Anyway, this week was Cultural Week at work, where a different country's food was represented in the employee dining room each day. I love Cultural Week. It's amazing for so many reasons. First and most simply, it significantly reduces the nagging feeling of dread one feels going to the employee cafeteria every day. Second, I still can't get over how many different countries are represented in my hotel. It's like 65! It amazes me each and every day and I'm convinced there's nowhere like it in the world. Third and most important, the employees from each country actually cook the food, decorate the cafeteria and provide the entertainment, working through the night to represent their country the best they possibly can. It's incredible. (The answer to your question is no. No, there is no American day. Hot dogs, burgers and apple pie with baseball playing on the TV does not a cultural day make. And as for entertainment, the Filipinos were proudly blasting the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga, so that's now off limits.)
The fun continues next week (and consequently, so does the battle of fitting into my clothes as Cultural Week slowly rears it ugly head on my thighs.) I'm not qualified to vote--only eight senior managers get to vote--but if I had a say, here it is:
1st place: Kenya (Legit. A Zulu warrior serving me goat is a clear winner in my book.)
2nd place: Indonesia (I felt like our tiny, boring cafeteria was transported to the tropics.)
3rd place: India (I've said it before and I'll say it again. Indian food is the best. Except for mutton. Gross.)
4th place: Egypt (Docked for the huge chunks of beef liver but redeemed slightly by the belly dancer and colorful costumes.)
5th place: The Philippines (I was wondering why I had never had Filipino food in the states. I think I figured it out.)
I didn't have my phone with me at lunch (my enthusiasm to stuff my face with ethnic food obviously clouded my memory) but here's a small example from India day to show the work that goes into it.
It's as if you've been transported to Mumbai, am I right?
In other related news, my list of places I want to visit while we live here has grown, though I've exhibited will power and reigned it in to about 22 countries.
