Growing up my sister used to use the age old "there are starving children in Africa who would kill to eat some of what you just left on your plate." "That's nice, they're over there and I'm here" I responded. While that may be true, the whole force of the situation in Africa came home for me at URBANA.
Cheers greeted us as we entered the line to get our bowl of porridge. I looked down at the unappetizing dish and told myself to enjoy it. "Think of it as watered down cream of wheat" I thought. I gagged after the third bite. Looking around I began to chuckle a bit just watching the different ways people ate this soy and corn based dish.
Some people ate quickly, so as to get it over with. Others, ate slowly dreading every bite. Some cleaned theirs bowls, claiming they liked it (personally I think they're insane), others left significant portions in their bowls.
Many thought flowed through my mind with every gagging bite. I thought about Oliver Twist "please sir, I want some more." His need must have been pretty bad for him to want more of something I found so repulsive.
More thoughts ran through my brain, "Even we have it better than they do" I thought. With the unappetizing meal we were given three packets of sugar, and a bottle of purified water.
Later that night as my stomach hurt from lack of food, and I nearly passed out from lack of protein I thought "I hope my need never gets that bad." I don't think I will ever be ambivolent toward the situation in Africa again.
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