Khoo-boz Owazza
Myself and another Iraqi Friend of mine were feeling a bit depressed a couple of weeks ago, so we decided to go to Central London for some Iraqi food.
We found a nice little restaurant near Edgware Road near Marble Arch I think its name was Al Manqalla or something like that.
anyway we sat down and a you waitress came over to take our orders.
I didn't even look at the menu, I told her that we wish for some Yabssa and Aswwad with Timman and for Salads we want Gageek and Baba Ghanoog, and if she could get us diffrent Khwasheeg.
(Translation for any non Iraqi (Including Arabs) : white beans stew, eggplant stew, Rice, Yogurt with Garlic and Cucumbers, and grilled, mashed Eggplant, and get us some different Spoons please)
the girl was so confused (she was an Arab but she wasn't Iraqi)
then the manager came over and stood beside her and explained what I was talking about.
I apologized to the waitress but I thought since it was an Iraqi Restaurant then she would understand what I ordered.
anyway..
after some time and nearly finishing of I asked her "bring me some Khoo-boz Owazza" ;)
but you know what?
It didn't feel like home.
1 comment:
Living abroad for over 10 years of my life, nothing will replace the taste of true home...the Iraqi friends, Iraqi family, Iraqi gatherings...even abroad they seem and feeel different
To this day I remember these Iraqis days like it was yesturday and I repeat them as if they were a videotape being repeated over and over and over, just to taste the days that I had with my family and friends that made it lovely to be in Iraq.
This may be something we will get used to if we find it useful to do. Once deprived so much of your home, I guess thats how one can end up and how I ended up. But nonetheless, nothing can erase my appreciation of living outside Iraq, its something my country people could not even provide. They provide us the fundamental survival of life (safety, peace, security) yet Iraq provided the exotic taste for childhood, the taste of family, friends and memories, food, culture. No lifestyle can replace that.
We will wait the days when we return to bring those days back to the present.
Take care of yourself..
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