How I Started a Rebellion by Making and Sharing Food
I’m not trying to be nice or conform to gender roles.
Today I got up at 5.45 to make scrambled eggs for my Turkish friend who slept on my couch. When I offered it last night, she questioned whether I would do it out of pleasure or a sense of duty.
I hadn’t really thought about it, it was just a feeling. It wouldn’t be honest to claim I “enjoyed” getting up at 5.45, but it still gave me a sense of pleasure to make food for my guest. I said “I do it for all my friends. I did it for my boyfriend the other day.” When I said that, her fury blazed in her eyes. “Dog!” she screamed, “He should get up and do it for himself, not expect it from you!”
That was unexpected! “So you think I’m doing it just because it is my role as a woman? And I wouldn’t do it if I was a man?”
I was sure it wasn’t that, it was much deeper, but I didn’t know how to explain it at that moment, so I went to bed. My mind kept busy, and at 5.45 I had an answer for her.
Culture shock
I love living in New Zealand. But there is this one thing I really hate. It’s about people keeping their food to themselves other than special occasions.
