USC’s International Student Assembly (ISA) held its annual Globefest today at the McCarthy Quad, providing free food and activities for all registered participants.
Organizers worked a table full of sticky notes and markers where participants could write messages to their loved ones — whether it was for someone far away or close by. The sticky notes were displayed on a whiteboard next to the table, many of them written in various languages.
“I myself believe that the best way to get to know other people is through food. Celebration of cuisine,” said Mats Mahattanakul, one of the organizers and a junior majoring in business administration. “We just think it’s a really cool opportunity for students to come and connect, get some free food and hang out a little bit.”
There were three food booths for participants to sample from: Smile Hot Dog, Taiyaki and Himelayan House, all local restaurants.
Hue Doan, co-owner of Taiyaki, served up a waffle dessert with three different fillings.
“We’re making Taiyaki, it’s a Korean-Japanese dessert. It’s like hard on the outside, soft on the inside,” said Doan. “It’s mostly my wife’s business, but we’ve been doing it for like 10 years.”.
The event was originally planned for Nov. 17 during International Education Week, but was cancelled due to last week’s rain. “I think we would have had a photo booth as well as performances,” said Mahattanakul.
Priscilla Situ, a freshman participant studying business administration, said that this was her first time attending one of ISA’s events, along with some friends.
“My senator at USG was telling me about free food, so of course I had to come,” said Situ. “The food’s great.”
ISA is set to have a holiday general meeting event tonight at 7 p.m., held at Ronald Tutor Campus Center with more free food and cookie decorating.