I asked for a ... what?????
It's been a hectic couple of weeks. I'm doing a workshop on Indian Vegetarian food for the 'Mother's Club' at Aditi's school. The workshop's next week, and I've a feeling I might totally lose it before it's over.
I'd asked one of the mothers to lunch, to discuss some school activities. I'd made phulkas, and she simply loved them, and asked me to do a workshop. Sure, why not, I thought. A culinary workshop shouldn't be too difficult.
First I had to book a suitable kitchen at one of the local community center. Then I had to order spices from the grocer in Tokyo. Then we got busy with the flyer. There was a whole week of discussions on whether to use pictures in the flyer or not, before the committee decided not to. Then we went back to check the kitchen one more time. As we took a quick inventory, I realised that there wasn't a single rolling pin there!
That could be slightly difficult. I would take my rolling pin there, but if 15 people wanted to try their hand at making phulkas, AND two other dishes, I somehow thought 2 hours wouldn't quite suffice. I suggested that maybe we could ask the participants to bring a rolling pin if they had one at home. There are three counters in the community kitchen, and if we had at least three pins, everyone could try their hand at phulkas in the given time.
'What's a rolling pin?' asked one of the co-ordinators. I was totally floored. I didn't want any confusion here, so I took an English-speaking member home with me, and showed her my rolling pin. She called the committee and explained it to them in rapid-fire Japanese.
So the flyers were printed. They were distributed. People signed up.
And yesterday at school, a couple of mothers said they had what I'd asked for.
And gave me a packet of earbuds.....
I kid you not... earbuds!!!!!!
As far as I know there's no call for earwax in any Indian delicacy.
And I have no clue how to make rotis with earbuds.
After a little R & D, I think I've figured out the problem. There are two ways to write that particular word. One would indicate rolling pin and the other means 'an object used to clean ears'. Or at least I hope that's the correct explanation!
And I have a workshop in less than a week's time.
Maybe I should watch 'Lost in Translation'..... NOT.
I'm living it.
I'd asked one of the mothers to lunch, to discuss some school activities. I'd made phulkas, and she simply loved them, and asked me to do a workshop. Sure, why not, I thought. A culinary workshop shouldn't be too difficult.
First I had to book a suitable kitchen at one of the local community center. Then I had to order spices from the grocer in Tokyo. Then we got busy with the flyer. There was a whole week of discussions on whether to use pictures in the flyer or not, before the committee decided not to. Then we went back to check the kitchen one more time. As we took a quick inventory, I realised that there wasn't a single rolling pin there!
That could be slightly difficult. I would take my rolling pin there, but if 15 people wanted to try their hand at making phulkas, AND two other dishes, I somehow thought 2 hours wouldn't quite suffice. I suggested that maybe we could ask the participants to bring a rolling pin if they had one at home. There are three counters in the community kitchen, and if we had at least three pins, everyone could try their hand at phulkas in the given time.
'What's a rolling pin?' asked one of the co-ordinators. I was totally floored. I didn't want any confusion here, so I took an English-speaking member home with me, and showed her my rolling pin. She called the committee and explained it to them in rapid-fire Japanese.
So the flyers were printed. They were distributed. People signed up.
And yesterday at school, a couple of mothers said they had what I'd asked for.
And gave me a packet of earbuds.....
I kid you not... earbuds!!!!!!
As far as I know there's no call for earwax in any Indian delicacy.
And I have no clue how to make rotis with earbuds.
After a little R & D, I think I've figured out the problem. There are two ways to write that particular word. One would indicate rolling pin and the other means 'an object used to clean ears'. Or at least I hope that's the correct explanation!
And I have a workshop in less than a week's time.
Maybe I should watch 'Lost in Translation'..... NOT.
I'm living it.
19 comments:
ROFL... good luck vidya... i know u need all the luck :)
That's absolutely hilarious,Vidya! :D
i'm sorry for your predicament, but really this is hilarious. good luck with the earbuds.
ha ha haaa. I should have seen the look on their face when told that we use earbuds for cooking.. Oh my God !!!
LOL..This is hilarious...U wouldn't have imagined it in ur wildest dreams rite ?? Good luck and all the best :)..
Hilarious!! Keep these reports coming. And best wishes with the class.
I know this is not funny but i am kinda giggling. I am sure everything will fall in place.
i can send you some Bertie Bott's earwax jelly beans from my Harry Potter collection if you want, lol! jokes aside, i'm sure the class will be fun if not entertaining, hehehe.
Vidya!! I am literally holding my tummy!! ita was hilarious!!!Best of luck my dear
Ha ha! That is really funny, Vidhya! I know you're probably freaking out but it really had me in splits!! :) Good luck there! I hope all goes well!!
Way too funny. Good luck with the class. Let us know how it went.
i know...you could roll out phulkas for ants with the earbuds. talk about miniaturizing for the japanese
good luck... this was hilarious.
A very close friend is moving to Japan :-) in April. I'll tell her to keep a look out for ear buds :-)
:-D
ha ha! oh you poor thing! The language seems to have many similar sounding words. One of my friends was being friendly to a Japanese girl and asked her what her name was. Apparently she got offended because what he actually said was 'lick me'.
oh but this one is classic. Good luck on your workshop! remember, communicate in writing!
Thank you, folks... nice to know that local miscommunications can be hilarious everywhere in the world..
two more days to go for the workshop. And if I don't commit seppuku with an earbud, I'll definitely write about it.
my god Vidya...have fun with earbud..atleast thank God for small wonders!..you can always clean your ears once they dump the flour over your head...not that they will..just imagining..hahahha
Thats hilarious! Hope they understand what your looking for now & bring in the right stuff next time :-)
Ha ha..this is so funny! Love the way you write..
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