Z Notes Blog by Jim Zumwalt
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Entertaining at Home

Friends and colleagues from the private and public sector got together for an informal home party - American style!

Nov. 16 - Many Americans love to entertain friends in their homes. Ann and I, like many Americans, prefer a very informal style of entertaining. In the United States we often greet our guests saying "Make yourself at home," and what we mean is that we hope our guests will relax.

We will treat them more like family than outsiders. We might ask the guest to help with preparing food or cleaning up, just as we would ask a family member.

Recently my colleague at the Embassy, Andrew Ou, invited Ann and me to his apartment to meet some of his friends. Ann and I enjoyed a wonderful time because the party was so informal that we could truly relax.

Please Help Yourself: Guests help themselves to seconds ("okawari") ... much more food was set up on the large dining table behind all the guests.

When we arrived, one of the guests was in the kitchen cooking a Chinese dish from his mother's recipe. Another guest was setting the table, and still more guests had brought dishes from home for everyone to share, such as inari sushi and Italian meatballs. (Ann and I brought some homemade chocolates and Japanese sake.) We loaded up our paper plates with a truly international dinner.

We quickly got to know many of Andrew's friends. With guests from Japan, America and a few other Asian countries, we heard a variety of languages being used in animated conversations. As the evening progressed, I got to feel I had known many of these people for some time.

Anne talks to an Embassy colleague, a political reporter, and a member of the Embassy community.

Douzo: I pour U.S. Embassy branded wine for Thom Breckenridge, Andrew's friend at Boeing.

When it was time to go home, Ann and I left the party a bit reluctantly. We had "made ourselves at home" and enjoyed a wonderful evening at Andrew's informal party.

Until next time,

Jim

COMMENTS

Actually I am in China and I think we have the similar habit mentioned in the article. We visit friends and like to chat with friends at home also. In some areas of China, we even have some special words to describe the "chat with friends." Some are very funny words.

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