Lekkal bu baax!!! (a funny story)

Dinner with my host family is always an exciting time. Trying to fit ten or so people around one bowl to eat can definitely test your flexibility. Especially when a few of them are little brothers who just got back from playing soccer. I always feel like I eat a lot, but no matter how much I eat, I hear, “Matar! Lekkal bu baax!” (Matar, eat well!). I always respond with a polite, “Jarajeff, suurnaa.” (Thanks, I’m full) and that’s when the tug of war begins, “Lekkal!” “Suurnaa” “Lekkal!” “Suurnaa”. Every now and then I manage to win and walk away knowing that my full stomach can rest at least for 20 minutes until they try and get me to eat something else; However, the majority of the time I lose and push my stomach to limits unknown.
It is my family’s goal to make me fat because it will bring honor to them. The problem is that I, as most male volunteers do, have lost weight due to no protein in the diet. This story is going somewhere I promise…. So, one night I manage to win the battle and walk away with a stomach not bursting at the seams. I go and sit down to watch some Senegalese Theatre on TV as the “Lekkall”s are winding down. As 10:30p comes around I decide that I need to head to bed so I say goodnight to every one and walk into my room. Being almost 100 degrees, I strip down to my underwear and lay down on my bed. I can hear my family talking and watching TV outside as I tuck my mosquito net in. Exhausted, I put my arms under my head and close my eyes letting the darkness swallow me. Then it happens. I feel my bed shift under me while the loudest cracking noise shoots through the night. My bed collapses to the ground with a thump and the chatter of my family stops completely. Slightly shocked, I jump up tangled in the mosquito net and frantically try to locate clothes because I know my family is about to run in and see if I’m ok. I somehow manage to find some clothes and dress in the dark before I hear a knock on my door, “Mattar?!”. I open the door with a big smile on my face, point to my bed and say, “Giisal! Dafay lekk bu baax bes bu nekk!” (See! I eat well every day!). A roaring of laughter commenced as they helped me MacGuyver my bed. Needless to say, I don’t hear “Lekkal bu baax” near as often.