Mom Troubles

For the second time now, Javiera lectured me about how terrible my eating habits are. I haven't been eating everything on my plate at dinner and for breakfast I usually have just a couple pieces of toast with butter (she would prefer me to have it with jam and dulce de leche...) or an apple. What she doesn't know is that I've been eating delicious empanadas, fruit and granola bars after or before dinner when I'm not around the house! I wish I could explain that I am not "the biggest fan" (total euphemism) of the meals that she has served, but I am afraid that I would terribly offend her. The worst was when she gave me a spoonful of vinegar mixed with soy sauce at 9:30 in the morning before class. She was cooking rice and vegetables in this strange mixture, and because I cringed at the taste she doesn't believe I eat ANY veggies. We also eat dinner around 7 pm every night, which is very unusual in Argentina! Most families have dinner around 10/10:30. I would like to be able to go out to eat with friends on what we call 'Argentime', order traditional Argentine dishes, and still try new things (just without the heckling). Javiera brought my health up again this evening at dinner when she had me try her strawberry jello for dessert even though I said I've never been keen on it. She said, "You are okay, Julita, because you are not fat or thin, but you are so short because you do not eat healthy." I couldn't help but to let out a chuckle. According to Javiera there is plenty of scientific research proving that an unhealthy diet stunts growth. She very seriously expressed concern for my health and from now on she is going to monitor my eating habits. I told her that my parents aren't worried about me and nor should she, but her response was, "They do not care about your health?" Talk about dramatic. Maybe I should change the name of this blog to "Living In An Argentine Soap Opera". Ay caramba!