The Zoo in My Belly (UPDATES!)

Never in my life have I been around a group of people who are as finicky eaters as in Peace Corps. There are the obligatory vegetarians, of course (I think 7 total). Then there are the people who will not drink anything carbonated. I did not know such a person existed, but out of our 29 (well 28 now) there are 3. People who won’t eat chocolate and people who won’t eat anything cooked. Fortunately, I eat everything and anything that is put in front of me. Here is a list of oddness that has gone inside of me that these people are missing out on:

Ostrich
Zebra
Wildebeest (in sausage, steak, and burger form)
A Praying mantis
A Glow worm
Chicken feet
Sheep feet
Sheep face
Mystery sausage who’s only label is “Not Pork” One Basotho mentioned it is possibly dog.
Paloni (baloney’s cheaper, crappier African cousin)
The fried fish that people sell to you through bus windows
Joala (the traditional sour homebrew whose consistency is somewhere between porridge and milk shake and sometimes contains additives such as battery acid)
The delicious gas station pot pies
A can of meat with a picture of a cow head on it and the label “Texas Fresh”
Sardine Sandwiches – This is kind of the defacto Peace Corps packed lunch/appetizers at workshops. White bread, butter, and a sardine like fish that is super salty
Pilchards – Tomato and Chili flavors! Some kind of oily bait fish that come in tin cans with different sauces. You have to remove the blood lines before cooking them. You house/pans smell awful for a minimum of 2 days after.
Spring Water – It was a long hike. I was hot and I was thirsty. Some of my students found a spring. It had a frog and tadpoles in it. I filled up my water bottle anyway. Probably the only thing on this list I regret (also the glow worm).

Updates
The goat – everything. Hooves and face (first charred, then cleaned and picked off the bone) eyes, all the organs, and the “real” meat