The Culture of Food

When asked to label different characteristics of a culture, food is one of the first things that pop into my mind. I think about how we label food by its origin. On a lazy Sunday afternoon when I don’t want to cook dinner I think of what I’m in the mood for and where I will order my dinner from. Will it be Chinese, Italian, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern; the choice are limitless.  However while traveling, instead of having the warped American version of a countries traditional cuisine, you get to experience the real thing.

Personally I know that when I go to a new place one of my favorite things to do is try all the food. However while traveling in the developing world this can be a little risky. Of course one of the main fears is getting sick, however in Nepal my fear is how spicy the food will be. The Nepali people love a variety of spices, one of their favorites being chili peppers. I, however, have a very low tolerance for spicy food and am affected by the slightest bit of spice.

Also, in Nepal, food is considered sacred. Therefore whatever is on your plate, you must finish.  On my first day here, after a 27 hour travel experience, we all sat down to eat our first dal bhat (which is the traditional food here).  

This dish is meant to be eaten with your hands

Only moments later I regretted that decision. Before I knew it, my eyes were tearing, my nose was running, and my mouth felt like it was burning from the inside out. However I knew I needed to finish the food so I got through it and then spent the next twenty minutes eating yogurt and sucking on bread.  Dal Bhat is not only the traditional meal in Nepal, it is also the only meal people eat on a daily basis. Dal Bhat is served twice a day, everyday.  After a week of this drastic dietary change my body couldn’t take it anymore. However I was in luck! Our first weekend here we celebrated Shabbot with the Tevel B’tzedek community and were given the opportunity to make Dinner.
In my delusional state I filled my plate with all the choices and began to eat.

We spent the day making salads, mashed potatoes, eggplant with tomato sauce, and several other comfort dishes that reminded us of home.  That evening the Nepali fellows joined us for the ceremony and meal. They were introduced to several of the Jewish Friday night customs and shared some of theirs with us. We were all excited to share our food with them and hear what they thought about it.  When the meal was served, the Nepali’s filled their plates, similarly to how I filled mine on that first day. It was clear that, like I had, they immediately regretted it.  When someone asked them how it was, they gritted their teeth and forced a smile. They said “it’s very good, but very sweet.” As we watched them painfully eat their dinner someone had the idea of bringing out chilli peppers for them. As soon as they saw the peppers there faces lit up and were so thankful! This new addition clearly made their Shabbat experience more enjoyable. 
It’s interesting to think about food as more than something that we like and don’t like, but as something that we become accustomed to and develop around.  I’m sure that if I had grown up around spicy food that I would love it also, and I’m also sure that at the end of these 10 months my tolerance for it will increase significantly.

This dish consists of tomato sauce topped
with an over easy egg

It is also possible that this same culturally exchange will be mutual for the nepali fellows. Maybe after living with us for 10 months they will also enjoy a side salad or the traditional Israeli dish shakshuka.

And the Fish Said...

While being in Israel we continually discussed the concept of waste. It was explained to us that in Nature there is no such thing as waste. When something in nature changes its form, for instance dies, it becomes something else that is useful, like nutrients for the soil. Therefore waste is a human construct.

     While I was in school the topic of environmental ethics was consistently raised, however the question of waste had never really occurred to me. While I do my best to try and do things like recycle, it is so easy to get rid of our trash that on a daily basis I never think about where it is going. When I don’t want something anymore I simply “throw it away”. But what does that mean? In reality it means that I know longer have to deal with it. Out of site, out of mind. However it does go somewhere.

     In Nepal it seems to go on the ground so that it is visible for everyone. It is impossible to not think about trash on a daily basis because it is right in front you. It really has caused me to be conscious of what I’m using and throwing away. When I move to my village it will become my responsibility to dispose of my waste. So every time I do something that results in making trash I remind myself that soon it will be my responsibility, therefore making the saying “out of site of mind” void, because in order to put the trash “out of site” it will be up to me to figure out how to do it.  The result being that trash will always be on my mind.

     What has become particularly apparent is how much water we waste.  We were asked to define what water means to us and I found it very difficult because I’ve never thought about it. We were asked to read an article on the topic which included a joke which I felt explained the situation perfectly.

“So there is a fish swimming down a river who comes across a frog sitting on the river bank. The frog asks the fish ‘Hey fish, how’s the water?’ and the fish says ‘what the hell is water?’”

What the joke is making lite of is the fact that water is the elusive present moment. It encompasses our current state of being, which we rarely acknowledge, but is always all around us. While we need fresh water for our everyday lives we take advantage of this resource by using it for things we don’t need. For example our toilets. Since I have arrived the toilet for my floor has broken. The flusher does not work, so therefor after we use the bathroom we need to fill up a very large bucket and pour into the toilet bowl, which then forces the waste to go down. The bucket I have to fill is extremely large and takes approximately 3 minutes to fill. So while I am standing in the bathroom filling up this bucked it is forcing me to ask the question, why are we using 10 gallons of drinking water to flush our shit down the toilet? While in Israel we discussed several ways in which we can recycle our water. For example if there was a system that

recycled our shower water into the toilet so that instead of using clean drinking water for our waste we would reuse our house hold supply of water.

     Being here, with these people, in this environment is allowing me to be open to innovative ideas that inspire different ways of living in the first world. My hope is that during this time I can integrate some simple ideas into my everyday life, which I will be able to continue when I return home.

To be continued…

And So the End Becomes the Beginning

    While I begin this new journey it's hard not to reflect on the old adventures of these past two years. I remember how only one year ago when I returned from the Peace Corps it felt like my life was over. I had worked so hard for one thing for so long that it seemed impossible to begin again.  However on reflecting on my experience in Grenada it hard to ignore how much easier being here in Israel is. While I was in Grenada I continuously found myself questioning why I was there and questioning whether it had been the right choice for me. However being here with this group I finally feel that I'm in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. And so maybe the end was really just the beginning. 

     I have been in Israel for just over three weeks now.  I have completed the first section of our orientation and am now enjoying the holiday with my host family. Overall I was very impressed with our orientation. Our training was divided into three parts in which we stayed at different ecological farms in Israel. Each location was practicing sustainable living techniques and doing everything they can to reuse, reduce and recycle their waste. It was a great introduction to how we will be living in Nepal.

     During our training sessions we had the opportunity to meet with many professionals in the field of development. Each person gave a unique perspective and provided us with different tools to use when we begin our work. While many of our lectures were based on theory we were also given practical skills, such as how to make mud bricks, Stoves, and turn waste into art. 

This past month has also been spent getting to know my fellow volunteers. The group is comprised of three Israeli’s, two European’s, and five America’s.  I am extremely impressed by all the people selected to be apart of this team. It is humbling to be apart of such a diverse, experienced, and intelligent group; with each person having a unique story to tell.  I feel that this group has the passion and motivation to be successful this upcoming year and I am excited to be going on this adventure with them.

     During my last week in Israel I will be spending time with the friends and family I made while living here two years ago.  Everyone has been so welcoming and hospitable. I feel blessed to have met such wonderful people through my travels. If I can say one this about these last two years I can say that I have made family all over the world, whether its Yavett in Grenada, or Karin and Shaul in Israel I know I always have a place to go. 

With only four more days until I leave for Nepal I plan to spend this week relaxing, enjoying the holiday,  and relishing in the fact that I still have internet, electricity, running water, and most importantly and toilet paper.  

One year Later...

So we are fast forwarding one year to today, September 13, 2013, to the next new thing. As you can guess the Peace Corps did not work out. It was a long dragged out process that was painful and overall changed the way I think about the organization. However the experience changed my life and has led me to where I am now. But before we get to today let me catch you up on the last year.

            After I was medically separated from the Peace Corps last summer I was unsure of I what to do next. I didn’t know what type of job to apply for, what city to live in, and how to move on. So in order to delay time for a little longer I took a job with Dragonfly Limited, an outdoor recreation company that works with international schools in Hong Kong.  I had the opportunity to work in Yangshoa China,  a small town known for it’s limestone mountains which climbers come from around the world to experience.

Overall it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that allowed me to meet people from a variety of countries who are living very alternative lifestyles. It was a wonderful way to learn that there is no “right” way to live as long as you are happy. I utilized the time to think about what would make me happy and what I would do when I got home. Overall I came to the conclusion that I needed to find closure with the Peace Corps and then look for another way to go abroad to work in international development.

            I was able to find closure by returning to Grenada when my contract with Dragonfly was complete. Returning to Grenada allowed me to say goodbye to my host family, my fellow volunteers, and the man I had fallen for.  It also allowed me to see that it was no longer the right place for me, and it was time to move on.

            When I returned from Grenada I got a job with Masa Israel Journey which allowed me to explore my options in the Jewish professional world. More importantly, it also allowed me to move out of my house.  I found a room in Astoria, Queens living in an apartment with two very nice Philipino Boys.  The fact that they are Filipino is irrelevant except for the fact that my apartment had not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 rice cookers! It is important to mention that they were not all the same! They ranged from small to big which allowed you to make anywhere from 1-10 servings of rice. While the apartment was small, dirty, and smelled a little funny it was something I could call my own.

The goal I had set for myself was to be abroad by summer. This gave me 6 months to find what I was looking for.  While working at a Masa I had the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people who were very enthusiastic in helping me find a new abroad experience. I learned that if you talk about something enough eventually you will talk to the right person who will point you in the right direction.  This became true for me when a colleague at work began e-mail me different abroad opportunities.  While all of them were very interesting none of them felt right until she sent me a link to Tevel Btzedek. http://www.tevelbtzedek.org/.

Tevel was exactly what I had been looking for. It was a small organization that was looking for devoted, motivated people to do development in Nepal.  I felt that they had a wonderful philosophy and would be investing as much into me as I would be into them, something I did not feel while working for the Peace Corps. I therefore began the application process, which led to an interview, which led to a second interview, which finally led to me being accepted!  And this is how I got here  today, aka in a small room at my friends house on Kibbutz Neot Mordechai in the Northern Region of Israel.

I have come to Israel where I will be completing my first month of training, which will be followed by a second month of training in Katmandu, Nepal. After training I will be moving to a small village 7 hours south of the capital where I will spend the next 9 months. During this year I hope to increase my knowledge about third world development, learn about a new and interesting culture, and continue to grow and get to know myself in way no other experience can allow for.  To all my friends and family who have been there for me this past year, you all know there have been a lot of highs and lows. I could not have gotten through it with out you and I hope you all enjoy going on this journey with me.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

*Thunder*

Nate (Juliet’s  friend):  Doesn’t thunder sound like Voldemort talking?

Juliet: I wish everything in the world was beautiful. I wish everything in the world was pink.

Juliet (looking through a picture book of the ABC’s): I is for Ice Cream, J is is Jelly bean, L is for Tiger

Juliet: soooo what do you want to talk about?

Me: I don’t know,  what would you like to talk about?

Juliet: hmmmm what about poop coming out of our bodies?

Me: How about rainbows?

Juliet: OK!

Nate: Imagine if rain had feet

Me: So when it fell to the ground would it walk away?

Nate: yep!

Me: Where would it go?

Nate: Africa.

Nanny Nightmare

I have now been watching Juliet for 4 weeks, and so far it’s been smooth sailing.  Juliet has been listening to me, doesn’t complain, doesn’t run off, and as of today has never even cried!  While I knew this couldn’t last forever, I could not possible have been prepared for what I was about to experience, a public tenter tantrum.

We’ve all been the spectators of these humiliating experiences. Maybe you’re walking down isle 9 in the super market and there’s a child screaming at his mom that he wants to buy every candy bar on the shelf.  You walk past, trying not to stare, and think “that sucks”, but what you should be thinking is “what am I going to do when that happens to me!” because let me tell you one day it will and it is as awful and embarrassing as it looks.

There we were sitting on the corner of 76^th and Amsterdam, enjoying our ice cream we had just gotten from 16 handles. We had had a long day but still had one more thing on our agenda, art class. When Juliet was done with her ice cream I stood up and said “ok let’s start heading over to art class.” When Juliet said “no, I want to go home.” I looked at her confused, and said “what do you mean, you love art class! We’re going to be late so let’s start walking over.” Next thing I know she’s crying and jumping and screaming. Obviously at this point all I wanted to do was take her home in order to have all the people stop staring at me like I was a kidnapping this child. However while that was what I wanted to do I also didn’t want to reward such outrageous behavior by giving her what she wanted; one of my many parenting tips I’ve picked up.  All I could think of was to sit and try and wait for her to calm down. I wasn’t about to start yelling at her in the middle of the street, and she was acting like a crazy person so I couldn’t talk to her.  To make a long story short, she never calmed down, I had to call her mom, and ended up taking her home.

So next time you see a mother/father/babysitter dealing with an unreasonable screaming child in a public space know that it is as embarrassing at it looks, and that one day it will probably be you, so have some empathy 

Nanny Diaries: Entry 1

So I have been working as a nanny on the upper west side of Manhattan for several weeks now. The Job I accepted is with a nice family with two children: Juliet who is 4, and Matthew who is 6. While this is absolutely not what I saw myself doing, or rather want to be doing, the job has worked out quite nicely and will be over in September.  

Juliet and Matthew

Thus far Matthew has had camp so I have only had Juliet. She has taken a while to warm up to me but her and I are getting along just fine. She’s funny, extremely easy going, and loves to read.  Our days consist of play dates, hours at the parks, and various classes like swimming, gymnastics, yoga, and art. They live right off the park near all the museums so it is an ideal location for optimal entertainment. 

My eye is still recovering, however I am fully functional and for the most part I am not bothered by it. The only time that I have difficulty is in the light, and then I just put on my very fashionable geriatric sunglasses. They were given to me by my doctors and they fit over my glasses and wrap around my head. They are quite ridiculous, but obviously I can pull them off.  

It’s frustrating when people are constantly asking me how I am doing because I know they want me to say “I’m doing a lot better thank you, my eye is fully healed and my life is back on track!” and all I want to say to them is if that’s the answer you’re looking for then don’t bother asking. But honestly who would be ok after something like this. In a matter of 3 days I, 1.went blind 2.was taken away from my new home without so much as being able to say goodbye 3.Lost the only thing I’ve ever worked for, aka the Peace Corps 4.and am now a nanny working for the complete opposite demographic. How the fuck would you be doing? And while this might sound like I’m looking for a pitty party, that is not it at all. I want people to be able to laugh about it, because I really just want this whole situation to be behind me and be a funny story, because really my life sounds like the punch line to a bad joke

I don’t know how long it’s supposed to take for one to get over something like this, and while my intension is still to try to go get medically cleared to go back to the peace corps, I go back and forth about whether it is still the right thing to do at this point, or if it’s just the only plan I’ve ever had and I’m too scared to start over and come up with a new one.

While it is my intension to go back to the Peace Corps, I’m not an idiot and want to have all my bases covered. I’ve applied to a few jobs in the fall, all abroad and several of which are seasonal which would enable me to have something to do during these next few months but not close the doors on going back to the Peace Corps if that is really want I want to do.