Our final week of 2010 was spent with family and a new friend.  Lola and Greg came up from Mississippi and brought with them: Mustafa, a student from Gaza whom Lola is sponsoring at Milsaps College.  Mustafa is a first time visitor to the United States, so we took it upon ourselves to show him our little part of America.  During his visit some of his firsts included: seeing snow, ice skating, driving a car, seeing a new years eve celebration, watching an aerial silks performance and trying lots of new foods, like good ol' American apple pie--He said it was the best he had ever had...hahaha.  Although others in the family had tried it before, I got to try authentic homemade falafel for the first time. They're like hush puppies, except made with chick peas instead of corn meal and include different spices. I liked my falafel dipped in ranch dressing--an American corruption to be sure--and Mustafa agreed that they tasted good that way.  In Gaza, people go to falafel houses to hang out with friends like we might do at a coffee house.  Due to the political situation in Gaza, Mustafa will not be able to return home until he has completed his undergraduate degree--he wants to become a doctor--so we hope to see more of him in the next four years when Lola and Greg come to visit.