The evening was warm on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The air was humid, and as the sun set, mosquitos began buzzing lazily through the air. However, despite the conditions, the mood around campus remained lively.

From Presser Hall, authentic Spanish music could be heard in the distance, and the aroma of delicious food reached my nose. It was 5:15 p.m., also known as dinner time, and my stomach grumbled. If the music alone wasn’t enough to pique my curiosity, the temptation of food certainly was.

I followed my nose and ears, and finally, I caught my first glimpse of the Taste of the World event.

Several tables were arranged in a broad semicircle on the Stetson Green, including an additional one at the edge of the grass. As I got closer, I could see that a line of excited and curious students was already forming near the table closest to the sidewalk. It was just shy of 5:30 p.m. as I took up my position at the back of the line.

While I eagerly waited, I looked out onto the Green where the setup was now concluding. I could see that each table contained different food items which became illuminated as candles and lanterns were lit to ward off the oncoming darkness. Slowly, the line began to inch its way forward. It hadn’t quite been 10 minutes when I reached the table which marked the entrance to the event.

“Welcome to Taste of the World,” said Jocelyn Rodriguez ’26, president of the Multicultural Student Council (MSC) and coordinator of the event. She handed me a plate and fork and directed me to the first table. I thanked her and headed to table number one.

A Worldwide-Immersive Experience

The first table was run by the African Student Union (ASU) and contained authentic fare from across the African continent, including fried bean cakes (Koose) from Ghana, which were quite good.

The next table featured Brazilian BBQ, presented by the Brazilian Student Association (BRASA), and then BBQ ribs and Mac & Cheese presented at the Black Student Union (BSU) table. As I continued to each table, the name of the event “Taste of the World” suddenly seemed very appropriate, as food presented by the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), Caribbean Student Association (CSA), Hillel (Jewish Student Life), Kaleidoscope (Gender & Sexual Orientation Diversity), Latinx Student Union (LSU) and the Middle Eastern & North African Association (MENAA) was all available to try.

It truly was a worldwide culinary experience.

However, as I stood by one of the dining tables on the Green, enjoying my food and immersing myself in musical melodies from around the world, I realized that the true experience of this amazing event was about way more than just trying ethnic food.

Experiencing Different Cultures

It has been said that the best way to experience someone’s culture is through their food, and that mantra certainly rings true when it comes to Taste of the World.

The opportunity to interact and engage with people across a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs and cultures is something many of us don’t get very often. But, the process of sharing food provides the perfect platform to do so. When someone shares a traditional dish, they are not just sharing a meal, they are sharing a piece of their identity.

Therefore, Taste of the World is about more than tasting others’ food; it’s about getting a taste of their lives and their culture.

As I finished the last of my food, my stomach was finally quiet and happy. As I was leaving for the night, I ran into Rodriguez again near the exit. While we chatted, I decided to ask her, since she was the coordinator of the event, what hosting Taste of the World meant to her. She paused to think, and then summed up perfectly what the essence of the event was.

“Taste of the World is about getting out of your comfort zone,” she said. “It’s about meeting new people, trying new food and experiencing new cultures. That’s what makes it so beautiful.”

And I couldn’t agree more.

– Alex Douma