A student holds a plate of international cuisine during food day at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 23, 2013. The university invited representatives from multiple countries and ethnicities to share their local cuisine in recognition of the diverse student body. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez)
Staff Sgt. Moli Waldron, 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron special events coordinator, prepares pepperoni pizza pockets at Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 22, 2013. Waldron served the pizza pockets, and other American cuisine items, during a diversity food day at the American University of Central Asia in downtown Bishkek. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez)
Servicemembers from the Transit Center at Manas serve American cuisine to students and staff at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 23, 2013. The Transit Center was invited to participate in food day as part of the university's week-long celebration of diversity. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez)
Center, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Michael Butler, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain, tries some Korean food during food day at the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 23, 2013. Butler, who is deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., also tasted French and German food at the event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez)
by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/26/2013 - BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan -- Service members from the Transit Center at Manas brought a little American flavor to downtown Bishkek recently.
As part of the American University of Central Asia's Diversity Week, the Transit Center was invited to share some American cuisine during Food Day, Jan. 23, 2013.
Diversity Week has been held for more than 10 years as a way to represent the multitude of cultures represented at the university, said Sven Stafford, AUCA director of development.
"We have students from more than 16 countries studying here this year, but we also have students from 25 to 30 ethnicities," said Stafford. "It's a way for them to celebrate that we all study here together; it's a place where people from all different walks of life can come together and study as one student body."
Food day has always been a part of the university's diversity celebration, but this was the first year that participation in the event was extended beyond university students and staff. The AUCA staff invited the Transit Center and multiple embassies to share their countries' cuisine.
"It's our 20th anniversary for the university so as part of that we wanted to try to have a greater impact and invite more of the Bishkek community in to experience what we've known to be a great event for a while now," said Stafford.
Staff Sgt. Moli Waldron, 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron special events coordinator, and Senior Airman Brett Arsenault, 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants Flight, helped represent the Transit Center and were responsible for creating the American cuisine menu and preparing the food. Beginning with a list of more than 20 typical American finger foods, the two settled on chicken nuggets, pepperoni pizza pockets, macaroni and cheese bites, and chocolate cookie truffles. Waldron purchased all the ingredients at a local grocery store then spent about 10 hours cooking the food with Arsenault. The opportunity to share American cuisine with the international students was exciting, said Waldron.
"It was really neat to see the different countries and I love trying different cuisines," said Waldron, who is deployed from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. "I also think they liked the American food. They kept coming back for seconds."
Waldron wasn't the only who enjoyed the experience. Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Michael Butler, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain, jumped at the opportunity to experience new culture, food and people.
"I really had no idea what to expect, but it's really quite wonderful - wonderful to see that in this world around us, so many people come together," said Butler, who arrived at the Transit Center just three weeks ago from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. "We're all different, yet we bring so many wonderful, if I might say, flavors together, not only in food, but in cultures and personalities."
If the packed rooms, empty serving trays and full bellies were any indication, the event was a success and something the AUCA hopes to continue.
"It's been really great to have everyone here," said Stafford. "I think the students, faculty and our friends really loved it - the food was great."
