Global Neighborhood and Historic Neighborhood create community with shared dinner

 

Students, staff and faculty gathered together in Lakeside on Wednesday, March 6, for an event called “Dinner across Difference.” Students from the Global Neighborhood and the Historic Neighborhood came together to express their appreciation for and bond with the staff who work at Elon.

The menu featured Irish cuisine as a tribute to the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday. The dinner buffet included potatoes (of course!), vegetarian shepherd’s pie, fish and beef chowders, and traditional soda bread. The dessert buffet could have been featured on “The Great British Baking Show” with Victoria sponge and trifle, as well as cupcakes.

Everyone shared stories about the joys and challenges of working and living at Elon. Some tables talked about how and why everyone came to Elon, and what characteristics and benefits make us happy to stay. Others discussed their support networks, whether family, friends, or colleagues.

Participants also talked about belonging, specifically times they felt like they did belong and occasions when they didn’t. Also discussed were participants’ contributions to the Elon community and what makes the community strong.

The Historic Neighborhood will be hosting its next monthly dinner on Wednesday, April 10, at 5:30 p.m. The next Global Neighborhood event will be the Film Series, held on Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in Global Commons 103. The film will be “Entre Les Murs” (“The Class”), a French film about the challenges students and a teacher face in a diverse Paris classroom. Discussion will follow. This event explores another aspect of the Global Neighborhood’s 2018-19 theme, educational equality.