Most meals with my host family are accompanied by the background noise of the television set. If it's not already on, the TV set is turned on at the start of a meal. This seems to be a common practice in households owning a TV; if it's not a TV, it's a radio. About two weeks ago, a serious thunderstorm hit our area and blew out my host family's satellite TV receiver (yes, I know, I wasn't expecting to get cable television either). Although I'm starting to suffer from international news withdrawal, it's been a welcome change to focus more on the dinner conversation than the 'boob tube'.
My host mother is quick to catch on to anything I particularly like to eat, ie. chapatti, home-made pineapple avocado juice, ginger milk tea, etc. As a result, my breakfast consists of one scrambled egg placed between two slices of toast and a cup of hot chocolate. You can well imagine that my host family's recent trip to Uganda left me a bit out of sorts until Theo, our principal, informed me that my host mum, Rebeka, had left five eggs for me at his house, one for each day they were gone. Very thoughtful!
And I finally figured out why we have only had fish once at my host family's even though we live right next to Lake Victoria and fish are in abundance. All along they thought that I didn't like the local fish, although I had made a point of telling them about how much my family enjoys fishing back home. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding quickly cleared up during last night's dinner conversation when I asked my host father why they don't eat fish. He just looked at me with this curious expression and replied, "Because you don't like it". I just stared at him in disbelief before vehemently insisting that I did in fact LOVE fish and my host mum should have no hesitation about making it. Guess what we had for lunch today? Fresh fish! Delish…
I walked outside the other morning to use the outhouse and stumbled across a small herd of cows grazing in my backyard. That definitely one-upped the group of goats that have recently made the rock formation out back their personal playground.
The recent deluge of rain had everyone out hoeing and planting their fields by hand this Saturday. The elderly worked next to children not more than five years of age. I am absolutely astounded by the amount of strenuous labour the people here do on a daily basis, planting and washing their laundry by hand, transporting water by bike or on their heads, walking long distances to buy basic necessities… But they also know how to enjoy life: after a hard day's work, they visit and spend time together, no appointment or invitation necessary.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi Veren!
That's good that u were direct enuf to ask your host family why they don't eat fish. I really wonder what tipped them off on that idea that u don't ike fish?And anyways, if u were my guest I would still cook fish even if u don't like it! That's how North Americans treat their guests! Let yr host family no that yr mother and father have raised u to eat whatever gets put on the table! Rebekah has my whole hearted support!!!
Post a Comment