On the Christmas Eve, our friendship kept us warm. Although we are far from our home countries, each of us contributed a piece of our culture and traditions to the dining table. In our own countries, families gather on the 24th of December to enjoy traditional dishes, often reserved for this time of year. We enjoyed 'hallacas,' a Venezuelan dish similar to zongzi, made from corn flour; 'pan de jamón,' a type of delicious bread filled with ham, raisins, and olives; and 'congri,' a famous Cuban rice and beans dish. Another tradition in our countries is decorating our houses and exchanging gifts with our entire family.
On the day we smiled and laughed, and continued laughing until we could laugh no more. We learned that Christmas isn't about material gifts; rather, it's about the memories we create. These moments in time will last forever. Our wish for the coming year is for us to aspire to be our best selves, sharing more and giving more to others.
--Felix Armando Ocampo Luces
(Venezuela)