Eating with my Hands

I got in line lunchtime at the Amani Christmas party Monday:

The first mama handed me a tin plate, then down the line in quick succession, BOOM, a heavy pile of rice, BLOOP BLOOP, two hunks of meat with sauce, PLOP, a roasted banana, PLOP, a stewed banana, THUD, a roasted potato, DING, two thin cucumber slices, and I was through the line, with a healthy side of pili pili hot sauce for flavor – three pounds of food, nearly all starch!

It was fun trying to contain so much food, not to mention just getting it to my mouth with my hand! I was kind of a mess at first, but then started to get the hang of it.

I hope eating with my hands so many good-tasting, unfamiliar foods will prove to be a good metaphor for these first few months.