Eating Culture (Shock)

My eating habit... or culture.. more like table manners actually (whichever because I'm not sure where shall I categorize) got altered when I got to know my bunch of Garden-Circlings when I was 12.

I was taught not to be greedy and take only the amount of food that I can finish.
If I still want, I can get a refill later..

I was taught to finish all the rice on my plate, even grains of rice that was dropped on the table also have to pick it up and eat it because 一粒米, 八十八滴汗...

一粒米, 八十八滴汗 = It took 88 drips of sweat  to yield a grain of rice...
Meaning, its a lot of hard work that farmer put into in order for us to have this bowl of fragrance rice on our table. So, what I want to say is.... DON'T WASTE FOOD, ESPECIALLY RICE!!!!

I was taught not to leave the table when someone is still eating.

I was taught to eat quietly and not to talk when the mouth is full.


Since now I'm studying in UBD, I will dine-in at Boo's place once a week and to be honest, only now I feel a bit biasa.

Auntie will always scope me a big mountain of rice.. actually everyone is eating that amount lah.. abuthen, people scare fat mah.. so if possible I will avoid rice at night one. But since auntie already take, normally I will say its too much for me and walk back to the kitchen to scope some rice back into the rice cooker.

Then while eating, auntie and uncle will always ask me "Don't malu.. eat ah" and everytime I already sibeh full liao but still smile smile and eat some again.

Because I think that leaving the table when someone's still eating is rude, I will always at least wait till Bobby finish eating then bring the plate to the kitchen and normally.. we're the last. Since my plate is already squeaky clean while the rest were still munching, really feel paiseh lor and all of them will take turn and ask again, "You have enough ah? Want somemore rice?"

o_O!

Only when I told Bobby what I was taught about table manners and him answering me baru I know why they always ask me to eat more...

Bobby: In my house, if you finish eat till so clean.. my father and auntie might think you're still hungry but malu to take again...

Me: ...... No wonder they always ask if I got enough lah! They think I keh-ki paiseh ask for more rice is it?

Bobby: A lor.

Me: Eh, rice must eat till finish all cannot leave the plate messy messy one. You never heard of the superstition saying "If you don't eat your rice clean clean, your laokung/ laopoh next time will have plenty of pimples".... No wonder I have pimples and acne lah! Your fault!

Bobby: Cheh... You eat till so clean so what? See my face.. still so many pimples what. Tipu one.

Me:

What the...  I do remember some travel documentaries stating that in some countries, you have to leave a small portion of food on the plate meaning that its just fine. If eat till clean clean that means the host didn't prepare enough food and that is a rude thing to do.

Sigh...

Just a small small difference between two families can bring up such misunderstanding. No wonder so many fights and wars among in-laws lah. But if ask me eat till messy messy got rice here and there on my plate.. I really can't do it ah!

I love to scrap my plate clean!

So keep that in mind, if you're inviting me to a sungkai buffet.... please don't let me see you taking a big plate of food but only eating a small portion of it then leave it there liao. I'll be very mad and start nagging like an old hag.