International Student Union dinner to be held on Saturday
Chris Heinrich
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Entertainment
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Contemporary and traditional culture will come together as dishes ranging from Japanese onigiri (rice balls with meat) to Taiwanese jau yen shia (salt and pepper shrimp) are served.
Following dinner, international culture will be put on display in performances including a Peruvian Marinera Puneña dance and Saudi aoud recital.
Having chosen "Remembering our Roots" as this year's theme, the organizers of the 29th annual ISU dinner hope that it does more than feed and entertain. They hope it educates and exposes the audience, both from Gonzaga and the Spokane community, to the greater world.
"This is not a cheap show," said Gabi Leite Soares, a sophomore and president of the ISU. "You don't come for the food, to sit and watch, but to learn."
Abdulrahman Alsabi, a freshman from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who is anticipating the opportunity to experience other nationalities, sees a chance to correct negative conceptions of Arabs through the dinner.
"It will show people what real Saudis, real Arabs are," he said.
Alsabi will help prepare kabsa, a chicken and rice dish, with spices imported from Saudi Arabia.
Christelle Gorman, a senior and former vice president of the Black Student Union, finds a unique educational opportunity in the dinner.
"Getting an education doesn't mean just books and paper," she said. "It's being able to immerse yourself in other cultures."
With the help of her sister who is coming from the Ivory Coast for graduation ceremonies, Gorman is preparing gumbo and hosting a show of African fashions.
The ISU is an umbrella organization for ethnic and national campus clubs such as La Raza Latina and Japanese Club. It serves to improve the English skills of those who speak it as a second language through socialization.