International Day at school

As an expat, it feels like living overseas can be an up and down experience.  We miss family and "things" about living in the US but we get to have experiences here that sometimes just make us pause and feel so thankful that we're here.  International Day at school is one of those quintessential expat experiences that hasn't failed yet to blow me away. This year was the best one yet!

The way International Day works at our school is that families from the same country get together and host booths to share a little bit about their home country (a map, art project, curios, clothes and definitely food).  Parents man these booths and the kids get to come and look around.  The elementary kids have "passports" and they are supposed to find certain countries and get their passport "stamped."  They also roam around looking for the tastiest looking food.  I hear there were 45 booths and 60 countries represented in the later parade.

Here is just a *smattering* of the food we had: homemade paella from Spain, enchiladas, salsa and tacquitos from Mexico, lasagna and gelato from Italy, BBQ beef and apple pie from the US, chicken tikka masala and samosas from India, a heated competition between the sausages from South Africa and the "sizzling" sausages from Australia, Turkish delight, sushi from Japan, too many delectable Middle Eastern treats to count from the UAE, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, cheese ice cream from the Philippines, maple cookies from Canada, pretzels from Germany, waffles from Belgium, moussaka and grape leaves from Greece and more, more, more (I couldn't' make it to all the booths and certainly ran out of room in my stomach!)!

New at the festival this year was entertainment on a stage in the middle.  The entertainment was so wonderful.  Clogging little Irish girls, a beautiful Indian dance by a student in a sari, a male Syrian dance troupe, a whirling dervish, South American dancing and more.  

The elementary kids spend time at the festival in the morning (after an assembly) and the middle and high school kids go in the afternoon.  In between is a touching Parade of Nations.  Small groups of flag bearers carry their countries flags and when your country's flag passes where you are sitting, you jump up and yell and wave and join your compatriots.  The parade started with the UAE group and national anthem and ended with the giant American group.  Seeing the American flag come across the field (being led by the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam), hearing the American national anthem and then seeing an enthusiastic group of kids run up to the flag and start chanting, "USA! USA!" was just one of those patriotic moments.  We all had chill bumps and teary eyes.

Experiencing International Day at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi is certainly one of the best feel good experiences and makes it one of those days I'm just so glad we're here.  I just love, love, love that this is so normal for our girls to know people from all over the world.

All dressed up in red, white and blue

In the process of toppling over on Anna.  She didn't like that so that was the end of my morning photo taking!

View of the festival on the field - 45-ish country booths

Third graders checking out the festival

Syrian dancers - they were very good!

The Statue of Liberty made a guest appearance at the USA booth

A whirling dervish

Loved the juice dispenser from Syria.  The juice was cold and yummy and had rosewater in it for an unusual flavor

The booth from the Philippines had a very enthusiastic ice cream scooper!

Yup, you can admit it.  You are jealous that you couldn't be here to eat Isabella's AMAZING paella.  She was cooking this on a giant cooker during the festival.  Yum, yum, yum.

The UAE flag kicks off the Parade of Nations

Sweet Summer carrying the New Zealand flag with her New Zealand sheep

Here comes the group from Norway (watching the parade was a good quiz on my flag skills since I couldn't hear the announcer)

The beginning of the parade

I can't remember which South American country this is (flag it out of the photo) but I loved how they all got into the spirit

Meredith in line with the USA group

We have a large group from Syria.  It definitely makes you pause when you think about what is happening in Syria and to many family and friends of our Syrian friends.

Here comes the US

All the US students are running out to join the group.  They are yelling and jumping up and down and then they start chanting, "USA! USA!"  Good stuff, I tell ya.

At the end of the day (Jane is bringing home the 3-D White House puzzle she took in for country show and tell)