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The University where my husband teaches had their Global Day yesterday and today, and it was just wonderful. We live in the United Arab Emirates, so most of the booths were from the Middle East. I watched people roam around in their fanciest national dress, ate the different foods ( anyone else ever had kenipa(SP?)), and listened to the songs and watched the dances. Gulf Arabs have this dance where groups of them line up on opposite sides and chant and wave sticks at each other. I thought it was a bit strange at first, but now it's grown on me. The oud (a fragrant specially treated wood) that they burn was too strong for me at first, too, but now I love it. The smell of it was in the air, along with myrrh.
In a bit of irony or something kin to it, the Iraq booth was right next to the American booth. The theme of the American booth was peace and love, which was either also ironic or a good reminder that those two things do mean something to some Americans.....
I love it here so much and I am so grateful to have get to expeience the many cultures I come into contact with here. I could write something predictable and trite about the experience making me wish for world peace and understanding, but I won't.
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