Diwali

Our neighborhood is pretty small with only 15 houses total, no more an be built due to the nature wetland directly behind us. We've gotten to know a lot of our neighbors pretty well and we seem to have a friendly, close community which not all people get to experience. The 'hood is full of many different backgrounds, I joke with Tom about him being the minority. We have one set of neighbors in particular who have been very welcoming. We've been to their house a few times over the past few months as we're getting to know them a little better. They happen to be Hindu and moved to the United States from Fiji about 10 years ago, if I understood them correctly. There are two brothers living in one house with their wives and children. Their family is extremely close. The brothers parents, who live in Surrey BC, are often at the house for weeks at a time. One of the wives has had her father staying with them for 3 months, he still lives in Fiji. They always have a house full and Tom and I have been lucky enough to experience their culture a couple of times over the last few months.

Tuesday night Tom and I were working on the final pieces of our fence, which looks amazing by the way, and one of the brothers came over and invited us for dinner Wednesday night as a thank you for giving them our old fence panels.

The last time we were at their home for dinner was during one of their prayer ceremonies that they do each Saturday, so the house was full of people, music, and food. When we walked into the house last night, I expected there to be more people, but it was just them and us. It's hard to say whether that put a little more or less pressure on us. We're so unfamiliar with their traditions and way of life that when there are a ton of people around it's easy to copy someone else, but when it's just us, we're in the spotlight.

The two wives and their daughters were dressed in traditional Hindu dresses. I have to admit I love the dresses. (My mom will get a kick out of that because when I was little, I wanted to be Indian.) The dresses are multi-colored with rhinestones and gold, they're very flashy. The married women wear a red dot, called a Bindi, on their forehead. They said they wear red because they are married. The younger girls wear jewels instead of paint that usually matches their dresses. They have a brand new baby, and her Bindi is always black.

We chatted for a few minutes when we first arrived, and soon after the wives brought Tom & I a plate of fruit, sticky rice, and dumpling. They compared it to an appetizer. I love the way they eat, I told Tom I could really get used to it. All the food is vegetarian with lots of vegetables, rice, and breads. It's amazing they're all so skinny!

The second plate was even more delicious, to be honest, and couldn't even tell you what it was. Mashed up veggies, wrapped in a weed. This time there was a different type of dumpling with basil, so good. There were sticks that looked like fries, but when I bit into one it was crunchy and had a sugar coating....way different than I expected, but still good!

They explained to us while we were eating that they were celebrating Diwali that night. I immediately thought of The Office, and there were times I did feel like Michael Scott. Completely awkward and confused....

They talked about their traditions for the Diwali celebration back in Fiji. One of the wives compared it to Christmas meaning it is the biggest holiday for them, they even exchange gifts. For those of you who don't know, Diwali is the Festival of Lights and it's never the same day. The day is decided by when the moon lines up with the sun...?? All the details were coming from 6 people who are very difficult to understand, so I'm sure some of the information was lost in translation. They celebrate for 5 days and it's also the beginning of the year for them. After hearing that, Tom and I felt very grateful we had been invited to share in such a spiritual holiday.

The part Tom and I were excited for and dreading at the same time was the Kava. It's a special drink they make that comes from the Kava plant. The side effects are pretty crazy, but it's a lot of fun. The first time we tried it was a few months ago and they warned us that there is no alcohol or illegal drug involved. I guess they could tell I was concerned by the look on my face. The first time I tried it, I was sure I was allergic because my tongue went numb! All I could think was, "Oh my goodness, I'm having an allergic reaction and we're going to have to leave Prayer so I can go to the E.R.!!!!" Later I found out that is one of the side effects. The taste isn't great, it's like the taste of a raw potato, but liquid form. You get used to it. The funnest part is being involved in the tradition. Knowing that all other Hindus celebrating Diwali were doing the same thing was very exciting and made us feel like a part of their holiday and traditions. It's not often that I drink anything out of a bowl unless it's soup!

So we had been at their house for almost 3 hours already and it was getting close to my bed time, so we're trying to find a nice way out of there since it was nearing 10:00. They gave us no clues that they wanted us to leave, so there wasn't an out. I'm glad we didn't leave because around 10:30 they set out the main course. Their phone had been ringing all night with calls from family members and friends wishing them a happy Diwali. Each time it rang I kept wondering why people were calling so late, it took my a while to figure out. We all do the same on Christmas morning, calling family members to say Merry Christmas. Anyway, they brought out all the food and this time I ate with the women. (Last time Tom & I ate first before anyone in the house.) The food was delicious! Again, I had no idea what I was eating, but it was all good. Homemade tortillas that were super thick with crushed beans inside, white sticky rice, and more veggies. They cook with a lot of garlic, onions, and spices. They actually gave me a recipe for my favorite dish, so I can't wait to make it at home. I ate until I was stuffed and then some.

After the women ate, they cleaned up the table, re-set new dishes and more food and let the men eat. I think it's really neat they let the women eat first. It seems like the women do so much for the men, refilling drinks, cleaning up after them, etc. I was surprised to see them eat first.

After dinner we sat around chatting a little more, and around 11:40 I had to call it quits. I was so tired! We said our goodbyes and thank yous and headed home!

Our first Diwali was a success and hopefully we get to be involved in another one next year!