Culture Clash

In the midst of all the preparations for the estate sale last week, I took a break for a baby shower for an acquaintance. Julie (I can't begin to spell her Tibetan name) fled Tibet years ago when she was studying with the Dalai Lama, spending several years in India before arriving in the U.S. Although she has lived with an American family for a couple of years, the difference in cultures was made evident at the baby shower given in her honor. Julie works at the Chinese restaurant run by a friend of ours and the staff hosted the baby shower for her there. Because everyone was officially on duty at the restaurant at the time, no presents were wrapped (except mine and those of her American host family) and the spread of food was distinctly Oriental (and yummy!). When shown the baby shower cake we had to explain why there was a picture of a stork and baby on it and what that represented, which was a bit of a hoot. We also had to explain several of the gifts, including receiving blankets, "onesies" and pacifiers. I don't know if all that was a cultural thing or just a young lady who has never been around children and doesn't have a clue. Either way, it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at her house after the baby is born, watching her trying to figure out what goes where and why with all her gifts.

And it certainly was an entertaining break for me--I haven't laughed that much in a long time. Friends and laughter--it doesn't get any better than that.