what separates the indigenous from the wanna-be

My friend Phim and I have had an ongoing conversation in recent months about the things that separate the indigenous from the wanna-be.  In this discussion, I am the wanna-be and Phim was born and raised on a rice farm in Laos.

Today, she is more fond of air conditioning, soft beds, hot showers and ice than I. While I learned to live without all of these things and could do it again, there is a line I cannot cross.

This discussion started one day at the check-out line of Global Foods. A woman in front of me had placed Salmon on the check-out conveyor belt. Now, like me, you may think that purchasing Salmon at the grocery store means purchasing a filet of fish. Perhaps, if you are adventurous you would purchase the whole fish to cook, but intend to eat the filet. A salmon purchase at Global Foods is different. There is no filet. Instead there is a tail, some scales or fatty stuff and the package always includes the salmon head with it's beady eyes looking right at you.

This is what separates the indigenous from the wanna-be. I don't have a clue what to do with that package of items that in any other circumstance I would discard. Phim can tell you a list of dishes to make with those pieces...her favorite being a soup concoction.

We continue to have this conversation as circumstances or food items present themselves. One thing that separates the indigenous from the wanna-be is Balut. What is Balut? It is a fertilized egg. Again, any red blooded American would consider this inedible and throw it out - but in many parts of the world (Europe and Asia) it is a food item.

At work we have been participating in site visits for the last few weeks. This means we go from organization to organization and do tours and ask questions.  At one of the site visits the tour led us outside. The leader of the tour is in management at the organization, Phim and I follow, then another agency manager is bringing up the rear of the tour. The person in front sees a bird nest and the little chicks have gone SPLAT on the cement. She says, "Awww, watch out for the little birds."

Phim, who is following immediately behind, says, "Awww."

I come up to the death scene behind Phim and say, "What do you mean 'awww'? You eat this."

She smacks me HARD. The guy behind me hears what I said, sees the death scene and asks the obvious question, "WHAT?!" 

Phim and I then explain about the delicacy known as Balut. He nearly looses his lunch because he is laughing so hard. We all got a good laugh. In fact, just retelling the story can send Phim and I in to fits of laughter.

When it comes to Balut, I am a total wanna-be.

just Sheri, accepting my boundaries