I'm sitting in my office, thinking about Jordan. Remembering how much power I had over there (relatively speaking), and how different my life was, and how much happier I am now. And somehow, my mind drifted toward lunchtime. Ok, that's not so surprising, but bear with me. In Jordan, I was in charge of this clandestine food drop-off operation, a staff of 12, and loads of U.S. taxpayer money. But somehow, I could never get lunch to be delivered to me in a timely manner. Either there is no system for to-go lunching in Jordan, or traffic would delay it so long, that I'd be on the verge of a hypoglycemic meltdown before the food would arrive. There's not a category in Jordan for 'fast food,' unless it's shwarmas, for which you have to go to a little roadside stand. There is nothing in between a full, heavy meal and a kebab wrapped in newspaper. Why? I think the Jordanians view food as an event, as more than just a means to an end (which for me was always to end the tummy rumbles that would interrupt my meetings).
Uganda was similar - we would wait hours for dinner. Some days, I would choose between food and a good night's sleep. In lieu of this response, "No, madam, today the eggs are not there," wait staff would prefer to go to the market, purchase a chicken, wait for it to lay an egg, and then cook it for you. You think I'm joking.
Surprisingly, in South Sudan, you could get food a little bit more quickly. I think that's because the culture of Juba had been overtaken by the expatriate world, and vendors knew that their profits lay in fast service. The food made my friends and me sick more often than not, so I guess they needed to work on that aspect of service.
In Spain, my roommates and I still remember the hunger pains before and after those giant midday meals. From one extreme of hunger to the other extreme of gluttony, that food was never easy to come by. We had one late-night snacking spree in our kitchen, which resulted in a major scolding from our mama. Food was available at mealtimes only, no mas!
Is America the only country where even sit-down restaurants are fast food? In Greece, it is considered the height of rudeness to bring a patron their check before they request it. Similarly in Uganda, if the waitress brings the bill before you clap your hands, it's considered rude. I loved that approach to time management and the lack of 'busing' tables - we more than just eaters, we were guests. I flip-flop between appreciating speedy American service (this comes naturally to me) and loving the indulgence of a long meal. Letting the world go by, taking each moment in, even taking my time over courses - these are all elements of patience that I'm learning.
Uganda was similar - we would wait hours for dinner. Some days, I would choose between food and a good night's sleep. In lieu of this response, "No, madam, today the eggs are not there," wait staff would prefer to go to the market, purchase a chicken, wait for it to lay an egg, and then cook it for you. You think I'm joking.
Surprisingly, in South Sudan, you could get food a little bit more quickly. I think that's because the culture of Juba had been overtaken by the expatriate world, and vendors knew that their profits lay in fast service. The food made my friends and me sick more often than not, so I guess they needed to work on that aspect of service.
In Spain, my roommates and I still remember the hunger pains before and after those giant midday meals. From one extreme of hunger to the other extreme of gluttony, that food was never easy to come by. We had one late-night snacking spree in our kitchen, which resulted in a major scolding from our mama. Food was available at mealtimes only, no mas!
Is America the only country where even sit-down restaurants are fast food? In Greece, it is considered the height of rudeness to bring a patron their check before they request it. Similarly in Uganda, if the waitress brings the bill before you clap your hands, it's considered rude. I loved that approach to time management and the lack of 'busing' tables - we more than just eaters, we were guests. I flip-flop between appreciating speedy American service (this comes naturally to me) and loving the indulgence of a long meal. Letting the world go by, taking each moment in, even taking my time over courses - these are all elements of patience that I'm learning.
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