One of the first things that struck me when I came to Jeddah was the lack of food on campus.
Y'know... food as in 'proper' stuff we eat for lunch back home in Msia? Come 1 p.m., we're so accustomed to swarming the char kuey tiow uncle and the chicken rice auntie. But there's nothing of such here. What I can find on campus are only carts selling doughnuts, sandwiches, ice-creams, curly fries, etc. No char kuey tiow. -.-"
Then I found out: ooOoo... most men drive out to other places for lunch or some of them go home to lovely home-cooked food (courtesy of mums and wives). So, where does that leave the women (who can't %$#&@*% drive)?
We make do.
Some lucky female staff get to leave by 2:30p.m. The administrative staff in the English Dept, for example, goes home at that time so that she can cook lunch for her husband. (I've learnt to settle my admin work by 2p.m. the latest before she does her disappearing act)
But teachers ain't so lucky. Some of my classes ran until 4p.m. and I HAD to find something to eat, right? >.>
The first few weeks, I ate cheese croissants bought from a cart manned (what a misnomer) by a Sudanese lady just outside the building I work... they were yummy, but monotonous.
Then, one day I got adventurous and went exploring the medical complex (I teach med students) in search for fooooooooooooood. And chanced upon a cafeteria! Yay!
My joy, however, was short-lived.
Sandwiches... and sandwiches...
Until...
oOo... what's that? Looks dubious, but let's live a little, eh?
I bought one. Took a small tentative bite. And hmmm... it's good! Took a bigger chomp. Ooo.. it's yummy! (The photo shows only half of what was left ^.^)I love it!
I spotted something veerryyy familiar...
"Warg enab"!!! I love "warg enab"! Bought some and gobbled them down within minutes. Scrumptious! Some which I've tried from other places are too sour or the filling is bland or the vine leaves are badly wrapped. But these... from a school cafeteria... absolutely heavenly. Even my husband, who usually hates "warg enab", gives his approval. Does that mean I go back to cheese croissants?
Nah...
Cheese thingymajig... Never did find out the name of this. 
oh geeee... i feel for you dear... At least you seem to be accepting the pastries there; i am SO NOT a pastry person! *phew* don't mean to rub it in but I just had char kuey teow for dinner! :# dun worry... still plenty of nasi lemak, laksa and kuey teow waiting for u at msia! #D
Shoeaholic said...
28 May 2008 16:56
dumb question...
but havent youve explored the whole campus by now? scouted out all the makan places from the beginning? shouldnt the new lecturers(yourself) be given a proper introduction to the place?
blurr blurr.. cant believe youve been eating cheesy thingy thing all this while, you mustve been starving!
lecturers need fuel to work =p anyways happy youve found a nice place to eat! hmmm...which reminds me.. do you know any saudi recipes? i have a feeling your family/friends might ask you to cook up something for them when you get back..
you know us malaysians.. always want more food! hugs!
Raising Mercury said...
29 May 2008 19:24
shoeaholic: I have to adapt pretty quick or else the other option was daily starvation. :P
Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to all those and MORE! NYAM!
RM: Sini bukan Msia ooo. :))) Let me illustrate by presenting you just ONE scenario and then you'll understand. When I first came, in the first week, the university had a sort-of orientation.. well and good NOT! It was conducted ENTIRELY in Arabic. The welcome folder was ENTIRELY in Arabic. >.> And everything else was also ENTIRELY in Arabic. :D The good thing, I learnt to recognize Arabic numbers pretty fast (to identify buildings). ^.^
Anyway, it's not really the culture here to eat lunch at 1 or even 2 pm. Lunchtime is generally 3-4pm and dinners are eaten at 19 or 10 pm. So, it figures that the university provides 'brunch'-y kind of food.
Saudi recipes ar...... Tak tau la! I just know how to make hummus (chickpea paste), but even that I learnt in Msia, not here. :D
Aschafava said...
29 May 2008 23:46