The Saudi Students Organization offered students a taste of Saudi Arabian culture Thursday afternoon in the One Earth Lounge at Talley Student Union.
The organization, which is composed of more than 40 NC State students from Saudi Arabia, offered students Arab coffee, snacks and cuisine. Members of the Saudi Students Organization, dressed in traditional garments known as thawbs, also answered students’ questions about the history, infrastructure and future of the country.
“I think it’s time to transfer our knowledge and share our culture, different customs that we have including housing and family relationships,” said Ali Almalki, a graduate student studying civil engineering who coordinated the event. “We want [students] to know that we are sharing good habits with Western people, and we want others to explore our nation and see what we do over there.”
The snacks and sweets provided by the Saudi Students Organization included dates and basbousa, a common dessert of cooked semolina soaked in simple syrup. The main course was kabsa, a dish of rice and chicken.
Dates are a sign of hospitality in Saudi Arabia and are considered highly nutritious, especially when eaten in the early morning. Saudi Arabia features the date palm tree on its royal standard flag.
Gahwa, a traditional Arab coffee from Yemen, was also available to students to accompany the meal.
Jeff Thomas, a graduate student studying environmental engineering, said he had never been exposed to Saudi Arabian culture. After trying the coffee, Thomas said, “It’s definitely not the same as what I am used to; it’s almost watery. It’s good though.”
Students also had the opportunity to try on a shemagh, the traditional headscarf worn by men, and experience the smell of oud, fragrant incenses lit before dinner inside of a censer known as a mabkhara.
Taylor Nelson, a freshman studying animal science and psychology, who said she actively seeks out new cultures, said she wished she could experience something like this every day.
“We were very happy about the turnout,” Almalki said. “Some of [the students] had their idea of Saudi Arabia but wanted to learn more and were so happy about this event.”
In the future, Almalki wants to continue to add to the experience for NC State students by offering dance and other performances.
“Our plan for next year is to have this event in the Brickyard,” Almalki said. “This will give us the ability to have more visibility.”
