International Dinner

After the Parade of Nations event that took place during the day last Friday, ACA hosted an international dinner to celebrate all of the countries represented by the students and staff at the school. It also serves as the main fundraiser for PTA.

The days leading up to the event found the maintenance workers working hard on the field, building a stage, hanging a wide assortment of flags around the lower basketball court, and setting up tables.

At one point I walked by and saw one worker, Ruben, working on the stage while the other three workers stood under a tree talking. I asked him (in Spanish) why he was alone and if the other's weren't working today. He just laughed, probably at how bad my Spanish was. The next day he had help on the stage and I commented that he wasn't alone today and it elicited another chuckle. Good times.

The night itself was quite enjoyable. Every family brought traditional food representing their home country for the event (enough for 40 people, divided into two dishes). The main countries (Paraguay, United States, and Korea) had their own tables, and all "others" (Brazilian, Taiwanese, and other South American countries) were lumped together on the "international" table. After being dismissed by table to get plates of food, it was a free-for-all in terms of second (and third) helpings, until most platters were all but licked clean.

Entertainment for the night consisted of three acts, again from the three main countries represented by the student population. The Korean students created a mini-orchestra and performed two songs, a hymn and a Korean ballad.

The Paraguayan students worked together in their Spanish class on a dance number. Well, I can't exactly say it was the "Paraguayan" act because many of the students in the act were from other countries. It was neat, though, in that they all wore jeans and white shirts, then tied ribbons around their wrists in the colors of their home countries. It was also funny to watch some of the boys who had been strategically placed in the back rows.

The Americans were represented by three students - Wesley, Ashley, and Jessica. They are siblings (and the children of the Academic Director) who have all been blessed with incredible voices. They performed an a cappella number in beautiful harmony.

There were nearly 500 people at the event which means the PTA should have earned around $3,000 (25,000 Guarani a person, times 500 people, divided by 4,000 - a close approximation to the current exchange rate), minus the expense of the chairs, tables, place settings, and linens for the evening. It was a success on many levels!

And Bailey even got to enjoy some of the evening before we put her to bed, then returned to the party. That's one of the many blessings of being on campus. School events are literally in your backyard so leaving a sleeping baby in her room while you're at the event is possible!