An international buffet

A fellow student looked around our classroom one day and thought it would be fun if we had a potluck.  When he suggested we get together, everyone was immediately excited.  So, we organized a get together.  But, since we are in the midst of rainy season, the first plan was cancelled due to the forecast.  When it didn't rain that day, many of us were sad.  So, we rescheduled.  Today there was also a forecast for rain, but we decided to proceed. 

The makeup of my Japanese class is mainly Chinese students.  But there are also students from Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Mexico, Dubai, Nepal, and Germany.  I am the only student from the US.  Since I love many different types of cuisines and trying new foods, the thought of a class potluck was really exciting.

We met shortly before noon in front of the library in Hikarigaoka Koen (park).  Many of us brought our families, including spouses and children.  As more and more people arrived, I was surprised to see how many people actually came.  Out of 18 students, 11 came.  Our sensei (teacher) also joined us!

We walked over to a picnic shelter and began laying out food.  More and more dishes were set out.  Many things I had never seen before and some familiar items that I was eager to try.  The woman from Thailand brought pad thai, which was spicy and flavorful.  The guy from Mexico brought amazing guacamole and saltines.  There were spring rolls like I've never tasted before and lettuce wraps that were so flavorful.  The German guy brought meatballs, rolls, and potato salad that made my mouth so happy.  And there were so many other things, too.

I brought chocolate chip cookies.  They weren't my best, but they were still good and every seemed to enjoy them.

We talked.  We laughed.  We even played a few games.  And we ate a ton of food.  It was fun to just relax and hang out.  Since we are from so many different countries, we are forced to try to speak Japanese with each other.  Many of us do speak English better than we speak Japanese, so we also heard a fair share of English as well.

But no matter how well we learn our Japanese, it is just nice to be around a bunch of people who understand what it is like to be so far away from home.  Every single person in that class understands the struggles of being an immigrant.  They get how hard it can be to feel so isolated and different, yet also the desire to fit in.

Amy Chua, an American lawyer, academic, and writer once said "Do you know what a foreign accent is?  It's a sign of bravery."  I couldn't agree more.  I'm so proud to be part of this really brave group of people.  Immigrants make the world a more dynamic and interesting place.  Sharing a table together is a great way to create a new community and welcome everyone with open arms.