1. Notes for CultureGrams Users
2. Did You Know?
3. Holiday Focus/Upcoming World Holidays
4. Teaching Idea: The Dating Game
5. Central and South Asia Quiz
6. Recipes from Central and South Asia
7. In the News: Monsoon in Mumbai
8. Email Service Information & Forwarding Tool

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• India is home to several hundred languages, of which 33 have 100,000 or more speakers.
• In Kazakstan, a popular summer drink is khumiss (fermented mare’s milk)
• Tajikistan lies on the ancient Silk Road, once the primary trading route between Asia and Europe.
• Kyrgyz women prefer silver jewelry to gold because it protects against misfortune.
• In Sri Lanka, every full moon is a holiday.

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Some Upcoming World Holidays

Vietnam – National Day – September 2
The day Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France.

Qatar – Qatar’s National Day – September 3
Marks independence from Britain and is a day of parades, art shows, sporting events, and feasting. Buildings are festooned with red and white lights for the festive occasion.

Belize – George’s Caye Day – September 10
A street parade/party takes place. Various "September Celebrations" are held between George's Caye Day and Independence Day.

Pakistan – Anniversary of the Death of
Quaid-e-Azam – September 11
Commemorates the death of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the nation’s founder, with prayers and tributes.

Honduras – Independence Day – September 15
The most popular national holiday. Schoolchildren practice for months in preparation for parades and programs.

India – Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday – October 2
Celebrates the birth of the “father of India,” who through his nonviolent movement led the nation to independence.

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• The student understands that family, gender, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliations, socioeconomic status, and other group and cultural influences contribute to the shaping of a person’s identity (Standard 1, Level IV, Benchmark 7, Grade 9–12).
• The student understands that cultural beliefs strongly influence the values and behavior of the people who grow up in the culture, often without their being fully aware of it, and that people have different responses to these influences (Standard 2, Level IV, Benchmark 1, Grades 9–12).

• CultureGrams World Edition

1. Divide the students into groups of two. Assign one to be the group writer and one the group speaker.
2. Divide the blackboard into the following categories: religious norms, societal norms, personal choice, and family culture. Discuss how each area can impact relationship choices.
3. Assign each group in the class five different CultureGrams, each country from a different continent. Have each group scan the Dating and Marriage and Family sections of their assigned CultureGrams.
4. Have the students in each group create an informal chart organizing each country according to the categories listed on the board. Give the students 15-20 minutes to complete this in-class assignment.
5. Have each of the group speakers come up and explain a bit about their assigned countries. Have the students list their countries on the board under the category that most influences the natives’ dating and relationship choices.
6. Conduct an in-class discussion about aspects of U.S. American culture regarding dating, marriage, and family life. What similarities are there to the countries listed on the board? What differences?
7. As a class, have the students rank the categories according to what is most influential in their dating, marriage, and family life decisions.

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1. Which countries in Central Asia are former republics of the Soviet Union?
2. In many Central Asian countries, polo is played using what instead of a ball?
3. A de facto “line of control” divides which two South Asian countries?
4. Which country in South Asia has the world’s second-largest population?
5. What is Nepal’s official religion?

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Main dish from Kazakstan
Pelmeni (Boiled Dumplings)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garlic to taste

Directions:

1. Dough: Combine the flour, eggs, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Knead mixture. Let rest for 30 minutes. Roll the dough into a thin layer and cut into small circles.

2. Filling: In separate bowl, mix the ground beef, ground pork, onions, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic together. Place a small amount of meat in the center of each circle of dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the meat to form a ravioli-shaped dumpling.

3. Boil the pelmeni in salted water for 7 minutes, or until they float to the surface.

4. Serve them with sour cream or in broth.

Dessert from Sri Lanka
Imbul Kiri Bath (Sweet Milk Rice)

Ingredients:

Coconut Molasses Mix:
1 3/4 pounds finely scraped coconut
2 cups coconut molasses
4 cloves
1 pinch salt

Milk Rice:
2 cups short grain white rice
3 cups water
2 cups thick coconut milk
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. Coconut molasses: Pour the molasses into a pot and bring to a boil while stirring. Add coconut milk and salt. Stir with handle of wooden spoon, cover, and cook on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the milk has been absorbed.

2. Milk rice: Place rice and water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and salt. Stir with handle of wooden spoon, cover, and cook on low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the milk has been absorbed.

3. Divide the slightly cooled milk rice into 2 portions. On a flat dish, evenly spread out a layer of milk rice using 1 portion. It should be at least 1 centimeter thick. It is important to do this before the milk rice cools down too much, as it will become too sticky to handle.

4. Evenly spread the coconut-molasses mix on top. Cover it completely, including the sides, with the second portion of the milk rice.

5. Cut into blocks and serve with bananas.

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