If you want to savor the taste of authentic international food, listen to music from other cultures and watch the fashions of Bhutan, travelling half way around the world is not necessary.
The Office of International Programs organizes the International Food Fair to celebrate different nationalities and cultures and bring more knowledge about other countries to the UTEP community.
"We're celebrating diversity," said Carol Martin, assistant director of the Office of International Programs. "We want to have people from other nationalities interact with students and with people from here, and have them come together and be able to see the diversity in other cultures.
In celebration of Queer History Month, the Office of International Programs will have the International Food Fair in conjunction with Queernival this year. The carnival will include activities such as dunk-a-drag and masquerade mask making.
"We're joining them together because their theme this year is going on international issues," Martin said. "That's where we come in and show our support by having this event. Not only with food from other countries but also with fashion and music. It's all about bringing together a diverse group of people."
The International Food Fair will present dishes from Bhutan, France, Turkey and Bangladesh among other countries.
"We are adding a lot more dishes this year," said Bidhan Kumar Dam, environmental sciences graduate student and president of the Bangladeshi Student Association. "This time as our specialties, we'll prepare chicken vuna, polao and shrimp curry."
Dam said the International Food Fair is an opportunity for students to understand Bangladesh lifestyle and appreciate Bangladeshi people's contribution to society and the UTEP community.
"My expectation from the very beginning was to expose our culture and our country," Dam said. "We want to represent our interaction with this country and other countries as well."
The Bhutanese Student Association, UTEP French Club, Peru Club and other organizations will be providing dishes with recipes brought by the students. Food will be prepared on campus the day before the fair and reheated the next morning. All the proceeds will go to the Office of International Programs and to support student organizations.
"We will be giving $125 to students who help us with recipes," Martin said. "We want all of our food to be authentic and home-made."
Beverages such as tea, juice and coffee will be available and recipes will be provided for each dish available at the food fair. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20 on the Geology Lawn.