, though, is the foulest-tasting thing I have had in while!Some of you know that my friends and I here in Minneapolis are sponsoring two refugee families from Buthan. Ten people, ranging from ages 1 to 70-something, were forced to flee 17 years ago from Buthan into Nepal, where they lived in a refugee camp. Finally, they had the opportunity to come into the United States in spring of 2009.
We welcomed them at the airport and have helped them get settled in.
A scarce few weeks have gone by, and they now have apartments with furniture (we have generous friends!). They have learned how to use their EBT cards and to grocery shop. They are actively learning English 4 times a week and every time we visit them, they know a few more words and phrases.
My friend Molly and I took the men to the grocery store, and on the ride back to their house, they thanked us with "pan," a Nepalese delicacy, composed of excessively strong spices, including fennel, which I particularly dislike. All these spices are slathered in a pickled honey and wrapped in a big leaf. Apparently, you are supposed to shove the whole thing in your mouth and chew on it for the next thirty minutes! Molly and I tentatively tasted a small bite and miserably drove for 10 minutes with the spices burning our tongues and gums, while our Nepali friends loudly chomped on their chew and laughed uncontrollably and hysterically at our reaction.If you'd like to try it, Molly and I still have the majority of ours, available to share!
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