Apparently, I arrived at work just in time for the annual Christmas party. The theme was a luau and everyone received lei’s before heading over to the hotel banquet room. The party was a massive celebration with singing and dancing contests. In November, the company sponsored a battle of the bands and the top 3 bands performed during dinner.

Before dinner, the emcee led everyone in a prayer of thanks. That’s definitely something that would not have occurred in North America! It was refreshing to see such an open display of religious faith and reminded me a lot of my time in India – where Hindu priests performed ceremonies at work and the Muslim call to prayer could be heard throughout the building multiple times a day. I think that in our rush to be a secular and inclusive society in Canada that we have lost something of ourselves. Whether or not we share the same faiths, we should be able to celebrate them equally in public, rather than sweeping them all behind the curtain (privacy of your own home). I’ve always found that I learn so much about people and their culture by exploring their religious beliefs. I think this exposure helps us become more open and accepting of others and the differences should be acknowledged and valued.

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