CELEBRATION OF WORLD FULL OF CULTURES; STUDENTS OF ENGLISH SHARE NATIVE CUSTOMS.Byline: Angela Randazzo Daily News Staff Writer Spicy aromas of exotic cuisine and festive music set the tone Thursday for the International Fair at the Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwest Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It was discovered in 1542 by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and eventually became part of the Rancho El Conejo land grant by Adult School. Students from more than 20 countries, who attend the school and are taking English-language classes, shared the specialties of their native cultures. ``I always come back to the fair.'' said Leonardo Rodriguez, a graduate now attending Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. . ``I love the things that go on, the music and food and visiting old friends.'' The event allows students to express pride in their culture while also recognizing a deep appreciation for their new homeland. ``This is one day when the students teach us about their cultures,'' said teacher Ruth Canfield can·field n. Games A form of solitaire. [After Richard Albert Canfield (1855-1914), American gambler.] Noun 1. . ``The rest of the year, we push English.'' Students set up booths where typical items from their native country were displayed. Exhibits included gold-plated vases from Iran, Aztec calendars from Mexico, tourist videos, native flags and a model of a typical house in Korea. Each table was filled with food, with students sampling one another's native cooking. Many students dressed in native customs. The traditional Mexican sombrero som·bre·ro n. pl. som·bre·ros A large straw or felt hat with a broad brim and tall crown, worn especially in Mexico and the American Southwest. and brightly colored han-bok from Korea, which is similar to a Japanese kimono kimono Garment worn by Japanese men and women from the Early Nara period (645–724) to the present. The essential kimono is an ankle-length gown with long, full sleeves and a V-neck. , were eye-catching additions to the event. ``I am enjoying everything, meeting people,'' said Young Woo-Lee, who has only been at the school for two months and wore a folk costume of his native Korea. ``Everybody is very helpful, and I am catching on.'' On stage, students sang folk songs and danced the Cumbia cum·bi·a n. 1. A Latin-American dance originating among African slave populations on Colombia's Atlantic coast and characterized by short sliding steps. 2. Music for this dance. dance from Central America Central America, narrow, southernmost region (c.202,200 sq mi/523,698 sq km) of North America, linked to South America at Colombia. It separates the Caribbean from the Pacific. and the Chinese bamboo dance. A moment of silence was observed for Dr. Xianyu Mong, a former student the staff affectionately called ``Mr. Ming,'' who recently passed away. A tree will be planted in his honor. While the festival celebrates cultural differences, the students attending the adult school all have one thing in common: the need to learn English. ``The students are contributing to the American culture by sharing their customs, but by learning English we're saying, you belong, and that's what makes us strong,'' Canfield said. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1--Color) Students and visitors, many in festive outfits, watch dancers Thursday at the Conejo Valley Adult School's International Fair. (2--Color) Conejo Valley Adult School students Pedro Huerta and Christina Gonzales do the Mexican hat Noun 1. Mexican hat - coneflower with flower heads resembling a Mexican hat with a tall red-brown disk and drooping yellow or yellow and red-brown rays; grows in the great plains along base of Rocky Mountains Ratibida columnaris dance a Thursday's International Fair. (3--Color) Federico Rodriguez, left, Christina Gonzales and Justino Ortiz rehearse the dwarf dance of Oaxaca, Mexico, at Thursday's fair. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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