Apr 12, 2011

dinner is served: bush rat

Returning from a long, hot, dirty day in the village and traveling from Abi, we bucket bath in the dark and sit down for dinner. I open the containers curious to what’s on the menu. It is pitch black in the food hut – I can’t really see. Rice, bean stew, fish stew, and some kind of meat. We are told not to ask and just eat. We need the protein.

There are six Americans on this trip – our two reporters came from North Carolina. The guys all start to eat, as does Bethany. After a few bites, the mystery meat is revealed. Bush rat. Lovely. Bethany swallows hard and asks Aaron to eat the remaining chunks on her plate. He refuses. I am proud of her, she ate it all! And I am really thankfully I only took rice and beans to start with. Had I tried the mystery meat, culture would make me eat it! After all, we’re feeding the village with cornmeal and oil. Who am I to complain of rat stew??

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