Food unites people from all over the world, and as Shanning Wan, a freshman from China and a member of the International Student Organization (ISO) said, “food is the new international language.”
It doesn’t just fill the stomach, food and its preparation resonate across cultures. On November 3, 2006 at Seton Hill University’s (SHU) Lowe Dining hall, the ISO held its biannual food festival, which was open to the whole SHU community.
By Mike Diezmos,
Photo Editor
Food unites people from all over the world, and as Shanning Wan, a freshman from China and a member of the International Student Organization (ISO) said, “food is the new international language.”
It doesn’t just fill the stomach, food and its preparation resonate across cultures. On November 3, 2006 at Seton Hill University’s (SHU) Lowe Dining hall, the ISO held its biannual food festival, which was open to the whole SHU community.
“Basically we all eat the same thing, but (we) call them by a different name,” said Jenneca Dawson, a sophomore from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (V.I.).
Makalia Francis, a junior, agrees.
“The Ghana girls made Kelewele, but we (in St. Croix, V.I.) we call them plantains,” said Francis.
The rice and chicken used in the Ghana dish according to Babatunde Iluyemi, a SHU graduate student, were similar to what he “eats in Nigeria.”
“I like the Chinese’s egg and tomato (dish), the V.I.’s saltfish (and) the white rice with peas and tomatoes,” said Rebecca Bonsu, a sophomore from Ghana.
Other countries such as India, Indonesia, and Japan were also represented.
The festival didn’t just give ISO members and the SHU community a chance to try new food from other countries. The event also taught the international students lessons about themselves.
Bonsu learned how to cook new Ghana dishes. “I’m learning where I come from,” she said.
“I learned how to share my culture through food,” said Adisatu Bouma, a sophomore from Sierra Leone.
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