Crazy driving and new foods???

Wednesday continued:

So after Richee left we decided to get some food "to go". We got shawarma to go on Tuesday in Onitsha and so Mare decided to take me to a different "fast food" restaurant called Renny's. We got into the car and as soon as she started it and let it go to idle...the car died. And we both just started cracking up. Then the car lights went out. So we agreed that we wanted to try to venture out at night to this restaurant...but weren't sure the car would make it...but we decided to try. Basically the poor car would stall anytime it was in neutral or idle...it's a standard car - it's often in neutral AND the lights would randomly go off so she had to . So Mare had to navigate the traffic, rev the engine when we came to stop(which means braking with the left foot), and switch the lights between on and brights...NUTS! All in all - she did a great job...

We got to Renny's and picked out some Agusi soup with foofoo and garee...it is more like a stew that is eaten with a starch with your fingers. And to eat this you use a technique called swallowing. Roll a small amount of the starch in your fingers - scoop some soup and then place on tongue and swallow. So we both ordered the same thing - but hers had a big ol piece of fish and mine did not...no meat for me. :)

We headed out and got into the marvelous car and...it wouldn't start. So I got out to try to push it cause sometimes if you push start it...it will start. Very laughable...a white girl trying to push a car...some men stopped to help us and started pushing her car down the road...AND it didn't start. They kept hitting the trunk and yelling..."start!" "Go!". But we couldn't. And just as we were about to give up - the engine turned over. Whew. So we made it home.

I have to say - out of everything else I have eaten here in Nigeria - Agusi soup is not my favorite. I don't mind the starch or the swallowing...but the soup tasted pretty fishy and Mare says that the one we had is the least fishy that she has eaten. SO...I probably won't be eating too much more of that this week.

Otherwise, I am reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne this week - and am absolutely loving how it is challenging me. Especially while I am in Nigeria.