Indonesia

The first thing that comes to mind when people hear about Indonesia may be Bali, the humid weather, and perhaps dyes. As for the well-known Indonesian food and beverages, sumatra mandheling coffee, guava curry, instant noodles, and coconut juice are without a doubt on the list. Students now have the chance to get a taste of Indonesia cuisine on Culture Week at NTNU!

Located outside the campus post office, Indonesia Stand is right in the middle of all food stands. Two of the best-selling instant noodles are "Mie Goreng" and "Indo Mie". Mie Goreng's spicy dry noodles are a highlight, with spices included inside. A selection of sweet soy sauce and hot sauce can also be purchased at the stand. Indonesian coffee and coconut milk/juice are world-famous as well, and they can be found right here at NTNU.

Meanwhile, students are also encouraged to learn some Indonesian language from those native speakers while buying food at the stand. Like what people usually say, "Don't let this great opportunity slip by!"

-Written by Yu Ping Liu.
Translated by Daphne Lin

Eurasia- The Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, Russia, Italy, and India

It was the moment we had all been waiting for- the International Culture Week 2009! Czech and Polish stands were the first ones to be presented, showcasing traditional food and costumes. In an interview with students from the Czech Republic, we learned that the desserts they prepared were not ordinary, everyday desserts, they were only eaten at Christmas! The Polish desserts and costumes also drew a great amount of attention. Next, Slovenian students showed their warmth by setting up their own table with delicious strawberry-flavored puddings. Those puddings were relatively different from the ones in Taiwan. A student from the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Ms. Jiang Pei Suan, noted that the Slovenian puddings were somewhat creamier and softer. To show her passion for exotic sweets, Ms. Jiang bought the two most popular flavors- chocolate and strawberry. Besides puddings, there were also spiral noodles and colorful candies, all of which tasted just wonderful. After that, it was Russia and Hungary's turn. Russia's cuisine was all about pancakes, whereas Hungary's main focuses were beef soup and hand-made strudels. The Russian students even decorated their table with unique Russian dolls, while the Hungarian students performed archery. Later on, the Italian students swooped the crowd with mouth-watering Lasagna, chocolate bread, and tiramisu. To top it all off, students from India impressed everyone with their "Dandiya" dance, DIY ground art, and hand drawing, sweeping the audience off their feet.

-Written by Wei Shan Lin
Translated by Daphne Lin

Vietnam

The 2009 Culture Week was finally here at NTNU! The entire showground resembled a carnival, with international students wearing traditional costumes, cooking their own food, and introducing their cultures to all the other NTNU students. On stage there were also music and dance performances. "It feels like we're in a foreign country," said a student at NTNU.

Take Vietnam Stand for example. It was exhibited with authentic cuisine, such as three-in-one coffee, special made beef and jackfruit jerkies, coconut peanut candies, he fen (a type of wide Chinese noodle made from rice), and instant noodles. "Those who live on campus also get to enjoy our home-made cuisine," said a Vietnamese student.

The main activity on March 12th was a costume runway show, featuring wedding gowns, casual clothing, and even uniforms. There were also language learning exercises, including Karaoke in Vietnamese. After the entire show was finished, students could hardly wait to pose with the models for pictures, ending the event with flashlights and applause.

Translated by Daphne Lin

Burma

The annual NTNU Culture Week had taken place on March 9th this year. The venue for this one-week event was set on the open ground outside campus post office. With a stage set up for performances, students had the opportunity to learn more about different cultures. The food stand for the Burmese Student Association was situated on the left side of the stage. There were a wide variety of local snacks to choose from at the stand. Friendly Burmese students gladly introduced their own culture to anyone interested. “Burma has unique geography, thus creating the food we have today. For example, Indian curry, multi-layer steamed bread, and bean powder are, same as last year, our specialties. We also provide Water Caltrops Rice Cake this year, which is something everyone should try,” said a Burmese student, Guo, from the Department of Applied Chinese Languages and Literature. “Yellow Rice, Coconut Panna Cotta, and He Fen Salad are also new this year.” The highlights of Burma Stand included “Food for the Day” and the Burmese dance performance on Tuesday, attracting many students to join in the fun. The former vice-president of the Association, Ming, believes that every member had put in a significant amount of effort into this event. To most students, it was no surprise that Burma Stand was a huge success.

Translated by Daphne Lin

Malaysia

The International Culture Week was held on the week of March 9th at NTNU. During lunch time on Tuesday, Malaysian students performed folk dance wearing traditional costumes. Their stand was selling local snacks and some hot food. There was also Indian Henna Body Painting for people to try on.

Malaysia is a mixture of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures. Therefore, this country has multi-cultural food and customs. A Malaysian student even showed the audience how to do body painting step-by-step. Legend has it that it represents a blessing for an Indian girl who is about to get married.

With a wide selection of gourmet food and snacks, Malaysia Stand was crowded with people. Malaysian students warmly introduced their own culture to others, adding a taste of Malaysia to the International Culture Week.

-Written by Pei-Ru Wu
Translated by Daphne Lin

Hong Kong & Macau

The Hong Kong and Macau Week was anything but ordinary. The stand was filled up with food, drinks, entertainment, and tourist information. The food was impressive, and the free brochures, such as “50 Must-Eat Snacks in HK,” “The World Heritages in Macau,” and “HK Travel Guides” were both informative and fun to read. The Hong Kong-made movies were a big selling point as well. In addition to authentic cuisines and free-of-charge travel pamphlets, Hong Kong and Macau students taught some useful Cantonese phrases to those who were interested. Furthermore, these students showed off Kung-Fu skills and sang “I Really Love you” and “Every Tomorrow” in Cantonese on Wednesday, keeping the NTNU students and faculty members entertained while enjoying their lunch.

- Written by Yi-Jing Haug
Translated by Daphne Lin

Stage Performance 1

On stage, there were performances from all corners of the globe. On the opening day of March 9, 2009, the drizzling rain did not stop NTNU students from joining in this event.

The performance started off with an international costume show. All the international students participated in this show with great enthusiasm. Besides the Opening Ceremony, shows such as Burmese dance, Malaysian dance, and Vietnamese choir, captured everyone’s heart.

The 2009 Culture Week ended with a series of performances at the Awarding Ceremony. The host, along with the international students, played a crucial role in making this event a successful and memorable one.

-Written by Chih-Ying Haug
Translated by Daphne Lin

Stage Performance 2

The major theme for the Closing Ceremony of 2009 International Culture Week was India, with the first performance being an Indian yoga show. Needless to say, the amazing yoga stunts made an impression on all students. Next, the Indian folk dance, performed by MTC (Mandarin Training Center) students, fully represented local culture.

The stands were hectic but the whole atmosphere was pleasant - the international students all tried their best to sell their products.

Lastly, the Awards Ceremony gave out four grand prizes - Best Costume, Best Stand, Best Service, and Best Food. Malaysia won the first two awards, while Burma received the last two prizes.

This Culture Week event was organized by the Office of International Affairs and the Overseas Students’ Association, with the enthusiastic participation of NTNU students. In the future there would be ongoing events for the international students, so as to make them feel even more welcomed here in Taiwan.

-Written by Bou-Wei Lai
Translated by Daphne Lin