I asked Burbach to share an awkward story from Kenya.
As per your request a moment of awkwardness. It was difficult to select, but here's one of my favorites. So I'm sitting by the fire with my host sister cooking dinner, as the brother is drinking tea. She looks at me and asks, "So when are people initiated in the US?" This question caught me completely off-guard as my mind was wondering and I wasn't really with it...what a surprise right? Anyways, my brilliant reply, "What kind of initiation?" She makes a motion signifying circumsion. Ohhhhh. I told her that it wasn't as big a ceremony in the US, that babies usually have it done to them when they are a few days old. I explained that it is a big ceremony in Jewish culture however. Then the awkwardness begins when she tells me that her brother, who is 14, is not circumsized but that he desperately wants to be. He is obviously both verbally and visually embarrassed by this. Then comes the finale..."So are you circumcized?" Keep in mind she is 22 and even in Kenyan culture that's a taboo subject. There is awkward silience. "So how's that rice lookin?
He did not disappoint.
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