Friday, January 13, 2023

During a dinner conversation, I found myself at a loss for words in trying to describe my infatuation with eating dinner at peoples’ houses. We did this many times throughout our time in Douz, and I knew every time that this display of hospitality and home-cooked foods would make up some of my most impactful moments throughout my travels.

There was something so human about these experiences. It was graciousness. It was love. Walking into my first meal at someone’s house, I was brought nearly to tears by the smorgasbord that we strangers were treated to. It is one of the kindest gestures that I’ve experienced. Putting it into words almost seems like a helplessly silly endeavor.

The gesture spoke for itself. We had no language abilities at these home-cooked meals. We couldn’t say much more than “thank you,” and our welcoming hosts faced a similar communication barrier. However, words were never needed here. This was not only some friend-of-friend unification or quick favor. It was larger than that. It was a beautiful metaphor for the human condition.

From unending couscous to a surprise birthday party, eating meals at the homes of Tunisian residents was easily one of my favorite experiences - not just during my travels, but of my entire life. These meals were a masterclass on kindness, and I am forever grateful for all that I learned.