Food and more food

Diner at Dr. Hadi's tonight. Same scene as yesterday, only a different menu and more people. I felt like it was a family reunion, only with relatives I've never met before. There were at least 30 of them, and they explained they had to keep it quiet otherwise there would be over 100. Whoa!

Thoughts:

We eat to survive, but sharing a meal with people and enjoying it is where it's at. It's amazing to me that everyone here isn't 5000 lbs! The food just keeps coming! On the contrary, people here seem to be in good shape and health. Maybe it has to do with the "type" of food they eat, fresh, bought or picked that day and prepared right away, I'm sure that plays a part in it.

Aaron's comments on my diner experience yesterday and how we typically view things in the U.S. are so true. It's been quite an honor to be a part of several family groups "on the inside" here. It's certainly different if your traveling and eating in hotels, fancy restaurants or the greasy spoon. Not that I mind, but a $75.00 breakfast at the Waldorf is a bit much and although I miss my $3.00 biscuits, gravy, bacon and eggs, I'm probably saving myself from having to worry about my cholesterol.

In a way, sharing meals here reminds me a lot of being at my parents house when people just stop by. I talked about the similarities with my new friends here. They have their own customary practices that parallel ours. For instance, the words "no thank you" don't really mean anything. See below:

Example A: US household.

Mom's house

Mom says....."want some pie?" No thanks "cake?" No thanks, I'm not hungry. "cookies?, Pizza?, eggs?, bacon?, spinach dip?, Ritz crackers?, Texas sheet cake?"..........meanwhile, she's placed silverware, plates, drinks, chips, snack food, made coffee, and piles of goodies on there. "Eat" she says.

Example B: Afghanistan household.

Dr. Hadi's house

Someone gets up and holds up a plate of lamb, you politely take some, then someone else spoons 3-4 heaping mounds of rice on there when your not looking, then vegetables, then meatballs in a red sauce (lamb), then yogurt, then eggplant, then naan, then a macaroni dish, then watermelon, then mulberry's freshly picked (there were about 25lbs of them on a plate....I thought I was in Rome).

Get the picture? Anyway, so much to talk about, so many nice people, such GOOD FOOD!

The entire day today, until our food induced coma, was spent working out details on what the Ministry of Economy needs for reporting. They constantly change their requirements from day to day. It's been such a nightmare trying to figure out what exactly they want and need. No filming lately due to that. Before I return in a few days I'll head out for some landscape shots and shoot BRoll of people in some of the streets, hopefully make it to chicken street and write letters for my new friends and hosts to express my gratitude for their hospitality. Still several more days to go, I hope there's enough time for everything!