How I Ruined my Host-Sister’s Birthday BBQ and Almost Blew Up My Host-Family’s Kitchen...

I did not feel at all well on Sunday. I started out with a cold on Saturday and what ever I had progressed to my stomach on Sunday. I rested most of the day on Sunday because I wanted to feel better for the BBQ we were having on Sunday afternoon to celebrate my host-sister’s birthday.

At around three o’clock my host sister said that we were leaving for the padure (or forest) where we would be having the BBQ. By that time I was feeling almost back to normal, so I headed out with them. We packed up the car and were off. When we got to the forest, my host dad, host sister and I gathered some branches and my host dad started a small fire to cook the meat with. While he was starting the fire my host mom, host sister and I picked some berries that would be dried and later used for tea. After we gathered enough berries, we headed back to the fire and hung out while my host dad was preparing to cook the meat.

It was at this time things started to go down hill for me. My stomachache came back with a vengeance. When my host dad started cooking the meat, the smell made me nauseous. Finally, the meat was done and I had to deal with my host dad trying to force me to eat it. Not fun. I tried to hide my discomfort, but I eventually had to go sit in the car away from the food smells. Not too long after that my family packed up and we left. I am not sure if they were ready to leave, or if I just looked so pathetic that they felt obligated to leave, but we did leave.

When we arrived back home, I went straight to bed. About and hour after I went to bed, my host mom woke me up and told be to make some tea for myself. Although, I didn’t really think this would assist in improving my ailment, I thought that some extra liquids couldn’t hurt. I headed down stairs and filled the teapot up with water. Next I went to turn on the stove. We have a gas stove and the gas has to be turned on in two places. First the valve on the pipe has to be opened, then you have to turn on the burner and light it. I went to open the valve, but seeing as it was already open, I closed it instead. Realizing my mistake, I then opened it again and lit the burner. I just figured someone had accidently forgot to close the valve.

This turns out not to be the case. My mom was cooking something in the oven. I turned off the valve extinguishing the flame and then turned the valve back on allowing the oven to fill up with gas. Luckily, my host mom came down to check on what she was cooking a few minutes later, before I successfully blew up the kitchen. Let this be a lesson to all of you, leave me alone when I am sick or I might inadvertently blow up your kitchen.

I think this is the exact reason that Peace Corps gives our host-families a fire extinguisher...