Dinner with Three Ambassadors from Africa

On April 8th I was invited to a dinner by my friend and Polish colleague, Ewa. It was a dinner that was the culmination of the business meeting for the Zimbabwean Students Association in Poland, as well as on the occasion of a Zimbabwean National Holiday. Just like you are wondering now, I wondered why there was this association in Krakow. The Zimbabwean Students Association in Poland links together African students from Zimbabwe who are living in Poland while attending the university on a scholarship. One of its aims is to popularize African culture in the Polish academic environment.

Now, how I came to attend this function. Ewa had been invited to this dinner by her friend Tapiwa (Errol) Muzawazi who was the president of this association. She had met him a year earlier when he was attempting to break the Guinness record for longest public speech. (He went on to do it at 88 hours.) The dinner took place in the local pub attached to the Jegellonian University dormitory in Krakow. (Think a college rathskeller but only nicer.) We arrived soon after the end of the meeting part of the program and in time for dinner. Upon entering the room we were greeted by Tapiwa who invited us to sit at the dais. What an honor it was as the table had an assortment of special guests. Sitting across from me were the ambassadors to Poland for Zimbabwe, South Africa and Angola. Each was there, from Warsaw and other cities, at the invitation of the Association. After the introductions we were invited to an adjoining room to sample a traditional Zimbabwean meal. Included, in the buffet, was rice, a side dish like mashed potatoes, beef stew, chicken wings, bean salad, meatballs, and a few items that I have forgotten. All in all some very tasty food that was not much different from anything else I have eaten.

After dinner the lights were turned down and the DJ began playing some great dance music and the audience got into it.

Overall it was yet another unique Polish experience for me and one that I will not soon forget.