Food, Fashion, and Friends from Around the World

Hiram's own Intercultural Forum, a club assembled of international students and students interested in other cultures, held its annual Talent Show this weekend.

The night began with an excellent dinner at the Kennedy Center. International Students worked all day preparing ethnic dishes representing their own countries. I filled my plate with a good variety of foods; some white rice, spring rolls with glass noodles, a spicy onion and pepper salad, a delicious Nepalese variation on a potato pancake, korokke (a Japanese food made of fried potato and meat), and a Japanese pecan sweet roll. It was all very delicious, not to mention quite a learning experience.

After the dinner, we went to Hayden Auditorium to enjoy the talent show. Members of the Intercultural Forum entertained us with a variety of amazing displays. The shows commenced with a fashion show featuring costumes from around the world. Different shows included Scottish dance, tai chi, and ballet. My roommate, Wenhao, sang a Chinese R&B song called Zai Mei Bian ("Beside the Plum Blossoms"). The students from Nepal amazed us with a spirited group dance, followed by a black-lighted routine from the HC Street Dance Crew. I would have to say my favorite performance was the Japanese students' performace of Sakura, Sakura with accompaniment on piano and flute.

The night was fun, entertaining, and informative!