Friend's holiday party

Last night, I attended a friend's holiday party in the burbs. It was the first time I attended after many years. I have been invited for a long time but due to travel, organization and work obligations I was unable to go. Finally this year I was able to go and bring my sis too.
It was great to attend. I saw many people I had not seen in years now married with kids. When we last hung out as a social group we were all single. Many have gone on to the next few stages in life. Right now, it was good to talk to people and catch up.

I met some very interesting people last night. I met a very nice Brazilian woman and she made some caipirinha (little peasant girl) made from cachaça. We discussed due to the sugar in this drink it can be lethal. It is delicious and easy to drink. But the after effects are lethal for one person who attended the party last year . While she drank the drink, she loved it. But it took her two days to recover from it! One you are drinking it, you just love the taste and feel you can drink more. I got to try some last night, I can see it being lethal. I decided to not have too much of it.

I met their nanny who is from China. Turns out she is from the same village my dad is from. She is retired and has worked as a nurse with over 31 years experience. I got to talk to her and heard my dad's dialect for the first time. It is more like Cantonese than Toisanese (which sounds very provincial) in comparison. It was fun chatting with her. I have always found talking to a variety of people and my elders to be fun throughtout my life.

When I was a kid, my folks had a Chinese restaurant. I got to befriend many customers and many were older. Somehow the local newspaper heard about my friendship with an customer. It was just past the Tiannamen Square incident. I was in junior high and my friend was an immigrant from Easter Europe and her family were Holocaust survivors. Our friendship was profiled as the cover of the "lifestyle" section. They thought a young Chinese American teen and older Jewish woman being friends was an interesting article.

I always like to have friends from all walks of life and ages. There are so many great people I can learn so much from but also learn a lot about myself too. I have gotten so much great advice and cherished memories and experiences along the way.

Last night, it was nice many people I had not seen in awhile and new people too. To many more new and fun memories and gatherings!