Conversation topics and culture – join us.
I’ve now joined a small group at the local Ukrainian church. It’s a group of up to 13 ladies who meet every Friday, share a meal, and discuss various topics. Every time, it’s like a cultural celebration.
About the food: The table is always full of dishes – everyone brings something. First, a table full of savory items. Once everyone has had their fill of savory food, the plates are cleared and the sweet dishes come out – once again, a full table! Tea is served, and once everyone is done, fresh fruit appears on the table.
As for the savory dishes, there’s one clear favorite: beetroot and herring. Whether it’s on a sandwich or in the traditional salad, you can’t escape it. They generously serve you a heap of it because… it’s good for you! And they say that with every dish. Delicious.
On one of these evenings, I kept track of the conversation topics, as much as I could…
Hold on, here we go:
– A long interview I listened to last week with a Catholic priest who prayed in tongues and was able to explain what that is.
– “Swimming” in the Dead Sea full of salt and how healthy it is. And what other options there are, and although the body protests at first, you have to push through because it’s really good for you.
– The FKK behavior in East Germany, where they seem very modest despite helping each other with towels, etc. And their husbands aren’t too happy about them watching other people’s bell ringing.
– Whether you’ve ever drunk blood. There’s quite a difference in quality, and when you’ve got the good kind, it’s actually quite tasty. And, of course, very healthy.
– It’s incomprehensible how a nation can go to war with people from its own people. Different nations fighting each other is one thing, but people from the same country fighting each other? Incomprehensible.
– Young men who have lost arms, hands, or legs in the war and are now here for rehabilitation.
– Going away together for two days as women from the church (the church is 95% women…), two days is quite long, is that affordable? Why not just one day? Travel time is long, let’s just stay here. No, that’s not fun, we want to go somewhere else, etc.
– From next time, someone different will prepare the evening with a Bible theme. Or two people together, but then you’d have two themes? That’s a bit much. I was watching a program about animals this week, how they protect each other, that really moved me, that’s also a theme. Oh, it has to be Biblical? Well, that takes too much time. Maybe we should prepare it together, that would give more depth…
– A washing machine where the water hose came loose while spinning. Who connected it? A German or “ours”? It was one of “ours,” but it wasn’t clear whether he was drunk while hooking it up…
How long does such an evening last? According to the schedule, 2 hours, but it often runs “a little” longer…
A cultural celebration!
And afterward – very calmly, recovering in silence on the couch.
