Understanding a Culture through Food - Curry Noodle Thoughts

mulberryst — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:42:20 GMT

The morning feels damp, with the fading smell of burning garbage. The day had just begun and the local morning market is scrambling to get into its daily rhythmic chaos. I was listening in on a conversation when I was interrupted by my friend Doris who said excitedly, "we're here!". I followed her gaze and found two old ladies sitting on a low bench with a huge pot of oranged-colored soup next to them perched on a charcoal stove. In front of them were two big rattan baskets filled with jars of chili sauce, noodles, and cuttlefish. Doris sat on a little wooden stool in front of the rattan basket and ordered two bowls of curry noodle. She asked the two ladies in Teowchew dialect, originating from the South East region of China, "Ah Ma (grandma), how long have you been selling curry mee?". One of them stuck out six fingers and said "sixty years". These two ladies, apparently sisters, are dressed in beautiful traditional "samfoo". "Sam" means blouse, "foo" means pants, and they are worn mostly in the olden days by a lot of Chinese women who migrated to South East Asia from China.

We sat down on two red plastic chairs and dove into our curry noodle which was topped with extra stewed cuttlefish and chili. The soup was spicy and a little creamy, the yellow noodle and thin rice noodle were smooth in texture and the chili made my tongue tingled, it is at once painful and pleasurable. As I ate, I kept peering over to look at the two ladies. The deep wrinkles on their faces is a testament of certain hardship they've endured. Being the first generation immigrants from China, seeking a better life in a foreign land was not easy. It is quest that many are continuing to do, all over the world. There are untold stories behind the lines on their faces, there are storms they've weathered and even wars they've witnessed.

After we finished the food, we sat down in front of them and they asked "are you full?", I patted our bloated belly and grinned . One of them said "next time also order the fried noodle". I asked if they worked everyday. They said they do except during Chinese holidays. I walked away feeling overwhelmed by their work ethics. The culture and the food of the island are so complex yet so easily tied to the simplicity of what makes it great; - the people who keep doing what they are doing because they want to.

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life

mulberryst — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:12:44 GMT

I burst through the door of the lodge and collapsed on the bench in the communal dining room. I sobbed, hard. In the Khumbu region in Nepal, at almost 5,000 meter in elevation, my head had been pounding for the last few days. I was angry at myself because I was only a few hundred meter away from Everest Base Camp but I knew I was spent.

A year ago I went to Nepal to trek the Himalayas but what I really got from it was beyond what the stunning scenery offered. I felt most privileged not only when I was gazing in awe of Mount Everest and the other dramatically jagged peaks, but also in the fact that I got to live amongst and observe the Sherpa community. There is one person in particular that represents the Sherpa community with his incredible work ethics, kindness and humility. His name is Kundu, and he was my porter in Khumbu. At 33 years old, Kundu has been a porter for more than half his life. The evening after my embarrassing crying episode, I walked out of the lodge into the pristine snow-covered landscape sulking at the sight of the well carved-out trail by other trekkers, and built myself a small snowman. The next morning, someone added limbs and horns to the snowman. "Nepali snow yeti" Kundu said, when he saw me. His humor was exactly the fuel I needed to persevere. He speaks very little English but told me, with a grin, as we detoured to his village to visit his wife and kids that his life is "only as a porter". I wish I can make him understand he is not "just a porter". Hardworking porters like him are undoubtedly, the backbone of the Sherpa community in Nepal.

During the trek, I experienced a gradual yet profound sense of contentment. As I subconsciously liberate myself of cynicism, I came to realize how much more I allowed myself to embrace without being suspicious of others' intention. I now aspire to master the art of being a cautious traveler but to approach everyone and everything with not only an open mind, but also an open heart.

In the Khumbu Region

Understanding a Culture through Food - Curry Noodle Thoughts

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life