cultures was presented in the Student Center Ballroom April 2.
The festival featured seven meals prepared by people from five different countries, and as the students and guests were eating they were treated to nine performances presented by students from four different countries.
The festival opened with a welcoming address from the International Student Advisor, Megan Stratton, who noted that this year Northwestern enrolled students from 22 countries.
The first three meals served were from Nepal, and they were rice pudding, paneer vegetable and mo mo , which are similar to dumplings. The next meal was from Ghana and it was waakye with spaghetti and cole slaw. The next three meals were from Mexico, and they were asado, choco-flan, and arroz con leche. The last meal in the line was from Venezuela, and it was a chicken salad. The favorite meal among students and guests was the choco-flan, which was gone after the first table passing. After everyone was seated after passing through the line they were treated to nine cultural performances.
Performances included a dance from Nepal performed by Lakpa Doma; a song from Mexico sung by Viviana Andazola and Andres Riojas; a song from Nepal sung by Janu Shrestha and Adish; a dance from Africa performed by Precious Okeke and Betty Abbey; a song from Nepal sung by Adish; a dance from Nepal performed by Pawraj and Yejeshwi; a song from Nepal sung by Bidur; a song from Zimbabwe sung by Faith and Johnathan; and a song from Nepal sung by Sadhana.
Stratton returned to the podium to close the festivities, and she even opened up the ballroom floor for a free-for-all dance and during the dance all of the international students joined in.
“The Festival of Cultures provides a great opportunity to know about the different cultures that the students come from” said Professor of Spanish Francisco Martinez.
Assistant Professor of Spanish Claudia Young added, “The Festival had delicious food and very enjoyable songs.”