Men's cultural night

Wow.  There are times that I find myself in disbelief from what I am experiencing.  Tonight I was at a cultural event presented by the male students.  I took a ton of pictures and I will post more in the future but after 3 hours in 90+ degree heat (at night) I am too exhausted to post more.  After drinking some hot water at the event a student went back to his dorm room to get me a bottle of cold water.  I said, "You should charge me!  I'd pay 100 dirhams ($27) for that!"

Later another student said, "You are a rock star here."  And, well, I was treated like one.  Last week I was the only westerner at Palestinian day.  Tonight I was the only westerner at this event.  Also, at this event were many of the managers I have been training for the past year.  As the students learned that I'm teaching their dorm directors and student services people they said, "Sir, you have wasta (connections)!"

At one point food was served in a majlis (at least I think that's the term for the tent where men gather).  I think the students didn't go in... only the older men - staff, I assume.  I went over to take a picture:

 And they insisted I come in.

Culturally people here only eat with their fingers.  Much of the food in this picture is not what I'd call finger-food.  Fortunately, they passed a spoon to me.  I've lived here long enough to know what I'd be getting and I'm not a fan of most of the food.  It seems pretty dry and tasteless, but, hey, it's cultural.  The picture you won't see because my camera battery went dead:  The women two tents away making all of this food.  I didn't see them until the end of the night and I am seriously kicking myself for not bringing a full battery.  They were dutifully producing tons of food for the men.  Kinda like Thanksgiving back home.