Flags of various nations adorned the Baker University Center Ballroom as guests came to enjoy more than 30 types of food prepared by 14 Ohio University international committees.
In front of the hungry audience surrounded by the flags of various nations, OU President Roderick McDavis described the dinner party as the world represented right here in Athens
Ohio.
The International Student Union had the International Dinner on Friday night. Member organizations of the ISU served their traditional cuisines to students, faculty members and local Athens residents.
Dale Albanese, vice president of the ISU, said the International Dinner has been a longstanding tradition for the organization. The oldest photographic documentation goes back as far as 1994, he said.
This event is designed to give community members the chance to sample some unique international cuisine international students the chance to present some of their personal cultures and everyone the opportunity to celebrate our social leanings over an excellent dinner Albanese said.
According to the International Voice, a newsletter issued by the International Student and Faculty Service, the International Dinner receives one of the largest attendances out of any student organization event on campus.
The event's 250 tickets were all sold. Before the ballroom was open, more than 50 people waited at the door, overflowing into the stairway. Some were dressed in their traditional clothing, speaking their own languages.
The Chinese Student and Scholar Association served traditional dishes of sauced eggs, sauced beef and seaweed. The Japanese Student Association prepared green tea cookies for dessert.
Mai Tang, a Vietnamese journalism graduate student, said her favorite dishes were bulgogi, a Korean beef dish, and kimchi, Korean pickled vegetables (usually cabbage and chili peppers), which the Korean Student Association prepared.
We have something similar (in Vietnam)
but kimchi is better
said Tang.
The Association for Cultural Exchange, an OU organization that helps international students find conversation partners, participated in the dinner with American food ' brownies and apple crisp.
Local restaurants Casa Lopez, 1017 E. State St., and Star of India, 128 W. Union St., contributed chicken enchiladas and a vegetarian dish similar to curry, respectively, to the dinner.
McDavis and his wife, Deborah, said they enjoyed all the dishes the dinner had to offer.
I don't know that I could put one over the other because they were all so good
McDavis said.
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