Different cultures

26/10/2007 by Arielle.

As it is still half term, I invited a friend I have made recently to my home for the first time. She is a speech and hearing therapist and is from Malaysia. She arrived with her 2 children of the same age as mine and everyone was happy until Slick our Labrador came bounding in from outside to greet our visitors.
She is a Labrador and naturally loves children. The little daughter was so obviously unused to any animals and dived onto the nearest chair and cried. I quickly put Slick outside and started serving the lunch. I had chosen to cook a traditional South African/ Malaysian dish called Bobotie which is curried mince.
My poor friend took one look at it and said - what meat is it. When I replied ‘beef’, I immediately realised that as she is Hindu, cows are sacred and never eaten. I quickly rustled up some grilled cheese (the quickest meal I could think of for my hungry guests).

Slick had been sent outside and one of my children let her in. In true dog style, she had rebelled at being closed out by rolling in poo all over her neck! I had no choice but to wash her.
I’m not sure if my new friend will want to return to our house!

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