Margarita Martinez, our Colombian fellow, hands out New Year's Eve gifts
Once again, we gathered at the Lippmann House to celebrate the holidays. This time, Graciela and Gabriel shared the hosting and organizing with Margarita Martinez and her husband, Alvaro. Since all of Harvard is on break, most of the American fellows have gone home. The only Americans there were me, Ching-Ching and Kael. So
New Year’s Eve had a distinct International flavor. (Although I did make some Black eyed peas and Kael made a bread pudding – American classics). Alvaro and Margarita are from Colombia. Alvaro led us through a Colombian New Year’s Eve good luck ceremony, and Margarita gave gifts to everyone who attended the party/dinner/celebration. Again, this was a Colombian tradition. Margarita would pick the gifts out of the bowl and give them to one of the children, Manuela, Sasha or Tian Tian. They would then give the gifts to the recipient, after telling them to “Close your eyes, and dance.” Again, I assume this is a Colombian tradition. And this was before the New Years. After the clock struck midnight, Nathalie and Didier cranked up the music. A lot of French and European stuff, but slamming nonetheless. A good time was had by all and I couldn’t have dreamed of being at a better place to welcome in the new year. When I was leaving, the music was still blasting. Ironically, it was Joe Cuba’s El Pito (I’ll Never Go Back To Georgia). Hmmm.
June Erlick, Editor-in-chief, ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America, and Alvara, have a New Year's Eve Dance. But their eyes are open
