Food diplomacy just “BECAUS”: American students from the The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) cooked up a delicious spread of Asian food for 50 elderly cleaners from Temasek Polytechnic. Embassy staff joined the CIA students and staff members for lunch and cross-cultural exchange.
The program “Befriending Elderly Cleaning Aunties & Uncles of Singapore” (Project BECAUS) shows appreciation to the cleaning staff, many of whom are advanced in age and do not speak much English.
One of the elderly cleaning aunties conveyed her gratitude in an impromptu speech, saying “I’ve been a cleaner for many years and I’ve never been treated with such kindness.”
The students from the Culinary Institute of America are here on a 15-week educational and cultural exchange. In addition to learning about local cuisine, they also take courses in transcultural studies and live with a Singaporean family for two weeks.
