Experiencing other cultures is not very easy to do when you’re on a college budget and living in the small town of Statesboro.  It is easy to forget that there is more diversity in our world when we may not see much of it in our daily lives. Here are some quick ways you can alter your environment and give it a cultural flare for the night. 

Mexican Mood

Turn your living room into an all-inclusive resort in Cozumel.  Start with the attire; make it colorful and festive. Put on the Spotify playlist Top 100 Pop en Español 2015 Mexico to set the mood.
Food is easy because you can make various dishes using the same ingredients.  Just gather some tortillas, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, corn, black beans, and rice.  With those elements, you can make burritos, taco salad, tacos, and quesadillas.  Make some homemade guacamole if your meal feels incomplete without some avocado action!
For the beverage, whip up some margaritas in the blender, non-alcoholic if you aren’t of age of course!  Top them off with some salt and lime.  Dance the night away and enjoy your spicy Mexican meal! 

On an Evening in Roma

Feeling classy or romantic? Spend the evening in a Tuscan Trattoria. Listen to passionate tracks by Dean Martin and Louis Prima on Spotify’s Italian Restaurant Music of Italy playlist.  
Indulge in a glass of red wine, perhaps Chianti, a Tuscan favorite.  The environment is essential.  Dim the lights and drape a cloth over the dinner table to make it extra fancy.  For the meal, you can never go wrong with pasta.  There are many varieties of noodles, vegetables, and sauces that you can use.  Don’t forget the garlic! Make it however you like best and mangia bene!

Arabian Nights

Although you cannot ride a camel to the market and you might not have belly dancers performing in your living room, you can still bring the Mediterranean to your house. Play the Arabian oud playlist on Spotify and dance to your best ability!
Light candles and lanterns around the room and set up large pillows on the floor around the coffee table.  Brew a pot of hot black tea and enjoy a cup while you sit around the coffee table eating hummus and feta cheese.  Substitute your eating utensils with warm pita bread.  For the main course, make chicken or beef kabobs on the grill.  Use many spices including cumin, paprika, basil, mint, and parsley.  Welcome to the Middle East.
 
Although traveling across the ocean may not be an option at the moment, these are ways we can spice up our lives with some culture.