International students share global cuisine, unite the university community at Taste of Nations

Following a week of events emphasizing international cultural engagement and sharing the Gospel around the world, Global Focus Week on Liberty University’s campus culminated on Friday night with the familiar favorite Taste of Nations event, hosted by LU One and the International Student Center (ISC). Thousands of guests from the university community stood in line to sample international foods from over 20 countries across the globe.

Participating countries included Brazil, The Bahamas, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Jordan, South Korea, Zimbabwe, United States, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, and Sweden. ISC sought to honor the international students’ heritage by importing specific ingredients from other countries for certain recipes, ensuring the dishes were as authentic as possible. School of Music worship teams LU Praise and Libertad performed as well as the brother band Pololo.

At the Philippines table, Shaian Gallardo, a nursing student and vice president of the Liberty Barkada (Filipino) Club, shared about her culture and how their dish, chicken barbecue and gulaman (a sweet grass jelly drink), helps support the Filipino students on campus.

“In our culture, we have a lot of mixed people, so when they step foot on Liberty’s campus and find out about the Filipino club, this is the first time they are actually being immersed in their culture,” she said. “I think it’s really cool to be able to share that experience (at Taste of Nations), especially since Filipinos are known for their hospitality, showing them the warmth and love not only from the culture but from Christ.”

Rachel De Klerk, a student from South Africa who is pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences, served melk tart and iced tea at her table.

“For the iced tea, we used rooibos tea,” she said, “a type of tea that is only grown in South Africa, so we had to get that imported.”

ISC assisted with importing the special ingredient, which De Klerk mixed with apple juice and granulated sugar.

Originally from Russia, Abigail Hayton, a student in Liberty’s B.S. in Social Work program, shared a Russian salad dish called “oliver” which she inherited from her great-grandmother. The salad is potato-based and made with mayonnaise and other boiled vegetables.

“We usually have it during New Year’s because it’s more festive. It’s my favorite, and that’s why I chose to make it,” Hayton said. “In America, everyone goes really big for food for Thanksgiving, and in Russia it’s New Year’s. It just reminds me of the Russian traditions.”

Hayton said Taste of Nations is a way for people to share important parts of their culture and heritage.

“People can feel connected to their roots and appreciate that we all come from different stories and life. No matter what’s going on in the news, we are all just people, and it’s important to not stigmatize or have opinions that might not be based on somebody you know from that country.”

Anna Sommerville, from Clifton Park, N.Y., is a senior studying forensics science and said Hayton’s salad was her favorite dish of the night.

“It tastes like potato salad but fresher and not processed; it tastes authentic,” she said, noting the event reminded her of the vast diversity on campus. “I’ve never had Russian food before, so it’s eye-opening to sample something from a country that I wouldn’t normally be able to eat from.”

Grace Boundy, a senior biomedical sciences student from Chicago, is passionate about supporting diversity on campus because she desires to be an international missionary and bring her medical background to other countries. Her favorite dish of the night was the chicken biryani from Pakistan.

“These events make you more aware,” Boundy said. “Sometimes, in America, people are oblivious to other countries of the world. Having an event like Taste of Nations helps us remember that there are a lot of different cultures in this world, and each of them should be appreciated and loved just as much as my culture.”

Global cuisine was also on the menu for Global Focus Week at other times during the week through two Global Flavors events, where students stopped by the Montview Student Union and Jerry Falwell Library on Monday and Thursday from noon-2 p.m. to sample international foods and learn about other cultures.