Inspiring Women Magazine November 2023

It’s not only food
that's important,
it’s also sharing
food with friends
and relatives.
Fannie Kakonge, President, AWA Kenya
I often miss certain foods, festivals, big parades
and family celebrations. I also miss social customs
amongst family and friends such as greetings,
gestures and etiquettes, which are an integral
part of my identity, music and dance included.
Most important is the special bonding with family
and community that’s difficult to duplicate.
Ethel Brome-Mbaya, President,
AWBS International Women’s Club
In the Zambian culture, food is to be shared, no
matter how little, with invited and uninvited guests
alike. I have replicated this to a small degree by
cooking Zambian food for friends who have never
tasted it. Eating together, often off the same plate,
is a bonding experience. Sharing the little you have
shows love.
What object, taste, sound or other
symbol best represents to you
the culture of your homeland?
Lyla Taylor, President, AWC Zurich
Lyla misses Halloween:
"It’s slowly becoming a happening here, although
nowhere near to the extent it is in the U.S. The first
year, we had one Trick or Treater. After 17 years of
crazy decorating and sitting outside dressed as a
witch with my hubby and a big bowl of candy
(brought back from America in pumpkin, ghost
and witch shapes and given in Trick or Treat bags
with Halloween pencils and erasers), last year I
had 79 kids."
Bev Bachmeyer, FAWCO Rep,
AWA Vienna
I think what I miss the most is the open, friendly
atmosphere in the United States. Particularly on
the US West Coast, people tend to approach new
people spontaneously, talking to them in shopping
lines, helping each other and working together.
Ethel
The mighty Mosi-oa-Tunya Falls in Zambia (The Smoke that Thunders),
also known as Victoria Falls.
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