For the past five years, International Night at McLean has only been an idea. This year, however, International Club made it a priority to bring back the cultural event and allow students of all nations to come together and share their cultures. Students from different native countries around the world were able to spread their culture through delicious food, vibrant decorations, and introspective performances.

The first part of International Night included the serving of multicultural foods, ranging from sushi to kabobs. The second half of the night incorporated a unique show embracing the varying cultures of the McLean population.

“We were able to try new and different foods, watch different performances, and just relish in the cultural diversity together,”sophomore Tala Malkawi said.

Students were exposed to native experiences like Arabic poem reading, K-Pop reenactments, and Indian storytelling.

“Watching the different performances was a really fun activity,” Malkawi said. “I was able to get a look inside other people’s cultures and traditions, which isn’t something [I] get to do often.”

Not only was International Night a fun way to immerse in new foods and performances, but it was also an opportunity for many students to gain service hours.

“I decided to volunteer at international night because I thought it would be a really cool experience, especially since I got to interact with so many different cultures,” Malkawi said. “It was a really fun experience overall, and helped bring many students together despite cultural differences.”