Dear <<First Name>>,
Turkey, mashed potatoes, and chatpate anyone? This fall English language learners at Red River High School and their University of North Dakota (UND) Occupational Therapy mentors gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving together. We enjoyed tender turkey with steaming mashed potatoes and spicy chatpate. Chatpate is a popular Nepali dish made with puffed rice, green chillies, cilantro, onion, cucumbers, peas, and spices like mustard seed powder, cumin, and chili powder.
It was a mutual sharing of traditions. Mashed potatoes were new to many of the English language learners and chatpate was new to the UND students. One Nepali speaking Bhutanese student shared that she had been "too scared" to try mashed potatoes before. She loved them! The UND students were adventurous too, trying chatpate. In fact, UND students asked for second helpings of this spicy dish!
Blending cultural traditions gives everyone a chance to learn from each other. Our goal is to foster refugee integration. What exactly does that mean? To me, it is as simple as introducing new tastes to both New Americans and born Americans and developing tastes for both cultural foods. This integration happens because of UND students, community volunteers, and generous supporters like you.
Help us continue to foster refugee integration through our work in the schools and homes of New Americans with a year-end gift.
Please visit our website to donate or mail in your donation to Global Friends at 600 Demers Avenue; Suite 406A, Grand Forks, ND 58201.
Sincerely,
Cynthia H. Shabb
Executive Director
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