Food Connection

By: Aimee Adams

Food not only connects us with other people, it links us to traditions—our own and those of others we come to appreciate through the flavors and aromas of the cuisine they share.

Avila University hosted their annual Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration, in the Marion Dining Hall on September 20, 2012. International students prepared their native foods and shared them with the Avila Community. 

Abdullah Alabdali, an Avila Alumni from Saudi Arabia participated in the Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration. He prepared his favorite local dish, Mande- chicken served with smoky rice. Alabdali was proud to share his culture with the students and staff. “My country has better food, sorry,” Alabdali joked. The United States has become a home to Alabdali, but the food remains foreign to him. “I think the food you grow up with is the food you enjoy most because it brings a feeling of comfort,” says Alabdali. Although Saudi Arabian food remains Alabdali’s favorite, BBQ and mashed potatoes is one of his guilty pleasures- lucky for him, Kansas City is known for its BBQ.

Anna Roberts, a freshman at Avila University mingled with her friends, as she sampled multiple dishes from the international students. “My favorite dish was the rice, but it’s not something I would eat daily,” said Roberts. Like Alabdali, Roberts was open to trying the foods of other cultures, but the foods from her childhood will always remain her favorite.

Food is more than a calorie or nutrient, it is a feeling of home; an expression of one’s culture. When it is shared with others, a connection is made between two backgrounds. The Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration, united the Avila Community to places throughout the world with a taste of others traditions.