Good Eats

In the afternoon class on Friday I wanted to show my students a film. For me, it has to be something educational, something to give them more extensive vocabulary, something G-Rated. I decided to show them, "Good Eats", UGA grad, Georgia resident and James Beard Award Winner Alton Brown's television show. Somehow I inherited at least 6 or more Seasons of this show on my hard drive. I alluded to watching it when the you-know what dropped in on me. It is great for them because it is educational, he teaches a little about the science behind the food. And you learn to cook. And it is something that they have not seen before. They were baffled as he walked grocery store aisles. I am on Season 2 and selected one I had not seen either and we nestled around the laptop on Friday. The screen is hard to see because the school is an open building and it is too bright. But the students don't complain and get excited with the opening credits. This particular episode is on pancakes. I don't know if they could imagine the goodness of all those ingredients or it is was me, licking my lips, telling them how UH-MAZING pancakes are, but they were hooked. They wanted to try them. Alton put blueberries in his. We don't have those. I tried my best to describe light, fluffy amazing pancakes to them. M'faume said, "one day you bring-ee we cook". I quickly came up with the next best thing. The Indian restaurant serves something remotely like a pancake.  They even call them "pancakes" on the menu. For them, and for me not to have to cook pancakes for hungry men who had never had them before, I got up at the crack of dawn and treated these sweet young men to breakfast. I picked one student up and discovered he walks really far to come to class every day. I am so so glad I came all those days in the rain. I knew he came from far away but had no idea. It makes me realize even more how much they value this time of learning and how important it is for me to pour in all that I can, while I can. 

Despite having lived in this town for years, none of them had even been down this far down "Beach Road". It is only about 3 miles from our school, but none of them had been here. It is very common for them not to have ever been to a restaurant, but to not have explored the town in where they live kinda blows my mind. They all stood and just stared at the ocean view. They were telling me of when and where they had seen beaches like this before. But I wanted to say, "you live here and can come to this beach any time". I don't understand this. 

They were all giddy with excitement. I had told them they could only speak English and that they had to order in English. They did! I was so proud. They even talked amongst each other in English too. I would not let them order Coca Cola, but told them to order something they had never had before. They ordered Indian Teas. We ordered the pancakes with ice cream and they were thrilled. I told them how to use their knife and fork. (Sorry Americans, the Europeans and even South Americans, know how to use them best- knife in dominate hand, fork upside down in the other). The table got really quiet as we ate. We were there for two hours or more, eating, visiting, talking, laughing. It was a beautiful way to spend my morning.

The General Manager came over to the meet the students and shared with them a little about the hospitality industry. I told the boys how waiting tables led me to where I am today. I've been told by my students that certain jobs are demeaning and they don't want them. But I have tried to tell them that some money is better than no money. The day before had been a huge reality check for me when I found out that none of my students had the 15 mets (28 mets is $1) for the bus to the restaurant, even though they knew I would reimburse them. They had no means to even borrow it for 24 hours. (I am not quite convinced this was the truth as I could not get a direct answer from them one way or the other). 

Most of the time they ask me a lot about America and they like to hear most anything I will talk to them about. I always try to downplay America. "It is really not the greatest place on earth". I try to tell them about the beautiful things I see in their country and their culture. I don't want them to see America as a utopia. But the conversation goes something like this:

Student: Mana Graca, I wanna go America.
What I Say: go TO America. you need to use "to" like the Portuguese "para".  What I think: Me too. My grandmother's birthday is Sunday.
Student: I wanna go TO America.
What I say: No you don't. It really is not all that. We don't have beaches like this and if you did there would be way too many people there to enjoy it. (I don't know how to begin to describe over commercialization). What I think: Florida Panhandle Paradise.
Student: I want to go to New York City or Los Angeles. 
What I say: It costs a lot of money to live there. Most people don't live in those cities but they have to take buses or subways into the towns to work every day. What I think: You and me both. But let's add Napa Valley to that list.
Student: I want to go to America to buy strong things. 
What I say: America has too many things. Too many choices. We Americans waste so much. Living simply is much better. What I think: Decent toilet paper. Thick, beautiful, wonderful toilet paper. Massive retail stores with color and variety and freshly picked things to touch and taste and smell. Flushing toilets. Water. Electricity. Berries. Dairy. Fresh greens from all over the world. Baked Goods. Dark Chocolate. Cashmere. Brand new running shoes. Cars. Leather seats. Sofas. Bath tubs. Coffee shops.
Student: Mana Graca?
What I say: Huh? What I think: Look at the face. What a sweet young man. Look at that ocean. The tide is coming in. This has to be the most beautiful place on earth.
Student: You like Mozambique? 
What I say: You need to use "Do" to form the question. You cannot just raise the intonation of your voice. Remember the words we use to pose questions? What I think: I love my life. 

The boys got pancakes and I got further understanding in their lives. I am so proud of them and want the best of the best for their lives. I know they possess what it takes to succeed. I just wish I could give it to them, spare them pain and disappointment. I am honored to know them. I feel like I have taught them very little, only the joys of knowing pancakes and even those didn't compare. We've only scratched the surface of all I wish I could give them.