Guests of last night's biannual Passport on a Plate gala dinner talked in the Foyer of the Ramada Inn Conference Center, holding glasses of sangria and nibbling on a selection of Spanish appetizers, preparing for their evening's voyage to Spain.

Some went to Madrid, others Barcelona, but they were in the same room the whole night. They were led to their tables, named after major Spanish cities and arranged in geographical order, by a wait staff comprised of international Penn State students and their friends.

"Those of you in the back are very lucky, you're on the Mediterranean coast of Spain," Josephine Carubia, the moderator for the evening, said.

Carubia is a board member of Global Connections, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people from other countries to feel at home here in State College. The money raised at Passport on a Plate, A Spanish Odyssey, will go to assist them in their efforts.

"The money they are going to collect tonight will help other international students," Jorge Elizondo, a graduate student from Costa Rica, said. "Since I have gotten so many things from this program, I wanted to give something back."

Elizondo said the host family he met through Global Connections has made his transition to American life easier since he arrived in State College three years ago. They have made him as well as his wife and two children feel welcome by spending holidays with them, giving them winter clothes and helping them furnish their apartment.

"We hope to make a difference in how other cultures feel about Americans," Donna Conway, of Global Connections, said.

Many international students found the dinner a good way to give back to a program that had shown them great hospitality.

"This is a good opportunity to volunteer to thank Global Connections for their help," Lin Gao, a graduate student from China, said.

Nearly 220 diners paid $100 a plate to attend the function, which featured a lavish menu of traditional Spanish dishes prepared by volunteer chefs from some of the best restaurants in the area. The Ramada Inn donated the kitchen and dining area for the night's festivities.

A silent auction conducted until 8 p.m. and a live auction both helped to raise more money for Global Connections. Local businesses and individuals donated items for the auctions. On the block were such things as artwork, vacation packages, a Persian rug and a football signed by the Penn State Nittany Lions and their coaching staff.

The football's opening bid was $200.

"You can put it on eBay tonight and get at least triple that," Caroline Donaldson, the auctioneer, said.

The final bid for the ball was $325. The Persian rug was the talk of the evening, selling for $3,400, a final bid that elicited multiple rounds of applause from the room.

"It's extremely gratifying to see over 200 people enjoying a Spanish odyssey in support of Global Connections," Carubia said.