FABIans took some time off to enjoy the traditional annual Easter Tea on the morning of 16 April. Inclement weather moved the event indoors but the FABI Social Club, under the able leadership of Melandré van Lill, outdid themselves to make it a huge success, and each FABIan receiving a bunny gift bag containing a delicious cookie made by Little Crumbs. Their effort in making the tea a success clearly shows that FABI is not just about research excellence but also ensuring the greatest attention to detail to make its social events a huge success!

Prof. Bernard Slippers welcomed everyone and said that social events such as these were important in creating a strong social bond in the Institute. He quoted a poem by English poet Robert Frost “Nothing gold can stay” the theme of which mainly focuses on change and describes nature as it changes. He summarised it by saying that despite winters and difficult times, strong roots allow trees to survive, and so too a strong social bond created by social events such as the Easter tea and Jackie Robinson Day, create a camaraderie that drives the Institute through both the good times and those more challenging times.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

By Robert Frost

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.