Alma’s friend Viradeth meets his biological father for the first time on a recent trip to Laos. Viradeth, Amber and Gabriel ate dinner with Globalist columnist Alma Khasawnih to share stories of meeting new family members abroad. (Photo courtesy of Viradeth)

There is nothing quite like the stories that unfold when good friends gather to share an honest, home-cooked meal.

For this special dinner, I hosted four of my friends to eat, drink and talk about their travels abroad in search of family they have never met.

I made vegetables in green curry with coconut milk, served with cauliflower as rice, and sautéed okra in garlic, onion, and tomatoes. For dessert we had mixed fruit, served with strawberry vegan ice cream.

This dinner happened to be a mini-reunion; each one of us had traveled in the past year to meet with family. The travels were filled with first times. Amber went to Nigeria to meet her father’s family. Viradeth visited Laos to meet his biological father and his siblings. Gabriel went to Ethiopia and met his mother’s favorite aunt.

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