International Dinner

International Dinner

The international dinner was a great way to interact with other exchange students. During my time in Mannheim, there were two international dinners. One was at the end of the winter academy, and the other was during the regular semester. You are asked to register for these international dinners, and specify what you plan on bringing. Each student brings either an appetizer, entree, or dessert from their home country. I attempted to make buffalo chicken. Even though it didn’t come out quite like home, it was still a treat for myself and other Americans who were missing the dish. When we arrived at the dinner we were overwhelmed by the food and the enthusiasm. Everyone was so excited about what they cooked and wanted everyone to try it. It was really nice to see everyone genuinely excited to try and learn about food from other cultures. Pastries from France, salsa from Mexico, and freshly baked pretzels from Germany were just a few of the authentic dishes we were able to sample. Everyone loaded their plates and sat down to enjoy the meal together. As the dinner progressed, the drinking games slowly began. Each group of international students from the same country showed us the games they play while they’re hanging out and drinking with friends. Although drinking games are certainly not the most important facts to know about other countries, it was a really fun way to learn something new. It was a way for us all to bond and connect with each other as young people. We all realized that no matter where you’re from, playing games while drinking beer seems to be something that reminds everyone of home. This night was so memorable, not only because of the delicious food, but because of the amazing conversations too. Everyone was so excited to talk about what they cooked which made it so easy to start conversations.