USI has recently expanded its dining options, but even with the two new restaurants on campus, some students may still find the selection stale, repetitive and lacking diversity.
The International Club is giving everyone a chance to break away from the usual and ingest foreign cuisines next Friday, Feb. 25 at their annual International Food Expo in Carter Hall.
Guests will get the opportunity to taste different cuisines from all over the world as part of International Week.
With 19 different booths, those who attend will get to try dishes from Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Italy, Kenya, Austria, India, Germany, Switzerland, Korea, Nicaragua, Spain, Vietnam, Venezuela, Japan, Indonesia, France, China and the United States.
The food is prepared throughout the week by students involved in International Club and foreign language clubs.
Each group will prepare about 300 servings for the expo.
Cindy Alfaro, a sophomore working with the Central America group, said she will spend all of the day before helping prepare her group’s meal.
“We are cooking indio viejo,” Alfaro said. “It is a beef dish from El Salvador.”
Throughout the day, some students will be preforming to provide entertainment for the guests.
Performances will include a tai chi demonstration, a drum dance by the Saudi Arabian group and musical pieces.
Alfaro will also be singing and playing the piano while accompanied by a violinist.
Students involved with the International Club organized everything from who was going to be performing to finding volunteers, said Heidi Gregori-Gahan with International Programs and Services.
At the beginning of this year, the committee did not think they would get enough volunteers for the event but eventually worked it out.
Volunteers will be helping with decorations and wearing costumes from different countries.
The club is currently working on setting up a booth at which guests can have their picture taken with costumed volunteers.
Carter Hall will be decorated with the flags from the represented countries.
Alfaro said she felt very proud at last year’s event when she entered and saw her country’s flag hanging.
“All the flags hanging give a feeling of diversity,” Alfaro said, “It is breath-taking to see what the students put on.”
The event will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $10 in advance in the UC and at the door for $12.
