By Rabita Aziz (March 8, 2003)

Nearly 260 people, one of the largest crowds in Mason’s history, attended the annual International Dinner, hosted by the International Club, on Wednesday, March 5. With the exception of Antarctica, the people who attended represented all seven continents.

Each family was asked to bring a native dish from their favorite country. There was food representing Italy, Spain, India, and Slovakia. There was also Mandarin cuisine, such as orange chicken, and friend rice. 
 
 

Besides the food, attendees also brought pieces of art from their native countries. For example, there were dolls from South America, and beautiful paintings from China. For entertainment, there were dance performances from different cultures. Mason students from the dance class performed an original hip-hop dance to a song by B2K. The second act featured the Fairfax Chinese Academy. These performers presented an intricate Taiwanese aboriginal dance dressed in colorful native dresses. After that, three young ladies performed an Irish soft-shoe step dance in elaborate, colorful costumes. Four Bolivian dancers, including a Mason student, performed a native Bolivian dance in complex and vibrant outfits.

This is just a small sampling of the exotic and fine  cuisine that guests at the International Dinner  savored Wednesday night. Nearly 260 people  attended the annual festivities that celebrate the  world's diverse cultures.  (Photo by Rabita Aziz)

Then, four more Mason freshmen performed an original dance to N’Sync. After their performance, the Fairfax Chinese Academy returned, this time performing a dance to a song called "Call to Battle." This time, they used flags with intricate images of dragons. The Irish dancers performed another step dance and the Bolivian dancers closed out the evening with another exuberant dance. The night ended with a raffle.

Ms. Linda Galafaro, coordinator for the International Club, said, "There was great food, great fun, and great entertainment. There was a wonderful exhibition by the Fairfax Chinese Academy dancers. They volunteered their time to perform native dances of Taiwan and China." 

She pointed out that there was a lot of involvement from non-International Club students when it came to the entertainment. Noting that there were more individuals involved than in previous years, Galifaro still looked to next year, saying, "I hope even more people get involved next year."