Christian dinner was friday, and I decided to go because (despite being a rather reluctant christian) I was hungry. (they noticed that there seemed to be a lot more christians in the college once there was food involved. I wonder why...?) It was well worth it. I was struck by the blessing before the meal, though. It wasn't really like our grace at home, but just the act of holding hands with people around a table before a meal made me homesick for "for health and strength". I wonder what my family is doing without my voice in the rounds we sing? Can McKinley sing strong enough to hold her own? I feel minorly bereft, without that evening ritual.
Asian/Middle Eastern dinner was Saturday, and exclusively for the aforementioned, but I managed to get in.
How, you ask? First I told everyone that I was really close to being Asian, having lived in Japan and all. Then I helped make dumplings with the Chinese girls. Then, in case people still had problems with me joining, I dressed up Middle Eastern: I borrowed Nevin's jacket and she dressed me up in her veil. She loved it, said I looked much better than with my hair out, and proceeded to bring me around to all the Arab guys to get their concurrence that I was "very beautiful". (she got it. yay! :) )
So now it's up to you guys: do I look better with or without a veil?
Then, on Sunday evening, I had my first triumph: I successfully arranged a Nonlatin American (US and Canada) dinner, because this week is Latin week, so we needed some North American Pride to tide us over through the onslaught of Latinness. :)
We had a lot of fun, I made Banana bread, donuts, and pancakes, three people made chicken of some sort, we had French fries and fried rice putine (aka heart attack in a bowl) and spinach dip/bread. And Ayanda made chocolate cake and Deanna made the most heavenly apple pie...
By the end I was bursting with way too much food. It was fantastic, but not particularly healthy - of course, it was american. And the next day I was just as hungry as I would have been without it. It almost seemed a waste to eat all that food.
1 comments:
Ah to veil or not to veil... what a question. I had a professor (she was/is Saudi and I had her in Egypt) who said that "the veil is a pre-Islamic tradition accepted by some Muslims".
My friends have told me, American and Egyptian, that the veil can be somewhat liberating in that it moves the focus of men's attention to the face and eyes.
I once knew a man from Everot - who claimed shorter the hair the better it got - because people focused on his face a lot.
When all is said and done: for thee the veil may be a tool, a disguise, or an accessory.
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