I never thought I’d say this but my experience in Somalia has turned me into a (almost) vegetarian. Not that I care for the animals or anything
. Its just that I was eating such a ridiculous amount of hilib, that I’ve gotten sick of it. Oodhkac ( is that even how you spell it?) for breakfast. Hilib and the smallest portion of bariis for lunch (Ive never seen such a unnatural ratio of hilib to bariis in my life - the plate was 3/4 meat). And drum roll please…. bariis and hilib for dinner.
I started to feel like a picky and ungrateful khasaaro. People only slaughter an animal to honour their guests. I was being treated like a king. Naf dhan baa la ii qalay and I had the audacity to feel some type of way about it. So I sat down at every meal time nibbling down the food while my hosts insisted I eat more and more. To add salt to the wound, they would watch me eat so I had to fake my enthusiasm every-time. I did say no to a meal once - and I knew they felt disrespected, didnt do it again.
It reached a point where I could not stand the smell of hilib, I would dread going to my relatives houses. I spent my evenings giving myself abdomen massages for the constant indigestion.
This was honestly me at the table/dirin every meal time
I haven't had hilib since.... To this day, I avoid beef, goat and camel meat and rarely eat chicken. I stick to salmon and tuna.
. Its just that I was eating such a ridiculous amount of hilib, that I’ve gotten sick of it. Oodhkac ( is that even how you spell it?) for breakfast. Hilib and the smallest portion of bariis for lunch (Ive never seen such a unnatural ratio of hilib to bariis in my life - the plate was 3/4 meat). And drum roll please…. bariis and hilib for dinner.I started to feel like a picky and ungrateful khasaaro. People only slaughter an animal to honour their guests. I was being treated like a king. Naf dhan baa la ii qalay and I had the audacity to feel some type of way about it. So I sat down at every meal time nibbling down the food while my hosts insisted I eat more and more. To add salt to the wound, they would watch me eat so I had to fake my enthusiasm every-time. I did say no to a meal once - and I knew they felt disrespected, didnt do it again.
It reached a point where I could not stand the smell of hilib, I would dread going to my relatives houses. I spent my evenings giving myself abdomen massages for the constant indigestion.
This was honestly me at the table/dirin every meal time
I haven't had hilib since.... To this day, I avoid beef, goat and camel meat and rarely eat chicken. I stick to salmon and tuna.
