Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Chocolate

I'm not really that kind of girl. I don't crave chocolate, I don't need it on a daily basis. It is not my once-a-month drug, if you will. It's nice, and I'll eat it and I will enjoy it, but I don't feel the driving urge to seek it out and consume ungodly amounts.

Then I went 7 weeks without it.

That's right. I've eaten no chocolate since arriving in Nigeria, and honestly, I didn't really realize I wasn't eating it. Nigerians traditionally don't eat sweets (candy bowls and cookie jars do not exist here), which means chocolate is sold in specialty shops at very high prices. And I really can't justify spending money on candy at my age.

Enter Milka Alpine Milk Chocolate.

This stuff will change your life, folks. One of my expatriate friends, C, was in Germany on business last week and he brought back gifts for everyone. Jan and I received the biggest bar of chocolate I've ever seen. It went straight into the freezer and I more or less forgot about it.

Until 10 minutes ago.

And now the hum of the freezer sounds suspiciously like my name.

2 comments:

  1. You are your mother's daughter! I can't imagine going 7 weeks without chocolate. Thanks for making me laugh out loud.

    Love and miss you.
    60 days and counting.

    Mom
    xoxoxoxo

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  2. About five years ago when I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy, I had no clue what I would do without ice cream. It was a staple in my family growing up and I just had no idea how I would live without it. Thankfully sorbet and soy "ice cream" were close substitutes and only in the heat of the summer do I miss a big chunky Blizard from DQ.

    About three months after the diagnosis, what I came to miss most was chocolate. I too liked chocolate on occasion but didn't realize how much I loved it until I couldn't have it. There is something about the texture of a chocolate chunk that just can't be replaced. I tried substituting Hershey's dark chocolate syrup over sweets, but that didn't cure the craving...it was the bite of solid chocolate that melts in your mouth that I just couldn't substitute.
    After several reactions and severe stomach aches, I've finally found some dark chocolates that calm my cravings.
    Homework assignment: every time you nibble away at your chocolate bar, write about the experience. How do you feel? Is it truely a pleasure or filling a void? What makes it so much better than a juicy apple?

    Best wishes Angel in Africa.
    Lisa Wendt

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