Week 15

In college I was a R.A. (the world's worst RA if I might add... I got fired for partying... but that's another story) We had to do the most ridiculous programs & bulletin boards, but it was all part of the job. Luckily my fellow RAs had a similar mindset of "we should do stuff that doesn't suck". This photo comes from my favorite program we ever scheduled & probably the best on campus, if I may be so bold. The mandatory theme was diversity & we were just so sick of acting like it's only a white & black people issue... or like it's an issue at all rather something that's way fun & interesting.

So we threw a party & called in connections from all our international-student friends to come & do something fun. A girl from India painted henna tattoos, a group of Japanese girls taught origami, a friend from Argentina taught salsa dancing, a few guys from a black fraternity put on a step show, the Jewish Student Union sent some guy with photos from Israel to sit there & be bored, & I'm sure there were more but it's been several years.



My favorite part was that the 3 RAs in charge all dressed up from cultures we couldn't possibly be from... kind of our way of saying "you've spent all semester learning our culture, we'd love to invest in your for a bit". So my buddy Weiss is sporting a Jewish kippah covering his blonde hair, I love Casey in that kimono, & of course there's me in an Indian sari.  That's the most beautiful outfit I've worn in my whole life, especially with the giant jingling jewelry & (of course) a jeweled bindi. You can just barely see the reflection from it if you squint at my forehead. (if you missed my flashback about wanting to be Gwen Stefani, let's just say that's not my first bindi... week 10 for your reference)

I felt gorgeous dressed that way. It's just one more reason why I need to runaway to India. I strutted my way around the halls gathering up students to come to our party. They'd seen the advertisements but once I came jingling & glistening along I think they knew something interesting was afoot.  Basically, it ruled.

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