Pictures from my journeys

I haven't posted pictures in quite a while... and let's be honest, who will read blog entries without photos?? So here are a few shots from our visits to the refugee apartments.

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Birthday Party, Bhutanese (Nepali) Style!

Here are the parents, aunts, uncles and cousins
of the two little birthday girls.
Really it was only one birthday girl, but they
celebrate for both of them so the other does not
feel left out. Their culture is not "me-centered",
and in all they do it is a family/group event.
There weren't any gifts, but they prayed for them,
sang a worship song and then ate A LOT of traditional
Nepali food. We were stuffed.

The girls were made to look like Nepali dolls...
this isn't they way we had ever seen them!
Usually they are in whichever clothes fit,
boy or girl clothes... and no make-up!
We were a little surprised when we walked in!

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Random pics from my English lessons with the Bhutanese

They don't let me do ANYTHING.

This was a FUNNY day. Every time I go we sit around after
the lesson and eat fruit. For months I ate the flesh of the
mango out of the middle and put the skin on the plate.
They did the SAME THING! Nothing weird, right?
Well one day, a Bhutanese neighbor came to their
apartment and ate the whole slice if mango, skin and all.
I asked if that was normal in their culture and they all said,
"Well, yes. We were just eating it the other way so you wouldn't feel bad".
CLASSIC for refugees from these cultures...
they will do anything not to offend someone!
So, from that day forward, I ate Mangos like a Nepali!
They were dying laughing at me.

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The Iraqi refugees are altogether different...
and I must say, their food is VERY tasty!
I haven't had something I disliked yet, and with the Nepali food
it was often a constant internal prayer (or pleading) in order
to get the plate cleared. But don't clear it too fast or more will be
dumped on!!

Traditional Iraqi dish. Rice, ground beef and pees.
It was seasoned A TON, their dishes are very flavorful.
My husband was there and he HATES pees, so it
was interesting to watch him be 'cultural' and
finish up like a champ. These cultures show their
appreciation for you by cooking food from their
homeland. Refusing anything would be extremely insulting,
so if you don't like it... tough! Praise God I've been pregnant
twice while living here and only once have I puked
while eating food refugees prepared!
Goat Tongue Soup.... REALLY?? :-)

Mike teaching 2 Iraqi refugees ESL at the church

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Well those are all of the pictures I could find... I should start taking more, I know.

Until next time,

Kelli