For the majority of University students, a taste of Mom's home cooking is only a few hours away. But imagine your Mom is half way around the world, along with her best dishes and much of the culture and tradition that you hold dear. That is exactly the situation in which many international students find themselves upon arriving at the University.
Several international students, however, have managed to adapt to being oceans away from the family dinner table. Second-year College student Sanyogita Hazarnis, who is Indian but hails from Nigeria, said she and her friends brought some home-cooking back to school with them.
"A lot of stuff we bring with us," Hazarnis said, "The freezer right now is full."
Other students said they adopted a similar method of obtaining those much loved foods from home. Fourth-year College student Jose Egas, from Quito, Ecuador, said he sometimes packs treats such as chocolate or nuts in his luggage when returning to Charlottesville after summer and winter breaks.
Still other students are able to find some of their native foods right here in the Charlottesville area.
Egas said he rarely eats Ecuadorian food while at the University, but sometimes he can find it at local grocery stores.
"Stuff that's from Ecuador you can't find here," he said. "Some things I can find at Foods of All Nations. Some ingredients for different dishes you can go to Harris Teeter and find, and if you cook, you can cook it."
Second-year College student Alpana Thaper of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said she and her friends found Indian food during unusual circumstances.
"During the hurricane, we went to a place off [Route] 29 that had tons of Indian food," Thaper said.
Jung Kyu Han, a second-year Engineering student who was born in Korea, said he and several of his friends have to travel some distance outside of Charlottesville to find Korean food.
"There are no Korean supermarkets around here," Han said. "When we have time during the weekend, we go to northern Virginia -- to Annandale -- where there's a major Korean population. There are Korean supermarkets and Korean restaurants there."
Han said he usually buys instant Korean noodles, rice, kimchi (a type of marinated vegetable) and a variety of other foods.
International students often have to settle for a kind of substitute if they aren't able to find the real thing or if they don't get a chance to bring foods from home.
Second-year College student Wairimu Mburathi of Kenya said there is only one place which offers something a little similar to her native cuisine, and even that doesn't come very close.
"The closest, I guess, is the Queen of Sheba," Mburathi said. "You can get a plate of plantain for three dollars. That's not our usual food, but it's a taste of West Africa."
Stephanie Alofoje, a second-year College student from Nigeria, said finding a substitute for home cooking is as easy as calling for delivery.
"Our staple food is rice, so whenever I crave that, I can just get some Chinese food," Alofoje said.
Egas said the closest thing to an Ecuadorian restaurant is Pupusa Crazy, which serves food from El Salvador, but even that is different from the food of his country.
Despite their limited options, many international students said they are content with the foods offered in Charlottesville and elsewhere. Applebee's, Thai 99, the Downtown Grill, Northern Exposure, the Saigon Cafe and even McDonald's were mentioned as some favorite establishments. Additionally, Mediterranean, Lebanese and Italian foods were named as some favorite types of cuisine.
Despite the available options, however, Mburathi said her favorite food is still at home.
"Nyama choma, which literally means meat and bread," Mburathi said. "You can use any meat in nyama choma. Goat meat [is] what we eat for special occasions, like family gatherings or weddings."
Other students said they are content with a wide variety of foods.
Han said his living in several different countries throughout his life has allowed him to develop a taste for all foods. He has lived in Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia, spending six years in each country.
"It's hard to say what my favorite food is," Han said. "I like everything. I'm very international, so I eat everything."
Although several students said they enjoy American food, they did have some complaints.
Second-year College student Nidhi Jain, who hails from India, said she is not quite sure what American food is.
"I can't think of anything really American," Jain said. "American food is such a blend of everything."
Sanyogita Hazarnis said she thought American food could use a little spicing up.
"American food is so bland compared to Indian food because we use so many spices," Hazarnis said. "With American food, you really only have ketchup and mustard to spice up things."
Concerning the University's dining halls, the students held differing opinions.
Thaper said she is pleased with the dining halls.
"It's good that they have such a variety," she said. "Chinese food and Indian food sometimes. I remember first year there was always something to eat. I definitely gained the freshman 15."
Hazarnis said she also enjoyed the food offered at the dining halls, and they deserve more credit than they receive.
"The dining hall goes beyond my expectations," she said. "Every college kid gets bored of the food, not because it's not good, but because we tired of having it. People should understand that it's not a restaurant. They can't cater to everyone's needs."
Alofoje was not so enthusiastic about her dining experience at the University dining halls.
"O-Hill is a grease haven," she said. "And in Newcomb what you see is what you get. I don't like the dining halls."
Egas said he has mixed feelings about dining services as well.
"It's not so bad," he said. "I only had a meal plan my first year. After a while, I got tired of it. But they have a lot of stuff -- hamburgers one side and Mexican on the other. But I'd rather eat at home though."
And if you asked any college student if they agreed with Egas, they most likely would say yes, for everyone knows there is no place like home sweet home.
Read More
Holding onto every grain in the hourglass
By Mai Hukuoka | 4 hours agoNow that I’m back at school, I have made it my mission to take note of the sneaky passage of time.
Students brave the cold for a whirlwind sorority rush
By Mia Tan | 2 days agoStudents recount a mix of emotions from rush, with some disappointed after dropping from the recruitment process and others ecstatic to join Greek life.
Top 10 ways to avoid burnout this semester
By Sam Saks | 3 days agoAs you settle into this semester, try implementing these 10 tactics to take care of yourself and wave goodbye to burnout.
