The Ignatius community is preparing for the activities for Festival of Nations this March, a time for people to showcase their pride and appreciation for their ethnic backgrounds. One student from each of Ignatius’s ethnic clubs has presented their gratitude and admiration for their culture by answering, “What is your favorite thing about your culture and why?”

Club Italia:

“My favorite thing about the Italian culture is the food. The food is delicious and there are many varieties to choose from. I feel that anyone can find a meal when eating Italian food. It is a way to bring family together and celebrate an event. Being Italian myself, I’ve noticed many great memories are created while sitting together at a table and enjoying a tasty meal.”

                – Vanessa Malatesta

French Club:

“The culinary aspect is my favorite part of French culture as it consists of the most unique and delicious foods that people enjoy and often think about when considering this culture in general. I specifically like the kinds of foods found in a traditional “boulangerie” in France, which also seems to be the most well-known food category in French culture. In fact, it is common to see these types of foods being sold in stores and people eating these foods on a daily-basis throughout meals or as snacks. …Of course, French cuisine is not just limited to the bakery items people usually picture: it also consists of a wide variety of dishes and desserts coming from many different regions throughout France. These delicious foods are often representative of the area they come from. For instance, my favorite French dish, savory crêpes (called “galettes”), are known to have originated from Brittany, a region located in northwestern France. It can also be noted how many French foods are sometimes symbolic of particular cultural and historical characteristics of France.

            – Nikola Le Tien

Club Ukraine:

“My favorite thing about my culture is the traditions that have been passed down throughout the generations. I especially love the cultural songs because they unite Ukrainians and create a special bond between us.”

            – Olha Kushnir

Club Asia:

“I’m 100% Vietnamese. Both of my parents were born and raised in Vietnam and immigrated to America in the 1980s! I would say my favorite thing about my culture is the food! In Vietnamese culture, we don’t often express our feelings openly and say “I love you” so everything is expressed through food. Food is our love language. The food is always made and prepared with care & love and personally I believe that plays a part in why it tastes so great ^__^ Vietnamese food is so amazing and extremely versatile! One dish everyone might be familiar with is phở (pronounced like fuh and not fo)! Some of my other personal favorite dishes include cơm tấm, bún bò huế, bánh xèo, and bánh mì!”

            – Brittany Le

BOSS:

“My favorite thing about my culture is our ability to create and remain strong and resilient through anything. We have always experienced many oppressions, traumas, and barriers, yet we always make history, change the world, and create.”    

            – Alyssia Zepeda

Club Erin:

” My favorite thing about the Irish culture is our history and the strength shown throughout it. When Vikings came and pillaged, we fought back. When British invaded, we rebelled. Irish are still fighting over land and property in Ireland to this day. I am proud of what came out of all of this fighting. Since Irish were not allowed to dance, they stopped moving their upper bodies (because of course it doesn’t count as dancing if the enemy looks through your window and sees you jumping up and down with your arms by your side). I love the community, the sense of family that comes with being Irish, and the celebrations like St. Patrick’s Day.”

            – Sophia McNamara 

ALAS:

“The Latino community is very diverse and has so much to offer. We have so many colorful traditions that are so fun to celebrate. We also have a wide array of food and drinks; you can always find something you like! Latin America also is incredibly nice with the people there showing you what the locals do. I love our different forms of speaking Spanish and how it varies from place to place. Learning about those differences can show you a lot more about the country.”

            – Alexis Hernandez