Library Owl

What is a potluck?

I haven't heard about a potluck before I came to Canada. A potluck is a gathering that each participant brings a dish to share with the group of people.

In the first week when the term started, SLAIS put up a potluck at its lounge. It was the first Friday of the term and there was a after-potluck party afterwards. Faculties, office members, and students greet each other to have a new beginning, and got drunk at the after-potluck party. Afterall, it's a Friday. People are welcomed to bring their partners to the potluck as well.

In the end of the term, there was also a potluck to celebrate the end of all the labours given during the term. A lottery was held there as well. The rule of the lottery is that 2 tickets for CAD$5 (or 3 for $10, kind of forget about the rules). The winner can get half of the cash while the other half of the cash goes to a charity organisation of the winner's choice.

I didn't know about it at first, and just went to the potluck in the beginning of the term. Then I learnt about the tradition and brought some fried rice noodles with pumpkin at the end of the term potluck. Some of the friends even baked their own brownies or cupcakes, they are really great chefs.

Faculty members and students are enjoying food and talk.

Some cultural shocks:

To be noted, people in Canada and America, who are open and accepting gay marriage, would call their spouses as partners instead of husband or wife. That's a kind of cultural shock. But something worth noting and learning.

To participate in some kind of voluntary work or charitable activities are norm for Canadians. The International House encourages students to take parts in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Even a potluck lottery would end up with half of the prize goes to a charity group while the other half goes to the winner.

The potluck party of SLAIS is a little bit like 春酒 or 尾牙 in Taiwan, but it's more about participating and socializing with each other instead of eating and drinking.