International Flavor

The world comes alive at school's International Night
BY COURTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRONICLE

 The evening of Nov. 19, hundreds of people traveled to Korea, Italy, Venezuela, and a host of other European countries for only $5 at Paisley.  The school held its first International Night for students and their families who wanted to sample foreign foods, artifacts and crafts.
 John W. Paisley School offers a complete International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program for students aged 11 to 16.  Students are encouraged to develop intercultural awareness along with a genuine understanding of their own histories

The event, says Paisley Principal Marion Pittman-Couch, occurred during International Week and will be an annual event for the Paisley School community. "(Paisley has) a tremendously diverse group (of students), including students from Yugoslavia, Jerusalem; so it gives them a chance for them to share some of their culture," Pittman-Couch said.
 Proceeds raised from the event went to the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA).  Sheila Lyons, PTSA president, said that the event was not only a good social outlet for the community but a way to promote the IB program at Paisley.

"Our goal was to give these middle schoolers some international flavor. A lot of them may not ever experience foods of different cultures and also may not know the different cultures," Lyons said. For two hours, the Paisley gymnasium was transformed into European pit stops of various countries, including America, Ireland, France, Germany, Thailand, Greece and more.

Parents and teachers got in on the act by dressing up in native dress with some of the students, while others prepared ethnic dishes for the evening.  Each country was marked by the nation's flag at a booth where food was available for tasting. Students created the artwork at each booth, including hand-drawn maps and artifacts from each country on display.

French Brie and bread, moussaka, and taquitos were among the items on the international menu.  Several local restaurants provided ethnic dishes for the night as well. The Paisley Band Ensemble serenaded the crowd, which was later entertained by Greek and Irish dancers and an Irish bagpipe player. Sixth-graders Lauran Coleman and Alex Freeman enjoyed tasting the European treats. "It's given me an idea of what it would be like if I traveled to that country," said Coleman, who enjoyed the taste of Korean barbecue.