четверг, мая 05, 2005

Russian vs. Uzbek hospitality

A Russian host may toast multiple times during a meal, so I always down some bread right away to absorb the shock of the vodka.
A Russian host is more likely to serve you at a table--a tabel high enough to sit at with chairs.
A Russian host will also invite you to eat beyond your capacity, but since I don't understand Russian as well, I can ignore it better.

An Uzbek host obligated to encourage you to eat. This includes the imperitive, "Oling!" or the invitation, "Marhamat!" being heard two to three zillion times per meal. The more frequent a visitor to the table you're eating from, the less you are told what to do and the easier it is to bend the rules.
An Uzbek host's spread may or may not be actually intended to be eaten--some of it is decoration.
An Uzbek host may comment on your chubbyness as he dishes you up another portion of the fat-based main course.

Both will load the table until it is bowed with the wieght of food and drink and it is no longer possible to find your personal plate or glass.
Hot tea will be copious, no matter the season or weather.
Homemade alcohol is common to both tables--usually some sort of fruity wine, sometimes mixed with gazli water.
Both will load the table until it is bowed with the wieght of food and drink and it is no longer possible to find your personal plate or glass.

A Russian host probably won't serve you osh.
An Uzbek Host probably won't serve you stroganov.
They may both serve you Korean salads, however.

Either way it's exhausting (in a fun way, sometimes) for an introvert like me who usually wants to fall asleep before the main course ever arrives...
The clear winners are the Koreans.