by Blake Stewart
Trevecca’s international club Namaste will host its ten-year anniversary of the club’s yearly event, Taste the Nations.
The event will take place in TSAC, Friday April 7 at 7 p.m. with a $2 charge.
All proceeds go toward the international student emergency fund. The fund provides assistance with food and other essential items for international students that are not able to travel home during breaks and holidays.
Roy Phillip, business professor and wife Jooly Phillip, chair of English department started the international students association of Trevecca in 2007. Taste the nations started shortly after in the spring of 2008.
“When we started the organization there were only students from two countries, Kenya and Mexico that went to Trevecca in 2007, and today we have around 27 countries that are represented here,” said Phillip.
According to Phillip, the highlight of the program which has never been done before will be the start of the program with the parade of nations where 26 students will enter in with their nations’ flag Olympic style.
Marina Ishak, vice president of Namaste, will be entering in with her native flag of Egypt.
Ishak will also be reading scripture in Arabic and bringing basboosa, an Egyptian dessert.
According to Ishak, Trevecca students should come to the event to try food from around the world and see a mixture of cultures, all while getting to help support the international students that are unable to go home for breaks and holidays.
Food will be the focus of the event. Namaste members participating in the event will bring their own dish from their culture, offering 27 different dishes.
Asia Norman, president of Namaste said, “I’ve never seen anything like taste the nations. It’s an event for everyone.”
Students should go to experience the unrepresented people here at Trevecca and experience different parts of the world. It’s a great way to connect with the students that don’t look like you and meet new people and the food is amazing, said Norman.
Norman will be preparing a Cajun creole dish, gumbo ya ya.
At the event, there will be skits, poem recitals, songs, dances and testimonies. Namaste member and Indian native Prachi Naik taught 10 other members Bollywood, a form of dance originated in India. Prachi and the 10 members will do a group performance of the dance.
The event will end in worship. The famous hymn Blessed Assurance will be recited in 4 different languages, followed up by a reading of Philippians 1:6 in 25 different languages.
Taste the nations is an opportunity for students to learn about other cultures and celebrate diversity.
“I think a lot of students don’t get an opportunity to travel to different countries. Not everyone can go out there and experience other cultures so this is an opportunity to be able to experience those other cultures,” said Naik.
