Mum, don't read this post

I'm forming bad habits in Haiti... eating habits that is!

It's dinner time once again and after a long day at work I cannot be bothered cooking.  Unlike me, I know!  I used to enjoy cooking but now it's too much effort!

I have a great lunch at school; it's a hot lunch (more like the size of dinner!).  I've begun asking for "piti diri souple" (just a little bit of rice please) and today I learned how to say one spoon of rice in Creole; the  "little bit" message was not being understood! :-) The servings are way too generous.  So naturally, after being fed a good lunch which mostly consists of beans and rice, chicken (or another meat), salad and juice, I'm not that hungry in the evening.

To add to the effort of cooking is the cost of food.  Unlike what most people expect, food is not cheap here, that is if you shop at the supermarket.  To buy imported food such as cereal or cheese it costs the same, if not more, than what I'd pay in Australia. Then there's the effort of finding someone to walk with you to the supermarket; I prefer not to travel alone (saying that I don't feel unsafe walking in Haiti, but one always feels safer in numbers).

I've begun buying some foods from street vendors such as avocados and mangoes.  The food is very inexpensive off the street!  You can pick up three avocados for USD $1.25 or five mangoes for the same price!  Bargain!  Mwen renmen mangu e zaboka.  (I love mangoes and avaocados)

Well, it's now 6pm and it's starting to get dark outside.  What should I have for dinner?  Last night it was apple, pretzels with peanut butter and a mango.  Tonight... mmmm... "m" for mango!