Ua Noj Nrog Ajummas hauv Dubai

2024 Tus sau: Cyrus Reynolds | [email protected]. Kawg hloov kho: 2024-02-08 02:46

Ua ntej peb muaj menyuam, kuv poj niam thiab kuv nyob hauv Songtan, Kaus Lim Qab Teb. Nws yog ib qho me me, muaj neeg coob coob, bustling, smog-filled, lub nroog zoo 34 mais sab qab teb ntawm Seoul (nyob rau sab qaum teb ntawm Pyeongtaek hauv xeev Gyeonggi, yog tias pab tau). Songtan pib lub neej raws li lub zos nyob deb nroog tab sis, tom qab ib tug American airbase tau tsim nyob rau hauv 1951, lub zos tsaug zog loj hlob mus rau hauv ib lub nroog.

Peb hlub Kauslim, thiab peb hlub Songtan. Cov neeg tau txais kev phooj ywg thiab tawm mus. Cov kev tau muaj cov tsheb tavxij, tuav, khw noj mov, khw muag khoom, cov koom haum karaoke, kev lag luam qhib, thiab cov poj niam laus tau khoov nrog cov xeeb ntxwv khi rau lawv nraub qaum nrog ntaub plaub. Cov neeg muag khoom yuav tuav koj txhais caj npab thiab sim rub koj mus rau hauv lawv lub khw, cog lus tias tus nqi tshwj xeeb zoo tshaj plaws ntawm cov khoom qub qub uas zoo li tsis txaus ntseeg tshiab. Koj tuaj yeem tau txais cov khaub ncaws tshiab ua-rau- xaj rau $ 20. Tub ceev xwm Asmeskas tub ceev xwm saib xyuas txoj kev nrog phom, nrhiav kev qaug cawv thiab tsis meej pem GI's. Lawv ib txwm pom ib co.

Hla txoj kev los ntawm airbase yog Mrs. Kim's McDonald's, lub laub zaub mov uas muag hamburgers topped nrog qe, pob kws, ntau yam nqaij ntawm ib tug pas, thiab cov kab sib sib zog nqus. Kuv tsis ntseeg me ntsis tias McDonald's Corporation tau lees paub nws txoj kev lag luam, tab sis nws tau hnav lub tuam txhab tiag tiag, nyob rau xyoo 1972.

Ntau tshaj lwm yam, peb nyiam zaub mov. Chaw Chaw,bulgogi, pat bap, bibimbop, teok-bokki, samgyetang. Kimchi thiab banchan. Soju and OB beer. Hloov cov txiv laum huab xeeb, cov khw hauv zos tau txais cov khoom noj txom ncauj qhuav squid. Kuv tsis tuaj yeem hais tias peb hlub lawv, tab sis lawv tau … xav paub. Thiab squiddy.

Kuv tus poj niam thiab kuv ob leeg tau qhia rau ib lub tsev kawm ntawv Asmeskas uas muaj cov tsev kawm ntawv thoob ntiaj teb ntawm Asmeskas kev teeb tsa tub rog. Qhov kev kawm zoo tau qis, thiab kev tswj hwm qhov zoo txawm tias qis dua, tab sis peb tau mus ncig. Hmoov tsis zoo, peb tsis tau nyob hauv Kauslim ntev. Peb tau pauv mus rau Tokyo thiab tom qab ntawd Okinawa, thiab thaum kawg, peb tau tsiv mus rau ib lub nroog me hauv Ohio.

Peb yuav tsum tawm ntawm Ohio sai sai!-yog li kuv tau ua haujlwm hauv Dubai. Los ntawm lub sij hawm no, peb muaj ob tug me nyuam thiab nyob rau hauv ib tug khoom kim heev high-ceev nyob rau hauv Deira, nyob rau hauv lub plawv nroog. Peb lub tsev apartment muaj ib lub pas dej da dej, kub tub, sauna, massage rooj zaum, me nyuam zaum, chav ua si, gym, thiab chaw ua si. Lub tsev tau txuas nrog lub khw muag khoom, uas yog Dubai heev. Peb tuaj yeem mus yuav khoom noj, mus saib yeeb yaj kiab, lossis noj hauv tsev noj mov tsib hnub qub yam tsis tau tawm hauv tsev. Tsis muaj qhov chaw caij ski lossis lub tsev khaws puav pheej hauv qab dej, tab sis tseem.

Ib yam peb tsis muaj yog zaub mov Korean, thiab peb nco nws.

Kuv tus ntxhais hlob tau ua phooj ywg tshiab, Eun-Ji. Nws yog neeg Kauslim, thiab nws tsev neeg nyob sab xis ntawm lub tsev. Muaj ib hnub, peb pom Eun-Ji nrog nws niam, Yumi, ntawm qhov chaw ua si. Ib sab ntawm lawv zaum ib tug puv tes ntawm ajummas -homemakers, nruab nrab-hnub nyoog poj niam, phauj. Peb tau qhia peb tus kheej, zoo siab siv 12 lo lus ntawm Korean peb paub. Cov poj niam Korean luag nyav thiab nyo hau. Yumi hais lus zoo kawg nkaus yog hais lus Askiv, qhia peb li casphem nws hais lus. Kuv twb tsis txaus siab rau kuv 12 lo lus npliag lawm.

Cov me nyuam khiav mus ua si.

"Peb nyob hauv Kauslim,"Kuv hais. “Songtan.”

"Peb hlub nws nyob ntawd," kuv tus poj niam Maura hais. "Kuv nco cov zaub mov tiag tiag."

"Koj nyiam Korean tais diav dab tsi?" Yumi nug.

"Bulgogi,"Kuv hais. "Thiab chap chae."

Lawv tig rau ib leeg, ntxhi lus Korean.

“Peb yuav los rau ntawm koj lub tsev thiab npaj cov zaub mov no rau koj. Thaum twg yog lub sijhawm zoo tshaj plaws?”

Peb xav tsis thoob, tab sis tom qab ntawd nws pib rov los rau peb. Hauv Kaus Lim Kauslim, yog tias koj qhuas ib tus neeg cov tshuaj tsw qab lossis lub tsho tiv no, lawv tuaj yeem tshwm sim ntawm koj lub tsev hnub tom qab nrog lub txiaj ntsim zoo nkauj qhwv. Ib yam tshuaj tsw qab los yog sweater.

Maura ntsia kuv. Kuv shrugged. Lub sijhawm thiab hnub tau teem tseg.

Rau hnub tom qab, lub tswb nrov nrov.

Kuv qhib qhov rooj. Xya ajummas sawv ntawm qhov ntawd, nrog cov menyuam yaus. Lawv luag nyav thiab nyo hau, txhua tus tuav ob peb lub hnab khoom noj thiab cov khoom ntawm Tupperware. Kuv hais nyob zoo thiab cia lawv mus, txhawj xeeb yuav tsis muaj chaw rau txhua tus hauv peb chav ua noj.

Raws li nws tau muab tawm, qhov loj ntawm chav tsis muaj teeb meem. Cov poj niam tau nqa lub qhov cub nqa tau roj thiab ob lub woks loj tuaj rau hauv pem teb chav noj mov.

Peb cov me nyuam mesmerized. Ua noj hauv chav noj mov? Giant woks?

Ib tug tub rog me me ntawm cov poj niam Kauslim teeb tsa riam thiab txiav cov rooj rau ntawm lub rooj noj mov, chop zaub thiab ua haujlwm ua ke zoo li lub tshuab roj zoo.

Chap chae yog ib qho sib xyaw ntawm iav noodles, nyias nyias nyias, qej,sesame noob, ntses ncuav, thiab zaub. Cov noodles yog creamy thiab qab heev. Bulgogi txhais tau tias hluav taws nqaij hauv Korean. Nws yog ua los ntawm cov nqaij marinated, feem ntau yog nqaij nyug. Yog tias koj noj ntawm lub tsev noj mov Kauslim, cov nqaij thiab cov zaub mov yog grilled ntawm koj lub rooj. Thaum txhua yam siav, koj muab tso rau hauv ib lub loj romaine nplooj, dov nws zoo li burrito, thiab noj. Txias, tshiab lettuce yog qhov zoo sib xws rau cov nqaij sov, ntsim.

Yog kuv cov me nyuam xav tias ajummas txawv txawv, cov poj niam xav tias kuv yuav los ntawm lwm lub ntiaj teb. Nws yog hnub Tuesday thaum 1:30 tav su. Kuv hnav sweatpants thiab ripped t-shirt. Vim li cas kuv tsis ua haujlwm? lawv lub ntsej muag tsis meej pem zoo li ntxhi. Vim li cas kuv tsis hnav ib ce?

"Koj tsis ua haujlwm hnub no?" Yumi nug.

"Kuv tau tawm yav tav su."

"Koj txoj haujlwm yog dab tsi?"

“Kuv yog ib tug xibfwb. Lus Askiv.”

"Auj, kuv pom." Nws txhais rau qee qhov ntawm lwm tus. "Koj tuaj yeem so thaum tav su yog tias koj xav tau?"

"Nws tsuas yog sijhawm ua haujlwm xwb…Kuv tuaj yeem teem sijhawm dua."

Lawv ntsia kuv zoo li kuv yog ib tug tub nkeeg slab uas tsis ua hauj lwm hnyav txaus los yog hnav zoo txaus. Kuv txhais tau tias muaj tseeb, tab sis lawv tsis paub qhov ntawd.

"Thiab kuv xav kawm ua zaub mov Korean,"Kuv hais.

"Koj yuav nyob ntawm no?"

"Kuv tsis nyiam ua noj," Maura hais.

Lub ajummas 'qhob muag muag, dubious glances, thiab ntxhi hais rau kuv tias lawv xav tias qhov no yog qhov txawv thiab tsis yog kev lom zem, quirky. Tus txiv neej yuav tsum ua si golf hauv nws lub sijhawm dawb lossis haus dej ntau dhau nrog cov npoj yaig. Tsis ua noj. Qhov ntawd yog poj niamua haujlwm.

Kuv ntsia Maura, uas luag ntxhi, txaus siab rau qhov tseeb tias ib pob me me ntawm cov poj niam Kauslim pom meej tias kuv yog ib tug neeg dag thiab tej zaum tsis yog txiv neej tiag. Kuv emasculation tau lom zem heev rau nws. Nws tsis yog qhov lom zem rau kuv.

"Koj qhia hauv tsev kawm ntawv twg?" ib tug poj niam nug.

Kuv qhia nws lub npe. Nws yog tsoomfwv lub tsev kawm ntawv rau cov ntxhais Emirati. Lub tsev kawm ntawv muaj lub koob npe zoo hauv Dubai. Nws yuav tsum tsis muaj, tab sis nws tau ua.

"Ah, zoo, zoo heev."

Tus poj niam luag ntxhi. Lawv txhua tus tau ua. Tej zaum kuv tsis yog neeg phem li ntawd, lawv tau xav.

Maura nug yog leej twg xav tau kas fes, uas lawv tsis lees paub. Lub ajummas pib qhib pob khoom noj thiab chop zaub ntxiv.

Kuv sawv ib ncig saib zoo li tus neeg ruam, xav tias kuv yuav hnav lub tsho tshiab thiab kuv lub tsho "zoo" sweatpants. "Kuv pab tau li cas?"

Cov poj niam luag nyav, nrog txhais tes ua siab zoo rau pem hauv ntej ntawm lawv lub qhov ncauj los tuav lub luag.

"Koj tsis tas yuav pab."

"Tab sis kuv xav."

Yumi, Ajumma-in-Chief, sighed yuav luag imperceptibly. "Koj tuaj yeem ntxuav cov lettuce."

“Okay, zoo heev. Kuv mam li paub qhov tseeb."

“Tab sis ceev faj. Txhob rhuav nplooj."

"Thiab nco ntsoov siv dej txias!" ib tug hu tawm. "Tsis txhob siv dej sov!"

Ib tug poj niam luag ntxhi. Lawv nyiag qhov muag ntsia rau kuv tab sis sai li sai tau averted lawv ob lub qhov muag. Kom meej meej, kuv zoo li hom neeg ruam uas tau yaug lettuce nrog dej sov, ua rau nws qaug zog thiab tsis muaj sia. Tab sis qhov ntawd tsis ncaj ncees kiag li. Kuv tsuas tau ua li ntawd ob pebkaum ob zaug, thiab nws tau ntau lub lis piam txij li ntu kawg.

Tsis ntev, cov ajummas tau squatting los ntawm qhov cub roj, cua sov roj, ci nqaij, thiab zaub, nplawm lub khob noodles.

Kuv saib lawv ua noj thiab nug ob peb lo lus nug. Kuv tab tom kawm.

Thaum cov zaub mov npaj lawm, cov me nyuam los hauv chav pw. Ajumma hlob ua ib phaj rau sawv daws. Nws hnav daim ntaub paj ntaub thiab tsis noj dab tsi nws tus kheej.

Cov me nyuam zaum ib ncig ntawm lub rooj noj mov. Peb tus so tau sib sau ua ke hauv chav nyob nrog daim phiaj ntawm peb lub hauv caug. Cov poj niam sim tsis txhob luag nyav thaum kuv tawm tsam nrog chopsticks thiab cov iav nplaum nplaum uas ntws nrog roj.

"Qhov no zoo heev," Maura hais.

Lub ajummas nyo hau thiab luag nyav, tsis lees paub qhov qhuas.

“Oishi desu yo!” kuv hais. “Nyob zoo!” Qhov no qab qab heev, kuv qhia koj. Zoo heev nawb!

Cov poj niam ntsia kuv ob lub qhov muag nkhaus. Nkawd ntsia ib leeg thiab qw nrov nrov.

Kuv tig rau kuv tus poj niam, uas luag. “Nws yog qhov zoo. Koj hais yog lawm. Tab sis koj hais lus Japanese."

"Auj, thov txim." Kuv ntsia cov poj niam. “Qhov no zoo heev. Ua tsaug ntau.”

"Kev txaus siab yog peb li," Yumi hais.

Peb cov zaub mov tiav lawm. Tom qab ntawd, kuv tus poj niam ua kas fes, thiab peb tham ib pliag. Cov poj niam zoo li so thiab txais kuv. Kuv tsis phem heev, txawm tias kuv tub nkeeg thiab hnav khaub ncaws txaus ntshai. Los yog tej zaum lawv tsis tau luag kuv txhua lub sijhawm, kuv xav. Tej zaum kuv tsuas yog paranoid xwb. Lawv tsis tau luag rau kuv lossis txawm nrog kuv. Lawv luag los ntawm kev txaj muag thiabkev ntxhov siab, zoo li txoj kev kuv nchuav zaub mov thiab rub kuv lub puab tsaig thaum kuv nyob ib puag ncig cov neeg tshiab.

"Andrew yuav zoo siab ua zaub mov rau koj ib ntus," Maura hais.

“Uh, yog…” Kuv ntsia nws. Ua tsaug rau kuv pab dawb. “Tau kawg. Kuv xav tau."

"Nws tuaj yeem ua Italian, Tex-Mex, Khab…"

The ajummas conferred.

"Koj puas tuaj yeem npaj zaub mov Fabkis?" Yumi nug.

“Muaj. Koj xav li cas? Coq au vin, nyuj bourguignonne, dos soup?”

"Nws zoo mloog heev. Txhua yam koj ua yuav ua tau."

Txais tau? Qhov ntawd tsuas yog hais txog hauv kuv qhov ntau. “Zoo heev. Lub lim tiam tom ntej no yuav ua li cas?”

“Yog, lub lim tiam tom ntej. Nov yog ib txoj kev npaj."

Peb teem ib hnub thiab ib lub sijhawm.

Lawv cov lus Askiv tau hais hnyav, thiab peb cov Kauslim tsis muaj, tab sis cov lus ntawm zaub mov yog thoob ntiaj teb. Peb xav tias me ntsis zoo li peb tau dag lawv mus yuav peb noj hmo thiab ua noj rau peb, tab sis tom qab kuv noj mov thiab noj cov khoom seem rau ob peb hnub tom ntej no kuv tsis mob siab ntxiv lawm.