The Daily Gamecock

Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Graeme Fouste, The Daily Gamecock

The ninth annual World Night, presented by the International Student Association and the International Student Services department, takes place Saturday, teaching students about different cultures.

Sharan Dhaliwal, a fourth-year international studies student and president of ISA, said world night offers food, music and dancing.

"There are about 10 to 13 performances," Dhaliwal said. "We try to represent each continent. Some performances include African drums, Indian dancing, Japanese Fisherman's dance and Russian instruments."

A variety of ethnic foods will also be available, such as Greek, Chinese and Indian foods from local businesses, Dhaliwal said.

"It's a cultural smorgasbord - a buffet of dancing," said Joey Thompson, a first-year media arts student and emcee of the event. "We've got everything from food, musicians instruments, giant paper dragons and fisherman."

Drew Zolides, a second-year film studies student, said the event will be exciting.

"We've got the things that will make the crowd bust out their lighters," Zolides said.

Thompson and Zolides, accompanied by Erin Minogue, a third-year international studies student, are emcees for the event.

"We were contacted by ISA after the student comedy competition, and if you haven't noticed they also picked the sexiest people on Earth," Thompson said. "Matthew McConaughey barely made the list."

Jessica Coker, a third-year accounting student and member of ISA, said there were approximately 600 students in attendance last year.

"This year we are hoping for more," Coker said. "Mainly, we want to foster relationships between American students and foreign students."

Dhaliwal said she encourages students to come to World Night because it is a rare, but affordable event.

"It's something that happens once a year and it's something that you don't find too often in the Columbia area, especially for such a cheap price," Dhaliwal said. "It's also completely student run. The organizers are students and the performers are students."

USC is a home away from home to many international students. Caroline Battista, the advisor for the International Student Association and a first-year graduate student, said there are about 1,000 international students studying at USC.

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