Rule one of the unwritten rules of Nepali Night: You have to have a Nepalese present at your table. Rule two:  Food first, questions later.

This past Saturday, the Nepalese Student Association (NSA) hosted their annual night of food, culture and performances. Nepali Night, as it’s called, is open to more than just the Nepalese students.

A wide range of students and members of the ULM community were present for a flight, as the host of the night referred to it as, to Nepal. The flight to Nepal was a long one. Luckily, entertainment was aplenty. Among the many attendees were President Dr. Nick Bruno and Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo.

“We believe in hospitality. We treat guest as best as possible. We see it as a blessing for guests to come. We like to share our happiness and joy. It also happens to be our New Year today,” said Rex Acharya, a freshmen computer science major.

Acharya and other Nepalese students welcomed guests with a typical Nepalese greeting, “Namaste”. The Sanskrit word translates to “salutations to you.”

The night began with the American National Anthem followed by the national anthem of Nepal.

Throughout the night various students, including non-Nepalese, put on different performances. There were at last five different music performances.

Some students sang Nepali songs while others sang covers for English songs. In between the singing, the alternating roster of the night’s host talked and entertained the crowd.

Dancing is as big a part of Nepali Night as the singing. Attendees at the event were treated to four different dances throughout the night.

Some dances were solo, others were in groups. Food was a big part of Nepali Night as well. A variety of curries among other traditional Nepali food were offered at the buffet, however, the crowd favorites were the goat curry and the custard dessert.

Senior modern languages major Elizabeth Stephens has been regularly attending the annual celebration for the past few years. Before bringing some of her American friends to the event this year, she made sure they knew the rules of Nepali Night. According to Stephens, the most important has always been “to have an open mind to any and everything you are about to experience.”

“I enjoy Nepali Night every year. I personally come to support my Nepali friends that I have made over the years,” Stephens said.

“I think it is special that they are able to share their culture with us through dances, songs, fashion, food and everything else.”

Nepali Night is the biggest event of the year hosted by the NSA. It is also one of the highest attended events at ULM, thanks to the ever-growing interest in the Nepalese culture. Having the biggest international student body on campus, the event has become a staple among international students on campus.