Local Peace Corps Anniversary Gala
The North Texas regional returned Peace Corps volunteer group hosted its 50th anniversary gala in Dallas last Saturday evening. I made both old and new friends. There were several others from my country of service, Ecuador. We almost had decided not to go because we are going to the nation's capital for the big shindig.
I am glad we got talked into going to this one. It was a really fun time. Although it was a "formal" affair, we were encouraged to dress up in national costumes where we could. Charlie and I wore guayaberas, albeit purchased online from a Cuban store in Miami. They still represent much of Latin America's and other parts of the world dress-up shirts.
There was a wide assortment of dress that would be recognized as African and Caribbean. The MC (or host) caused a double take in his lavalava (a long, wrap-around skirt) and bare chest with sandals. He served in the Solomon Islands.
The food was an awesome representation of various national dishes. I was not familiar with all of them: potella (?) fries, some sort of crusted chicken that used black beans and a salsa of some sort, baked acorn squash with goat cheese and walnuts, pork dumplings with ginger sauce, humus with pita chips, various greens in a salad, and possibly something else I'm not recalling. Desserts were more conventional. We drank a lot of hibiscus tea since we don't do liquor.
African drummers from the University of North Texas entertained prior to and during the dinner. They were American students with an African professor.
There was dancing afterward. We joined in, even if we don't really know how to dance. It was a carefree, special time for us. We enjoyed the displays that included photos from a contest last March. Many were given away as door prizes.
I'll post some pictures later.
I am glad we got talked into going to this one. It was a really fun time. Although it was a "formal" affair, we were encouraged to dress up in national costumes where we could. Charlie and I wore guayaberas, albeit purchased online from a Cuban store in Miami. They still represent much of Latin America's and other parts of the world dress-up shirts.
There was a wide assortment of dress that would be recognized as African and Caribbean. The MC (or host) caused a double take in his lavalava (a long, wrap-around skirt) and bare chest with sandals. He served in the Solomon Islands.
The food was an awesome representation of various national dishes. I was not familiar with all of them: potella (?) fries, some sort of crusted chicken that used black beans and a salsa of some sort, baked acorn squash with goat cheese and walnuts, pork dumplings with ginger sauce, humus with pita chips, various greens in a salad, and possibly something else I'm not recalling. Desserts were more conventional. We drank a lot of hibiscus tea since we don't do liquor.
African drummers from the University of North Texas entertained prior to and during the dinner. They were American students with an African professor.
There was dancing afterward. We joined in, even if we don't really know how to dance. It was a carefree, special time for us. We enjoyed the displays that included photos from a contest last March. Many were given away as door prizes.
I'll post some pictures later.