There is a great inequality in ease of finding speaking partners for men and women in the Middle East. Men can strike up conversations easily with any man anywhere. Women are generally more reserved and at home. So Kirk, one of our teachers, tries to point out the perks women have in speaking here. "I've never gotten in the kitchen," he cries, "my daughter has been in the kitchen and she has gotten to hear things I've only dreamed of."
So, this is my first-hand experience of what REALLY goes on in the kitchen.
Apparently getting flashed and felt up isn't outside the realm of "what happens in the kitchen." :) :) :)
(Keep in mind I'm laughing every time I tell or type this story). Jessica and I went back to visit the Iraqi lady, Selma or Um Akhmad, we'd met on the street while asking for directions. We caught her cooking lunch, and when she sat down with us, she said she'd done house work all day. "I cleaned the house, the floors, the laundry isn't put away yet, I haven't even gotten dressed for the day, see!" Flash. Yep, she certainly hadn't gotten dress for the day yet. Crazy.
Later, we followed her into her room and finally figured out she was choosing her clothes for the day. I wasn't sure if she said she had underwear on or not, but seeing as how a lot of underwear was hanging up to dry and that she hadn't put a bra on that day, I didn't want to find out. We started to leave the room and she said, "Normal, normal" it's normal to drop your pants in front of people you just met. I said I was shy and we both left and waited outside the room. Phew, dodged that one.
So, this is my first-hand experience of what REALLY goes on in the kitchen.
Apparently getting flashed and felt up isn't outside the realm of "what happens in the kitchen." :) :) :)
(Keep in mind I'm laughing every time I tell or type this story). Jessica and I went back to visit the Iraqi lady, Selma or Um Akhmad, we'd met on the street while asking for directions. We caught her cooking lunch, and when she sat down with us, she said she'd done house work all day. "I cleaned the house, the floors, the laundry isn't put away yet, I haven't even gotten dressed for the day, see!" Flash. Yep, she certainly hadn't gotten dress for the day yet. Crazy.
Later, we followed her into her room and finally figured out she was choosing her clothes for the day. I wasn't sure if she said she had underwear on or not, but seeing as how a lot of underwear was hanging up to dry and that she hadn't put a bra on that day, I didn't want to find out. We started to leave the room and she said, "Normal, normal" it's normal to drop your pants in front of people you just met. I said I was shy and we both left and waited outside the room. Phew, dodged that one.
But to nicely "round" out our first experience in the kitchen, Selma offered me one of her blouses. I tried to politely refuse her gift. She tried to tell and show me that the shirt was too small for her and indicated by sizing up her chest, then indicated to me, by sizing up my chest, that it'd for sure fit me.
I sat back and supressed a smile and thought, wow, that just happened. Ha ha hahah.
It was the funniest thing in the world. I told my roommates and friends, guys and girls, and we all had a good laugh. Here's a picture of my "bosom" friend.
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| Selma, me, and Jessica. We think she is just really lonely. She just has her one grown son and some neighbors and that's it. She's the most hospitable person I've been with here. We couldn't leave her "kitchen" until she'd cooked us a full meal and fed us a bunch of appetizers too. She's nice. |
That's hilarious! and I thought our apartment was pretty embarrassing. :D
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