Third Goal

Why the old King's village is famous for its pigs

Mark dug the knife into the side of the pig, it's golden roasted skin crackling as he drew it down to its foreleg, carving out a generous haunch for the guest of honour sitting to his right: a pastor that would, at 10PM later that night, be one of the dozen preachers to give consecutive messages until bell rang 2011 in at midnight. We were sitting at a long table, looking out across green Tongan fields from the airy porch where the feast was set, red flowered cloths tacked up in horizo...

Colorful Shopping

Bright green duali, or grape leaves, next to deep purple koch, or plums, creates an aesthetically pleasing food shopping experience. Jordanian produce sellers know how to attract a customer!

BBQ Night

Welcoming the beginning of summer's warm nights by setting up this stone and coal stove, and grilling some kebab. 

Didube Bazaar

Around the kava bowl

I earned a seat around the kava bowl. Just about every evening, my Samoan host father, Tuugamau and his buddy Simi, and perhaps some other friends, sit around sharing news and stories, discussing village and national politics as they drink kava from a big cooking pot. (Kava is a common ceremonial drink consumed throughout the Pacific. A very mild narcotic, kava is made from the root of a kind of pepper plant, and has a mild euphoric effect.) To me, this nightly ritual represents both a quinte...

Azerbaijani Meal

In Azerbaijan us PCV's use the word 'guest' as a verb, and 'going guesting' usually involves visiting an HCN's house, bringing them a small gift, having many cups of tea, and being greeted with a LOT of delicious food! Pictured here are: fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, an assortment of pickled items, stoliçni (an Azerbaijan potato salad), uç bacı dolması (three sister dolma, which is stuffed eggplant, tomato, and pepper), and a fresh pasta & chicken dish whose name I forget.

Plunder

While walking 12k to a bush village for a naming ceremony, we came across a seasonal lake where a group of young boys were scouring the pond for fish.  This young boy was proud to show us his plunder.

The Harvest

A field worker holds the harvest in his hands with a harvesting tool hanging around his wrist

An Offering

An old Mayan man offers a passion fruit picked from his tree

Easter Fish

Doña Ana prepares a traditional fish soup for Easter