In a normal middle class family in Kenya on a normal day, dinner or supper like we call it, is a very important meal. If not the most important. This is the only time of the day that the whole family gets together. The whole place is covered by a savory aroma of fried onions, ginger and coriander accompanied by the smell of Mwea-rice or if the mum is in a great mood, there might be the fulsome smell of chapatis all over the air.
The whole family would be gathered at the dining table. The mother or maid (varies from family to family) would place a Thermos-serving bowl of either mukimo, rice, Githeri, chapatis, noodles, Ugali...etc and another of stew (chicken, beans,beef, vegetable..etc) in the middle of the dinning table. The head of the family (mostly the dad) would lead in prayer (this can take several minutes up to 30 depending on his mood), that´s why the thermos-bowl :-). After which everyone will have their share and enjoy their food. The father has to be served first! It´s just a respect thing.
But now i was in Germany:
What kind of tea??? Andreas wanted to know. This was a confusing question...
"Schwarzer Tee, Früchter Tee, Kraeuter Tee, Rooibos Tee, Grüner Tee..." The list of the teas was long. I had no idea what all that was. Karin wanted the fruittea, so i decided to take the same. She said it smelled heavenly, which it did. It was a less tea and a more berries smell i would say. I started doubting if it was even tea they are offering me.
They all got their Teas and Juices and the "Guten-Appetit" was chorused out loud. Still no sign of food. Not even the smell of it. I was getting worried.
There was a wooden board in front of everybody with a fork and a knife at the sides. But still no food!
A basket filled with sliced bread was passed around. Which kind of bread do you like? Karin wanted to know.
What kind of bread? ......What kind of bread??? Another confusing question. Do i say; Broadway? Mafuko? In Kenya there was just loaf. The only decision to make was sliced or not sliced...
Here there were hundred different types of bread.. Some were covered with cereal and looked nothing like my beloved Kenyan bread.
"This one" I told Karin as i took one of the light looking pieces from the basket.
"Mama, die Rose mag Weißbrot" Karin told her mum with some pleasure in her voice since she loved Weißbrot herself.
I was still waiting for the food.
But everyone else was busy smearing all kinds of stuff on their bread.
"I think they confused dinner and breakfast..." i thought to myself in silent.
There were plates with different cheeses, hams, a lot of raw minced meat and other different things that i had never seen before ....
So, Andreas noticed that i´m not eating and so he cut half of his buttered bread and gave it to me.
For the sake of being polite, i took the bread. There was a black looking substance on it.
"Was ist das?" i ask him
"Das ist sehr gut!" He answered, and showed thumbs up to make sure i understand what he´s saying.
"Kavier" Georg said
"Kennst du das?" He asked as he noticed me staring skeptically at the black mass.
"Fish-eggs"...he added
...If i had some drink in the mouth i would have spit it out in a splash...like they do in the movies....
Thank God i hadn't taken a bite...pppffffeeeuuu! Fish and i never got along...ever!
Andreas was eating fish-eggs, Ines was having raw minced meat on her bread, Mathias was eating Salami (according to me...this is raw pork), Georg was having salmon (raw fish), and since Karin´s favorite cheese Gouda was finished she was having her toast with pieces of cucumber and tomatoes on it.
"This is dinner???" "Oh dear God help me!!!" "I´m not gonna survive a week leave alone a year in this place!" That i was convinced.
Thanks a bunch for reading. Its an honor and great motivation for me to see that you read my crazy stuff. THANKS!
Lots of luv
ItsRose_Beth
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