I certainly enjoy teaching English. I have wonderful students, and I'm learning a lot about teaching and the English language through the process of teaching it!
However, one thing I need to learn well is how to explain the concept of vegetarianism. I have had multiple conversations with my students about this but it doesn't translate well into some cultures. My Asian students understand it easily. My Middle Eastern students…not so much.
My Egyptian students made me molokheyya, a traditional Egyptian soup made from a green vegetable. This is typically served with chicken. Since I have been to Egypt, my students asked me if I had had that and I said yes. They offered to make it for me but I told them that I don't eat chicken. The husband looked at me with concern and asked, "You only eat it over rice? It's better with chicken."
The next day, they brought me a container of rice and of molokheyya. Ezzat, the husband, grinned proudly at me and said, "Since you don't eat chicken, we made it with duck."
The same couple brought me Egyptian macaroni béchamel. Macaroni with hamburger. I thanked them but said, "I don't eat meat." Ezzat said reassuringly, "But it is small pieces."
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