Things that make the day better

Data analysis has given me the lab time blues, mostly due to the fact that my PI realized that I was not receiving enough guidance and things did not go as swell as they could have. Yes, I just used the word swell. But this is not about that – it’s about the fun.

1. Going to play basketball from some people from the lab, including two Asian guys from the lab. Then getting owned by the two little Asian guys. It was a lot of fun even with my suckiness and it gave me one of those things I love – perspective.
2. Sitting out the pickup game with some other guys so we wouldn’t lose. And getting to watch this incredibly cute German guy play. Perfect build, nice face. Lovely.
3. Having the one my roommates, the wife of the Romanian professor make pancakes (which were between crepes and US pancakes), and leaving some for me. Then, as I ate them, share a story in broken English about her son, who lived in the US for six years. And how he started of in NY, having to commute between two colleges, one of which was in Brooklyn. And how he left because he was uncomfortable/scared of the “the big ones, the ni**ers, you know black?” gesturing up and down. Insane.
4. Receiving an incredibly sweet message from one of the members of my lab who I saw for the last time today. Part of which was as follows:  As I said it was honestly nice meeting you – you really changed my mind concerning the US. And I can´t imagine our lab without you – little Miss Sunshine ;)
   Hopefully we´ll meet each other someday somewhere !

Mexican Night

It started a couple weeks ago… a quick discussion between Sara, Sandra & I as we all walked to MENSA. I mentioned how my mom had taught both my brother and I to cook, and how recently it had become a real passion of mine. Mixing flavors, trying things out, etc. And both of them thought it was so cool that my mom had taught us. In their homes, their moms had cooked amazing meals, but never really taught them, and they wished they had learned when they were younger.

Then a few weeks ago, Mexican food came up… and I said, ‘oh, yeah, I definitely know how to make good Mexican food’. Sara literally jumped for joy and begged to know if I knew how to make tortillas (she also made a comment about Taco Bell at some point, but I forgave her). And I told her that I was still learning, but I would be happy to teach the members of the lab to make tortillas.

Later that week, we decided to not only make tortillas, but to have a full on Mexican dinner for our research group.

So, the week before I left, after a little shopping the weekend before, and making beans the night before, it was time for Mexican night at my flat. But first a note on shopping for ingredients in another country for ingredients that have a section dedicated to them in most groceries in the states. It’s tough. No cheddar, no mozzarella, and as I had actually expected, no queso seco. But I was also shocked to find no hot chiles of any kind. And I also discovered that the variety of avocadoes they sell here (although they claimed to be the ones we use) are actually the type you use green (mind you, I didn’t discover this until we tried actually making the Guacamole = ew). Luckily, we found pinto beans. It was a challenge, but a fun one, improvising this ingredient for that to make a given flavour was really enjoyable.

After work, we met at the flat, and started cooking. Sara, Sandra, Anne, Christina, Mike & I started, and everyone was soo great about helping. Dicing tomatoes, potatoes, onion and garlic for the picadillo and the salsa; opening the avocadoes (once again, ew) for guacamole; warming up the frijoles; making a quick marinade for the meat; Mike preparing Spanish rice. And outside, Sandra and Christina took care of the grill. I just gave tips, shared how my mom had taught me to taste and adjust, the basic ingredients, etc. and then did the actual cooking of the picadillo (with part split off to have tofu added instead of meat for Sara – it was actually really good), and finished it up. Outside, they took care of the carne asada and then I cut it up and did a couple of things.

They brought the drinks and set up the tables outside, and we kept the food warm by rotating them on the grill, and off to the porch. We served, I showed them how to make burritos. We had chips, and beans, and chipotle looking burritos on purchased tortillas heated on the grill. Passing pans and bowls, getting up to serve themselves, it felt like a Mexican family in Germany, at a guest house.

But overall, I think the best part was the dessert tortilla making that we ended the night with. It started off with Sara and me mainly making the dough and then actual tortillas, with Christina, Anne and Birgit as spectators. Laughter, experimenting (wait, that’s not right, let’s add more oil because of this), and the use of spectators hands to add those things ensued. So more people came to watch from outside, where the firelog Stefan had brought was burning. And Andrea even joined in. So tortillas were made – by rolling pin, I admit – and hand flipped. Nutella, butter, sugar, honey, peanut butter, and/or bananas were piled on to make dessert tostadas. Perfect.

The tortillas ended up being an immensely enjoyable competition between the Italians (1/2 Italian for Sara). She was the only one making the tortillas with me at first, starting from the dough. But when Andrea came in, I kind of showed him, and everyone that watched gave the advice they had seen from Sara. And then it became the two man battle of the circles (shape of tortillas) and bubbles (from the puffiness of air pockets). When Andrea made the first tortilla to bubble, Sara’s response was, ‘Bubbles. Who needs bubbles? They’re just air!’ FYI – her opinion changed when she got her first.

It was really amazing, I felt so united with all these people, and they loved the food, which was great. I was able to share with them my culture the way they have with me. And they were so appreciative of my effort, of running around the kitchen (even though I couldn’t have done it without them), that is just made me want to cook more.

*My random memorable moment:

When we were talking about guns and that type of gang stuff in Tucson and Mike said in a really nonchalant manner, ‘Well, I’ve only been shot at once’. I was in the middle of drinking my beer. And to avoid spraying it all over the food, I turned away from the table. But quick enough. I pretty much sprayed a mouthful of beer over Birgit, my PI here. Classic. Embarrassing. Funny.

Make Way

Tepan: You are very afraid of people.
Me: What?
Tepan: Everytime someone moves, you either move away or go behind me.
Me: No, no no. I’m not afraid, it’s just that in my culture it’s polite and a sign of respect to make way for other people.
Tepan: Oh… Okay, Good.