Spoonfuls Of Sugar

I have always loved sweets. Who wouldn't love delightfully delicious treats such as cookies, chocolate, and ice cream!? Unfortunately, my simplistic joy of sweets was somewhat tarnished.

A few weeks ago the Hindu and Muslim Festivals were taking place here in Bangladesh. Roads throughout the villages were strewn with colorful banners, lights and decorative tunnels. Bengali people definitely know how celebrate. Each night Cassie and I were serenaded to sleep by the nonrhythmic beat of drums and atonal wailing. Individuals often use the notorious practice of counting sheep to fall asleep, instead we were graced with the opportunity of counting incessant drum beats. In light of the celebration, Mr. and Mrs Waid, a few administrative staff at Bangla Hope, Cassie and I were all invited to the home of one of the local doctors. He resides in Panchbibi, which is a small town about 30 minutes from the orphanage. Over the years, Mr. and Mrs. Waid have become good friends with the doctor. Bengali people are very hospitable, and hosting foreigners is something many consider an honor. During these festivals, the Bengali people have many decadent feasts. They cook abundant amounts of food and desserts. Therefore, the doctor's family invited us for a meal consisting specifically of sweets. When Cassie and I heard we were going to the doctor's home for a meal consisting solely of dessert, we were rightfully excited. Growing up, dessert was always served at the end of the meal. "Eat your vegetables, or you can't have any dessert," my parents always chimed. I thought this concept was askew. Dessert is usually the best part; we should eat it at the beginning to make sure we don't fill up the other, often less appealing, food first.

We entered the doctor's home and were warmly greeted then ushered into seats around a table full of every decadent, Bengali sweet. Sitting down at the table, Cassie and I glanced at each other with excited looks. Peering across the table, our eyes bulged at the sight in front of us. We were naive and foolishly believed we were more than ready for a meal solely revolving around the consumption of sugary treats. Our hosts had already piled our plates with sweets and were expectantly waiting for us to dig in. Instead of eating along side us, they hovered around us and watched as we ate.

This Bengali practice is slightly uncomfortable. I appreciate the hospitality and desire to serve, but having my every move analyzed becomes a bit unnerving. I knew my approval of the meal was being gauged on the amount I consumed, which added more discomfort to the stare down. With each daunting bite, the usually pleasant event of partaking in dessert was becoming more of a task and less of a pleasure. Quickly, Cassie and I discovered a whole new meaning to the words, "sweet" and "dessert". I believe it is safe for me to assume that I have now tasted the world's sugariest sweets. Bengali desserts are basically pure sugar that is then drenched in surgery syrup. Now, I must admit, there were some good desserts on my more than generously filled plate, but trying to stuff them all down my throat in one sitting erased any previously ensued joy I had about the whole event. Throughout the meal, Cassie and I would exchange worried glances and mumble quietly of our stomachs that were beginning to ache. All I wanted was some water to wash away the sugar. Instead we were given soda. Washing sugar down with liquid sugar seems fitting, right? As my stomach ache grew, so did the pounding in my head. I think I experienced a sugar high and crash in a rather unhealthy amount of time. Ironic that such a meal was taking place in the home of a doctor. Maybe this should have made the worry of our growing illness nil, but then again being in Bangladesh, maybe not.

Needless to say, our bumpy and jarring journey home was one of pensive concentration. See, Cassie and I were deeply focused on the task of not re-experiencing the meal we had just partaken in. They say, "A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." A word of advice, be careful with sugar in quantities of spoonfuls or else you may need a couple spoonfuls of medicine to make the sugar stay down.

-Elise