Nam Food

Here are some typical meals I have at homestay:

Breakfast: ·         corn flakes with warm low fat milk (or sometimes warm water and full cream!) and sugar ·         eggs on buttered toast ·         coffee or tea	Lunch: ·         On weekends when prepared by my host mother, lunch is similar to dinner ·         During the week, I’ve just been having PB&J with a piece of fruit
Dinner: ·         Either porridge, rice, macaroni, or spaghetti o   With a meat (beef, chicken, pork, sausage) cooked in a brown sauce sometimes with a few vegetables (usually canned peas, carrots, and corn) o   And a side of potatoes or carrots ·         One dinner which I enjoyed was a grilled cheese, onion, and tomato sandwich with a side of sausage	Dessert: ·         Haven’t had dessert, but cake would be served for special occasions

Overall, the main food groups here are carbs, protein, and sugar. Its either filling and savory or really sweet. The porridge is made from maize meal which is corn ground up into a flour like substance. It’s kind of this bland stuff that falls in between rice and mashed potatoes. It is usually dressed up with a brown sauce or gravy, and I actually enjoy it. It’s a “stick to your ribs” type food. The major downsides of my new diet are the lack of vegetables and the amount of oil used in cooking.

Eating habits here are also a little different. My host family never eats at a table as a family. We take our dishes to watch TV or sometimes my brothers eat in their rooms. Also, I am always served first followed by the other boys. This seems pretty common among the other volunteers too. I’ve also never used a knife except to spread peanut butter and jam. Pretty much every piece of meat that I’ve had, I have eaten with my hands. Lastly, everyone here is in the clean plate club. No food ever goes to waste. Even left over bones are thrown outside for the dogs, nothing that can be eaten or chewed on goes to the trash. This has definitely not been a problem for me.

There is also the traditional cooking which is much more interesting and unique. We had Traditional Cooking Day, where trainers and families cooked traditional food for us. All of Namibia’s regions and tribes were represented. The day started off with the slaughtering of 3 goats and 5 chickens; not your typical morning in the US. (I apologize if the picture is too graphic for you, but it is a way of life and how people sustain themselves)

Everything was cooked over a grill or in cast iron pots over wood fires and embers. In addition to goat and chicken the other meats that were cooked included donkey, ostrich, warthog, lamb, and some kind of fish. Oh, and every part of the animal is used, and I mean every part. Mopane worms were also on the menu. A lot of breads, porridges, and stews were made.

I’m not 100% sure what was on my plate but I know there was some chicken, goat, ostrich, donkey, a worm, fish, bread, beans, porridge, a lung, and some other stuff. Most wasn’t too bad. The lung was not a favorite of mine (I also had intestine, stomach, and esophagus during the day). The ostrich and worm were actually pretty tasty. I’m can’t remember what was in the cup, but it was sweet with a touch funkiness.

Overall, it was a really fun day. I tried some food that I’d gladly have again, and tried some that I hope I never see on my plate again. When all is said and done, having a full plate of food in front of you is never a bad thing.

I’ll be sure to post about food again once I am on my own and cooking for myself (on a very tight budget).