Party!

I was grateful for advanced notice the night before last, because yesterday we had a party! My host sister is getting engaged, and traditionally before the engagement the extended families meet to agree on it.

We expected 70-100 people, and by my count had something in that range. The living room and salon were cleared out and filled with chairs; the living room for the women and the salon for the men. Our side of the family arrived first, at about 3pm (meaning people started coming in at 3:30 or so), and the other family came in as a group a bit later.

Leen spent most of the first hour (ish) in my room getting ready and waiting; she couldn't come out until all the guests were there, and then after meeting the women her uncle or brother would escort her into the salon where she'd meet all the men. I spent most of the time then with her and the cousins (so nice!). I also got some good pictures (Leen was beautiful, and in a white suit), but my camera messed up and somehow didn't save any of those photos....

After Leen was introduced all 'round (a group of women crowded near the entrance to the salon to watch), there was a ceremony (I think), where the two families agreed on the engagement. From there coffee and kunafa was served... again, my camera lost the pic, but I found one online. It has a sort of eggy bottom with a sweet, slightly crusty top.



I helped a bit with drinks, too--water and soda, mostly. Everyone also got a piece of pistachio chocolate and some baklava-type treats (those of us in the kitchen couldn't stop eating them), and the other family left a while later, leaving only the fiance(-to-be?) and some of his family. We then all moved into the salon for chatting, and dinner arrived in half an hour or so (it was catered, but the family had bought the ingredients and given them to the restaurant earlier, and we'd also made a lot of veggie salad to go with it). It was rice flavored with bits of ground beef and roasted almonds, with pieces of chicken, and many ate it with yogurt. The rice was delicious--I'm not usually a fan of rice, but here the types and preparations have made me love it--and was soon full.

Overall, it was a wonderful time, and I was glad to meet some of the cousins I hadn't yet seen, either. (Hi if you're reading this, and if I messed up any descriptions please tell me!) I feel a lot more a part of the family now... I just wish I hadn't worn red; I stuck out like a sore thumb. Picture of all but one or two of the cousins below!



The one in the white suit is Leen, with sister Zeina on one side and her fiance on the other.