University of Idaho students and the wider Moscow community are all welcome to attend this year’s Cruise the World event happening on March 5 from noon – 4 p.m. in the Pitman Center International and Vandal Ballrooms. As the International Programs Office’s signature event, Cruise the World draws in hundreds of visitors each year with great food, cultural performances and displays for guests to enjoy. Attendance is free and food and drink will be available for purchase with cash only.
Over 25 countries will be represented this year, with cuisines from their home countries and various cultural performances happening all day. Mimi Kestle, Program Coordinator for the International Programs Office, explained that Cruise the World is an opportunity for international students to showcase their cultures and for locals to experience the world without ever leaving home.
“The event celebrates internationalism across campus to showcase that even though we live in Moscow, a small little town on the Palouse, it’s home to people from all over the world and they get an opportunity to reveal what home is like for them. They can show some of the richness about their cultures that we often don’t get the chance to see or learn about in an everyday setting,” Kestle said. “But also, it’s great for U.S. locals to experience what it’s like to get the chance to travel or go abroad without having to leave the Palouse.”
Kestle hopes the event will close the gap between International and U.S. students that is often seen on campus, providing an opportunity to connect across cultures and meet new people.
“I would love to see more of a bridge between the international student community with the rest of campus,” Kestle said. “I hope that an event like this can foster that in the future and just bring more integration across campus.”
A great deal of work goes into putting this event on each year, with International Students preparing performances and other students and community members beginning to cook hundreds of servings of their cultural foods days in advance. Students and community members who attend Cruise the World this year are in store for an unforgettable and delicious cultural experience.
“I want them (students) to come hungry,” Kestle said. “And just come with an open mind and ready to learn about other cultures, this is a huge invitation for them to come and participate and see what different cultures are like.”
Grace Giger can be reached at [email protected]