Food for thought

         Food here is so much different than it is in the US. Shopping for food is also very different then it is in the US. So that means when I do make food it is also much different than when I am in the US. The food took some adjustment when I arrived and it still takes some adjustments but it has been part of the adventure.

So, let's talk a little about the food. Now this will hopefully be a short blog post. Many people asked me what kind of food I eat, what I make, and where I get it so I figured I would try and describe it.

Let's start with shopping. A few times a week I go to the local market. There are no grocery stores here. Refrigeration is limited. Most of the fresh produce can be purchased from women who sit out in a big open area under awnings with their goods. They call out to me as I wander through the different rows trying to figure out what I want. Right now, it is the end of dry season so some things are limited.

From the women I can usually purchase things like pineapple, lemons, potatoes, bananas, plantains, tomatoes, and carrots. They also sell things like greens, casava leaves, okra (dried and fresh), and other foods that I cannot identify. Since the communication skills between both the women and I is limited, I have yet to figure out some of the goods. Even things like sweet potatoes look very different from the one's at home. There are other foods that are not available now, like watermelon and corn.

There are actual food stalls that are the closest to a "store" here. Most, if not all, of these are owned by men. But inside you can find some traditional "American" goods. Here I have found Nutella, some cereals, a package of cookies, coffee-instant, and a few other goods that I would find in the US. I can also find goods that are at least a little more western in nature that I have looked for.

From the food stalls I purchase things like popcorn, pasta, Tahini bars (the closest thing to a protein bar I could find- for days that I don't make it to lunch), Nutella (not something I eat at home in the US but here it is a nice treat), and sugar. I tried to buy flour but they sell it in open container before they bag it for you and upon arriving home with it, I discovered it has bugs in it. I could try and sift them out but it makes me sick to think of it so I have decided I just don't need to use the flour. There are a few sealed bags of flour but I am declining on purchasing it.

Now you may have noticed I have not talked much about meat. Meat here is sold without refrigeration, in stands that hang or display the meat on counters. There are also dried meats. The hygiene standard for the meat is not where it is in the US. Also, they sell "jungle meat" which always makes me a little nervous. There is such limited refrigeration here that most things are not reliably refrigerated. I saw milk being stored at room temperature, which is not uncommon, but with how hot it is, there are certain things I prefer being refrigerated, meat and milk are some of those things.

Grocery shopping here can be expensive or cheap depending on what I am getting. Some goods are really cheap, like lemons, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Others can be more expensive, like pineapple. However, inevitably anything I buy that comes from a stall is more expensive. I try to limit these items but since they are shelf stable, I have many of them in my room so that I can cook. I go to the market to get fresh produce more often.

I am able to cook my own meals in my room. I have a 4-burner stove with over (though I have yet to figure out if the oven works). I have a fairly larger counter top where I store and prep my food. I have a sink and water that I can use for cooking. There are a few cooking utensils, pots, and a pan. It is very basic but at least I can cook. My fridge doesn't work and there is no microwave. Those are the only downfalls.

There are a few staples I have taken to make myself in my apartment. Pasta is easier to come by than I expected it to be so that is one of the few things I make myself. I have tried a few different ways to make it. I make a more traditional one with tomato paste, onions, garlic, and a few spices I brought with me. Another way I make it is with peanut butter, Asian spices, and garlic (attempting a version of a peanut sauce over noodles).

I have other foods in my room. Sometimes I have paste (homemade peanut butter- better than what you get in the store). I also make stovetop popcorn. I have found cereal, not as good as the ones at home but something to munch on. I have fruits, and sometimes some veggies but I need to buy a peeler to get more veggies (like carrots). I have sweet potatoes, but these I can peel (carefully) with a knife. And there are a few sweets for the end of the day.

But I have already confessed, I do not do a lot of cooking most weeks. I take many of my meals either out in the community or at the cafeteria here in the compound I live in. There are "restaurants" here. Nothing fancy or like what you would find in the US but they serve good food. There are street vendors that sell food. There are also food stalls near businesses, and near where I work, where I can take my lunch.

In the compound I live in the cafeteria cooks the same style foods each day. I almost always eat breakfast there. Usually this features an egg omelet with onion, tomatoes, and sometimes peppers. Usually there are potatoes at breakfast, sometimes bread or chapati, always plantains, and sometimes porridge. I have never seen breakfast meats here. There is also a selection of tea, instant coffee, powdered milk, sugar, and sometimes hot chocolate. On rare occasions there is juice.

Other meals are rice and beans here. There is often boiled meat, like chicken and beef. It tastes better than it sounds. They make cabbage or eggplant here too, sometimes greens as well. But the meals rarely vary and dinner is always leftovers, left out, from lunch. I don't eat at the cafeteria for lunch or dinner as often as I did when I first got here, and often I stick to a more vegetarian diet.

For lunch I have begun going to one of the two food stands that are near the CMMB offices. Many of my colleagues eat at these places. I usually get Gadia, a cassava leaf "stew", that is very tasty, even though it looks off. With it I either have rice or aseeda, which is some type of millet mixed with water and salt and cooked to be a firm damp blob. It also doesn't look great but tastes good. I eat the aseeda and Gadia with my hands. I have learned to eat several different style meals with my hands as that is common here.

There are a few restaurants that I have tried since coming here. They are much more different than US ones. Here, everything is cooked over a fire. The food is good though. The restaurants offer different styles of cooking and it has been fun to try some other locals’ foods from other places around the area. I feel like I get a better taste and sense of the area by trying some of these things. I am able to try things I would not normally try, such as intestines and liver, eating at the restaurants.

I also eat street food from vendors. You can get pork, chicken, goat, or lamb from the vendors. Often the meals come with potatoes, maybe tomatoes, lemons, and garlic and onions. Often this is eaten family style and with your hands. I have shared these style meals with a few of my friends here and it is rather fun. The food is grilled over charcoal and very tasty. I like the pork and chicken the best.

And when I am really missing home there is the kitchen at the UNMISS compound here. There they serve “American” style food. It is more western in nature but doesn’t taste the same as home. However, it is good, but limited in availability. It is a nice treat. I can get things like a burger and fries, or pizza.

Food is part of the adventure here. It is part of getting to know the culture and customs. There are certain foods eaten for certain meals or events. Food is a part of the community and a part of the insecurity here. What I eat and where I eat show me more of the world, I am living in. As a vital part of life is sustains, but it also educates. Some meals are great and others not so good, but it is all a big part of the experience here and I am trying to embrace all of it.

Alright well this post is longer than intended but I hope it shows a little of the food culture here, and of course I will have plenty of photos of food to share.