1. One To World’s Global Classroom
at School for Excellence
Period 2

2. International university scholars from
Vietnam, China and Cyprus visited Mr. Zahir’s
class through One To World’s Global Classroom
program. In each class, they shared about their
culture through pictures and stories. Students
were then asked to choose a photo and write a
narrative to do the same. The following pictures
and stories will introduce you to the cultures of
School for Excellence.
Enjoy!

4. Dominoes
Dominoes games are a big part of my culture. I remember
when I was younger and my family would get together and
everyone especially the adults would gossip and talk over a
game of dominoes. My grandfather was the ultimate
champion and always won competitions and money. He
became ill with Alzheimer’s disease which causes him to
have a lot of memory lost and forget most of his love ones
and daily routines, but till this day he can serve up a great
game. When I visited Puerto Rico for a vacation I saw many
Puerto Ricans playing instruments, cooking a pig on a huge
stick outside over a fire, and of course, playing dominoes. It
is a very strategized game and since I was younger I have
been introduced to it and learned how to play by watching
and getting guidance from my elders. It is very fun and
addicting and a great way to bring a family into a little
competitive fun.

6. Coffee
Every summer my family and I go to
Dominican Republic for vacation to visit our
house and family member.
Every time my family and I go to a family
member’s house or friend’s house, we always
drink coffee as a greeting for visiting.

8. Bento
Bento is a Guamanian dish prepared by my mother on
special occasions. After every football game, school
dance, good report card, school play, or chorus date I’d
look forward for my mother’s Bento. It’s one of the best
meals I ever ate in my life. Once I enter college it will be
my turn to learn how to make my own Bento.

10. African American Culture
The people in the picture above you see helped me to be in the position I’m in
now.
Martin Luther King, Jr. helped bring peace between black and white people.
Without him there probably would be segregated schools still. Malcolm X was
gangster who started to worship in jail and spread the beliefs of Islam. He
thought that everyone was equal so he fought for rights of a black man. To me
he thought that any color can be a leader. He was so powerful he had groups
and groups of people following him and his commands became so powerful his
own people turned on him and killed him. President Obama was the first
president of color. I never thought it would happen. He made it possible and
gave us hope. To this day we still face discrimination and we still overcome the
odds for people of color. These three people helped us an kept our hopes
strong. I love my culture because we are so powerful no one can stop us and
hold us back. We always fight back.

12. Guyanese Food
In Guyana rice, beans and chicken is very popular.
This is the food Guyanese people would cook for
parties, when a guest is over their house or any
event. On Sundays in my house my
grandpa, grandma, uncles, aunts and cousins
always get together and have dinner. This is one of
the foods you will frequently find on the table. I
really like this dish because every time I eat it, it
reminds me of where I come from.

14. McDonald’s
I love McDonald’s. Well, everyone loves McDonald’s. I go
there every weekend, mostly twice a week or three times a
week . I go they with my mom and brother but mostly just
me. I don’t really eat there. I take it home to eat. I can’t eat
somewhere without watching tv or a movie. When I go to
McDonald’s I order mad food compared to my mother I be
ordering a big mac large fries mc chicken or the 10 pc
nuggets with ma large drink. I’m a big eater I look skinny
and may not look like I eat a lot but if you see how I eat
you’ll think different. Ill mostly eat every hour from morning
till midnight I cant stop eating and never will stop eating
either.

16. FRIED CHEESE, MASHED
PLANTAINS, EGGS and SALAMI
Dominicans love this dish and I do too. Who wouldn’t?
This dish represents Dominicans because everywhere you go and see Dominicans
most likely eating this. Dominicans eat this at any time of the day breakfast, lunch
or even dinner. Sometimes Dominicans are even called plantains but in Spanish.
It’s easy to make in under 20 minutes and its delicious it’s like an MRE for
Dominicans. The only odd about this dish is that it’s not healthy.
I love this dish and I wish I can eat it all of the time.

18. Curry Chicken
My mom used to always tell me stories
about how special curry chicken is in
St. Thomas. Everyone loves it. I remember
when I was about 8 and in elementary
school and my mom made curry chicken. It
tasted so good. I always eat it with rice and
beans. It’s special to me because I’ve never
tasted it anywhere else and my mom only
makes it on special occasions.

20. Arabic
This is the Arabic language, my first language to
speak. All my family speaks it in home. This
picture says my name. All my friends who see
this be saying its cool, but it looks weird. Some
say it’s like an art. A lot of people try to copy it
but it ends up messy. Some people might never
see this language, but this is my language and
I’m proud to speak it.

22. PUPUSAS DE QUESO
This is one of my favorite dishes from
El Salvador. My mom would use tell me stories
about how she and her family back then when
she was young would eat this. To them when
they do celebrations this food will always be
there. My mom would make me and my family
most of time. First time I tried it I was very
young, and I like it.

24. Oxtails
Oxtails are really my favorite. I love when my grandma
makes it for me because she makes it the best. When I
was about 2 years old grandma made it & ever since I just
never stopped asking for that meal. Oxtails are so
delicious but no one can make it better than her. Every
two days I eat oxtails with white rice & cabbage. Oh gosh
it is so good. Oxtails are a Jamaican meal; my father also
makes it for me. He makes it similar to my grandmother.
They both make it so good that when I eat it I want more
like a fat person. I never get enough of oxtails! Oxtails are
a tail of an Ox it sound nasty but it’s good.

26. Fruits in Panama
In Panama we eat fresh fruit. It is very
enjoyable and many of our fruits are fresh
and come off trees. My aunt for example
plants many of these fruits in her backyard
and we receive many fresh fruits. It is very
good. We drink beverages out of the
pineapples and coconuts and we use juicers
to make fresh beverages.

28. Castillo de San Cristóbal
It was built by Spain to protect against land based
attacks on the city of San Juan. Castillo de San
Cristóbal is the largest fort built by the Spanish in
the New World. When it was finished in 1783, it
covered about 27 acres of land and basically came
all around San Juan. it was built in 1783.

30. Dominican Culture
Every year in the Dominican Republic, during
February, my country has a carnival (festival). My
family participates in the carnival. In the
carnival, people dress up and wear crazy customs. My
mom likes to go and celebrate, because it’s her way to
show pride in her culture. My mom also likes the
music. The music are bachata, merengue, and tipico.
My mom loves dancing to all the music. The thing I
don’t like about that occasion is that many people get
into fights and sometimes it’s dangerous.

32. New York City
The city has been a part of my life for a very
long time. Public transportation has helped
me get to many destinations and meet a lot of
new people on the way. The train has a lot of
nice views I enjoy on the way to where I need
to go. Many times on the train there is
entertainment like people singing or playing
instruments.

34. Obelisca Hembra
This is a monument located in the Dominican Republic
in the Malecon. The Malecon is long street where they
have lots of restaurant’s and places you can go and
enjoy your day. I remember when I went to the
Dominican Republic this summer and at night my
whole family went to eat and we stop to see this
beautiful monument, it was really tall, so tall that
when I try to take a picture I wasn’t able to get the
whole entire thing. This monument is called, the
“female”. I find this painting really beautiful because
of the dress they drew on her, I honestly don’t know
the story on how this monument came to be but I
think they did a great job.