Last Thursday, the end of the work week, I just wanted to go home from school and do nothing. It had been a very long week due to lack of teachers at my school, resulting in daily chaos. However, after running down to my local ducan (little neighborhood store) to buy a few things, my ducan lady reminded me that I had promised her that I would teach her how to make Koosa Cake, otherwise known as zuchinni bread. She was very presistent. I gave in. So I went home, rested a bit, then gathered up all the necessary cooking items and ingredients and headed down to her house. She and her family were very excited to learn about this American style cake (they don't really have bread here). Aunties and cousins slowly started peeking their heads in the kitchen door. But beofre we could get started, the ducan lady, or Om Eisa, felt it necessary to feed me dinner first. I had just eaten before I came. Sigh, how to fit all that food in. So, an hour later, she had finished making dinner....dinner just for me, and the family sat around watching me eat. A bit awkward, but they were all smiles because they were happy that I was there, eating, in their company.
So after I finished dinner, we started making the zuchinni cake. Curious heads popped over my shoulders as I taught Om Eisa and her eldest daughter what ingredients to mix together. It was a fairly simple recipe so it only took a few minutes to prepare before putting it in the oven. Then, as we waited the hour for the cake to finish, we went into the family room and watched TV. The eldest daughter was trying to be a good host and find a show in English. She was pleased when she found one, but it happened to be an infomercial on light bulbs. Not terribly entertaining. So I had her continue to channel surf until she came upon the movie The Rocketeer, a movie I remember watching as a kid. It is a WWII fictional period drama about the invention of a rocket pack that would enable soldiers to fly. In the movie, there was a fictional black and white Nazi propaganda film with soldiers fighting and shooting guns. Om Eisa and her daughter's turned to me and asked if it was Israel fighting in the movie. I was surpised and not surprised. I told them it was before Israel, but they kept asking and seemed confused. (I later asked around if the WWII curriculum and the Holocost was taught in schools here, as I know some Arab muslim countries refuse to teach it in fear of Jewish sympathy. I was told it (the Holocost) was taught, but literally as just a sidenote and that the number of Jews killed was exagerated; Only 300,000 to MAYBE 3 million killed, not 6 million. Interesting, to say the least).
Anyway, the family got bored with the American film and changed the channel to watch the second most popular sport in Jordan besides soccer, WWE wrestling with John Cena!!! Yep, I was in the presence of all women, cheering and laughing and enjoying the drama of WWE wrestling. Fun times:) Then, after they got tired of that, we watched So You Think You Can Dance. A nice change from WWE and one of my favorite shows to watch.
The Koosa Cake was finally finished and it turned out really yummy and was a hit with the family. A fun little experience. As we were eating, one of the little boys was falling asleep. Om Eisa began to sing him an Arabic lullaby and then asked if Americans sang songs to their children to help them fall asleep. I confirmed we did. Then she and the family wanted me to sing one. I sang the first one that popped into my head and one of my favorites, Goodnight, My Someone from the musical The Music Man. They were mesmerized by it. They had me sing it about 15 times! They all went quiet and said it was a beautiful song. It was a sweet moment and a nice way to end the night. I was so glad I didn't spend the evening by myself. I would have missed out on such a unique and special moment.
A couple days later, as I stopped at the ducan to buy a few things, the ducan lady greeted me with a big smile and sang "Goodnight.......!"
So after I finished dinner, we started making the zuchinni cake. Curious heads popped over my shoulders as I taught Om Eisa and her eldest daughter what ingredients to mix together. It was a fairly simple recipe so it only took a few minutes to prepare before putting it in the oven. Then, as we waited the hour for the cake to finish, we went into the family room and watched TV. The eldest daughter was trying to be a good host and find a show in English. She was pleased when she found one, but it happened to be an infomercial on light bulbs. Not terribly entertaining. So I had her continue to channel surf until she came upon the movie The Rocketeer, a movie I remember watching as a kid. It is a WWII fictional period drama about the invention of a rocket pack that would enable soldiers to fly. In the movie, there was a fictional black and white Nazi propaganda film with soldiers fighting and shooting guns. Om Eisa and her daughter's turned to me and asked if it was Israel fighting in the movie. I was surpised and not surprised. I told them it was before Israel, but they kept asking and seemed confused. (I later asked around if the WWII curriculum and the Holocost was taught in schools here, as I know some Arab muslim countries refuse to teach it in fear of Jewish sympathy. I was told it (the Holocost) was taught, but literally as just a sidenote and that the number of Jews killed was exagerated; Only 300,000 to MAYBE 3 million killed, not 6 million. Interesting, to say the least).
Anyway, the family got bored with the American film and changed the channel to watch the second most popular sport in Jordan besides soccer, WWE wrestling with John Cena!!! Yep, I was in the presence of all women, cheering and laughing and enjoying the drama of WWE wrestling. Fun times:) Then, after they got tired of that, we watched So You Think You Can Dance. A nice change from WWE and one of my favorite shows to watch.
The Koosa Cake was finally finished and it turned out really yummy and was a hit with the family. A fun little experience. As we were eating, one of the little boys was falling asleep. Om Eisa began to sing him an Arabic lullaby and then asked if Americans sang songs to their children to help them fall asleep. I confirmed we did. Then she and the family wanted me to sing one. I sang the first one that popped into my head and one of my favorites, Goodnight, My Someone from the musical The Music Man. They were mesmerized by it. They had me sing it about 15 times! They all went quiet and said it was a beautiful song. It was a sweet moment and a nice way to end the night. I was so glad I didn't spend the evening by myself. I would have missed out on such a unique and special moment.
A couple days later, as I stopped at the ducan to buy a few things, the ducan lady greeted me with a big smile and sang "Goodnight.......!"
The contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or of the Peace Corps
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