AAFSW – FBS: Halloween Party, October 29, 2016

On Saturday, October 29, 2016, AAFSW and the Foreign Born Spouses celebrated Halloween with a spectacular party organized by Sheila Switzer, AAFSW’s Program Chair, and hosted by Seyoung and Holcombe Thomas at their beautiful home, which was wonderfully decorated for the occasion.

Over 35 AAFSW members and FB spouses came in festive spirit ready to share in the warm company and try all the delicacies from around the world, which the guests prepared and brought to this AAFSW – FBS Halloween event!

The creative and astonishing costumes really made the evening special! Guests came dressed in very artistic and inventive costumes such as: Lady Marion from Robin Hood, a French Marquis, a mermaid queen, the Phantom of the Opera, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, Rosie the Riveter, Chucky the Doll, an Arabian prince and his shiny Arabian princess, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, an NYPD lady police officer, Pakistani sisters, a circus Gypsy and his jester, Belle Epoque can-can girls and many more.
The best costume prize went to the dazzling mermaid queen (AAFSW President Dr. Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen). Frida Kahlo (Ceres Busa), Audrey Hepburn (Halloween party hostess Seyoung Thomas), Rosie the Riveter (Danuta Moon), and Lady Marion (AAFSW Assistant Treasurer Troella Tyznik) were among the winners for the most original and colorful costumes.

After having dinner by sampling favorite dishes from around the world, Thomas Switzer called all the guests for a fascinating presentation of the stories behind each guest’s costume and character. There are so many imaginative actors among the AAFSW-FBS guests!

The best presentation award went to the Arabian Shiekh and his lovely bride princess (Thomas and Sheila Switzer, AAFSW Program Chair). Among the great award-winning stories were the Phantom of the Opera (Sonny Busa), the story of the two Pakistani lost sisters that got reunited after one sister got married to a French Marquis (Pakistani Sisters: Catherine Pierce and Cyrille Erickson), Lady Marion’s romantic tale (Troella Tyznik), Chucky the Doll’s scary story, and Rosie the Riveter’s incredible story of the American cultural icon – a propaganda campaign ad of the women who worked as factory workers and in shipyards during World War II (Danuta Moon).

This unforgettable Halloween evening ended with lots of dancing, music, laughter, and discussion. It was great fun and a wonderful opportunity to welcome AAFSW newcomers and catch up with old friends. All AAFSW – FBS members, spouses, and guests are looking forward to the next year’s grand Halloween party and they are already planning their Halloween costumes for next year!

~Danuta Moon and Dr. Joanna Athanasopoulos Owen, AAFSW President