BEWARE -those who are faint hearted or of weak stomachs! }:o)

I have been asked in what way the kitchen standards were different. Lack of food? or sanitation? The answer is yes.

For example...This is our last week at this location. So we are trying to use up the rest of the food. This is where you learn creative cooking. Today for lunch, we made noodles. In the noodles we put chopped up hot dogs (Remember what hot dogs use to consist of? I am not sure but I think it is still that way here). We also added tomato paste and water. (we didn't have any spaghetti sauce) As that was pretty bland, we looked for something to season it with. No garlic, no oregano, no basil. Our seasonings are extremely limited. But then, lo and behold, I found a bottle of Italian dressing in the fridge. We drained as much of the oil as we could and dumped it in. Mix it up, put it in the oven, and dig in!

Another example of creative cooking was when we wanted strawberry ice cream. We took the vanilla and put in a huge amount of strawberry jelly in it. It ended up tasting a bit like melted strawberry marshmallows.

As for sanitation...it is a common occurrence to see a large (meaning at least an inch long) cockroach crawling across the floor. Even more common are the smaller bugs that crawl across the counter where you are working.

Also the only water that is drinkable is what you get from the water fountain or what you boil on the stove. The only hot water is what you boil on the stove. Therefore, we wash all our dishes in cold tap water and soap.

Around the kitchen there are gutters in the floor. This is very handy. When you want to get rid of a liquid, you just pour it into the gutter. But beware if the liquid is hot. For there are many vermin that make the gutter their home and they are oppose to being burnt. So when we pour it in, they all run away to the only possible escape...the floor where you are standing.

Some FYIs:
-be careful when picking up things off the counter. You never know what you might be disturbing underneath.
-Sometimes it is better to not think about what you are eating. Simply disengage the brain and bite.
-do not wipe an electrical outlet with a wet sponge. (I personally did not do this but witnessed another do it.) (it reminds me of a certain sister and nephew)

New Experiance of the week:
-Red bean ice cream on a stick. It is really not that bad. I have now had two this week.

Now, lest you beleive that it is unbearable, let me reasure you. I am having a marvelous time. And the food is not as bad as it might seem. I have even come to enjoy having tapioca balls floating in my drinks. (actually they stick together and sink to the bottom of the glass.) I might even miss it when I get home.
:o)