Last week, while calendars in the U.S. were marked with Columbus Day, countries all over Latin America were celebrating their own versions of the holiday, in honor of Columbus discovering 'the Americas.' Little did I know that school kids in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean had grown up - like me - learning that "1492" was a very special year, and that "the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria" were very special ships. On Friday Bart and I were enlightened on just a few of these commonalities that we share with our Latin American friends, as the 4th year Baxter students made presentations on their countries' cultures.
For the presentations, the two of us were asked to be judges for categories like decoration, music, and food. So I channelled my inner Top Chef judge and enjoyed the delights they had to offer. In terms of food, my favorite treat of the day was an avocado smoothie from Colombia (I know it sounds crazy, but it was so good!). In the music category, our brothers from Cuba scored high for their great rendition of "Guantanamera," which means "a girl from Guantanamo." And while a day like Friday can highlight all the distinctions between countries, for me it also illuminates the fact that, as humans, we are more alike than different.
md
No comments:
Post a Comment