Taste of the World: A Culinary Passport

In celebration of this year’s international week-themed “One World, Many Stories,” Nina Tarasovets, President of the International Students Fellowship (ISF), chose to brighten the venue with postcards, bottled messages, and ocean-inspired decor. Many international students had to cross the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean to get the Hardin-Simmons University College experience. 

Every year, the International Students Fellowship hosts an event called Taste of the World during International Week to allow students on campus to try cuisine from different parts of the world. It also allows International Students to share a piece of their culture that they love and cherish. 

Like every other year, the cuisine prepared by the students did not disappoint. From the rich, moist texture of Choco flan from Mexico to the sweet savory flavors of Pisang Goreng from Indonesia, every dish conveyed a little taste of cultures from around the world. 

For many international students, these dishes carry sweet memories of home: the warmth of a family kitchen, the laughter shared with family around a table, and comforting scents engraved in their memories. Even though they are far away from home, reminiscing on these memories ignites a warm feeling whenever homesickness strikes.  

Brazilian Student and former ISF President Anne Correa Gaudard Rangel prepared a popular breakfast meal called Pão de queijo. She remembers waking up to the comforting aroma of these cheesy rolls often shared with her family in the mornings.   

“There was a small store close to my house that sold Pão de queijo, and occasionally, my dad would take me there on our special ‘dad and daughter dates’,” she shared fondly.  

By bringing Pão de queijo to the HSU community, Anne hopes to share a little taste of Brazil and perhaps inspire others to try making this meal themselves. 

Deborah Li, a student from China and Treasurer of ISF, prepared fried dumplings. This dish reminds her of when she was young, making dumplings with her family and eating them together. By making this dish, Deborah sought to bring a taste of her homeland to the HSU community. 

International week serves as a constant reminder that although oceans may separate us, the memories we share bring us together. The flavors from different parts of the world united the HSU campus, reminding us that we belong to one global family no matter where we are from.