Blogger: Rachel Kent
Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
My remembered place is the monastery where my great aunt was a cloistered nun. I believe it’s located in Fremont, California. We went to visit her a few times, but one Christmas visit stands out in my mind.
I’m not sure if this is standard at all cloistered monasteries, but when we would visit, we would talk to Aunt Kathy (also known as Sister Mary of the Immaculate Conception) through an opening with a counter top. The “window” had bars over it that could be opened when visitors arrived. For the entire visit, she sat behind the counter, and we sat in the lobby area. It’s really an odd experience. It felt like an entirely different culture to me since my family is not Catholic.
This particular Christmas, we were given a treat while we visited–diet root beer and tapioca pudding. The novices pulled up a table and put it up against the window so it looked like all of us were sitting together, and we got our lovely dessert. For my great aunt, this really was a treat. They rarely had sweets or soda at the monastery and because of this, I had to eat it. I don’t like diet drinks, and I hate tapioca pudding, but I ate it because of how rude it would be to refuse such decadence.
Another thing that stuck in my mind from that visit is that the cloistered nuns were looking forward to watching “The Sound of Music” that evening. If I remember correctly, they watched it once a year.
While I was looking for pictures for these blogs at my parent’s house last week, I never expected to find photos from that memorable visit. I thought I’d be lucky to find one of Aunt Kathy, but my dad actually found some! If you look closely you can see the root beer and tapioca pudding in the picture. Please take no notice of how “cool” I look. Remember this was the ’90s! Hopefully these pictures give you a better idea of how the visiting window works.
Have you ever been able to visit someone in a place that introduced you to a different lifestyle or culture? Have you ever choked down some food so as not to offend someone? Please share your story! 🙂
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This is a great post, Rachel. I thought of “The Sound of Music” the minute I started reading it. I grew up Catholic, so it brings back other memories too.
I’ve been to Bermuda once. Everything is so laid back there compared to around here. At least it was in the late 80’s when I went.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful memory.
Sarah, you’re pictures and your memory are lovely!
I immediately thought of my sister and her husband as I read your post. They traveled to China to bring home two of the most precious, little girls–their new daughters, my nieces.
My sister loves to regale us with the various foods they ate while there: soups and stews made with various, odd ingredients, spicy dishes served with bits of chicken (she thinks), and main courses that boasted a tantalizing selection of–er–animal body parts. It would have been impolite to refuse what their hosts had so graciously provided, because in the Chinese culture, these foods are reserved for special occasions and considered their best.
Well, Rachel, chalk that up to faux pas #2 today. My apologies! (Guess I need to take an aspirin for this migraine.)
As far as choking down the food, I can identify that one. Someone I know whom shall go unnamed doesn’t know how to use herbs for flavoring and so I choked the meal down wishing I had a reason not to eat it. But it would have been rude to refuse and so I ate, trying to smile. :o)
My visiting experience was as far from yours as it can get, yet the same kind of awe and wonder about another way of life. My brother is divorced and was only allowed to visit his kids through a mediation center which happened to be in a not so nice side of town. His kids and my kids are all close in age and liked to be together, so my spoiled suburban kids and I parked on a dark street, locked the doors and went inside this dilapidated building. I had to turn over my car keys, wallet, purse, anything that could be used as a weapon, sign in and our kids played together for a couple of hours. Things are different now and we don’t have to meet this way anymore, but it was an interesting experience for all of us!
Cynthia, I sure hope your headache goes away! My little sister’s name is Sarah, so I’m used to being called Sarah quite often. 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Jenny. That does sound like a very sobering, strange experience. I’m glad that time has passed for you all.
Cheryl, Bermuda sounds fantastic! I think I’d enjoy that kind of culture.
Nikole, I think my own husband feels that way about my cooking. 😀
Great post, Rachel. I find it interesting that the nuns watched a movie about a nun who finds romance and a life outside the nunnery.
I remember once in a little village in Mexico we were guests in a home. They served us this thick, hot drink, like a hot milkshake made out of cornmeal. Let’s just say we were doing our best to be polite and chug it down even though it was 100 degrees outside. One of our group declined his. They kept insisting he take it and he refused. Next thing I know they bring him a giant Coca-cola in a frosty glass bottle.
I hope I get a jewel in my crown for that one.
After graduating high school, I traveled with a foreign exchange student friend, Miyuki, back to her home in Japan. I stayed with her two weeks, and everything, especially the food, was different.
Every morning, Miyuki’s mom fixed breakfast—delicious French toast, fried rice, yogurt—and she included a slice of cantaloupe. I do not like any fruits in the melon family, including watermelon, but I choked down the slice the first day. And the second. By the third, I started liking it. Maybe I was a melon convert. But by day five, I swore never to eat cantaloupe again.
Fortunately, I’ve never had to.
But of course, if I’m ever in a similar situation, served juicy slices of melon, I will choke it down with smile.
What an intriguing visit!
My most unusual Christmas was when I was eighteen. My dad took my mom, sister, and me to Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia on his frequent flyer miles.
Wow! Christmas Eve we ate chicken satay outside in the rain (under our umbrellas) in Singapore kitty-corner from the famous Raffles Hotel. Great memory! Christmas Day we had dinner at the American Club for ex-pats, complete with Santa, tree, and carols – in the tropical heat. On that trip I had to try all sorts of unusual foods. Some (like satay) have become favorites. Some (like seaweed) have not.