Seeing the Lighter Side


by

5 things I’ve learned from 2 days of doing #RationChallenge

I’ve completed 2 full days of eating the same rations a Syrian refugee eats in a Jordan refugee camp. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

1. I’m tired

I expected to be hungry, and I am, but not famine-level hunger.

What gets me most is a real lack of energy. The food that I’m eating is enough to keep me alive, but I’m light-headed and all I want to do is sleep.

There’s a whole lot of rice – which is filling – but very little protein. No fruit, a tiny amount of vegetables, no sugar and no caffeine or ‘superfoods’ to pick me up.

2. Making food takes effort

That may sound like a stupid statement, but there is very little in the ration kit that you can open and just eat.

The dried lentils have to be boiled for an hour. The dried chickpeas need to be soaked overnight and then boiled. Rice and flour need water and heat to make them edible.

#RationChallenge #Day1 Breakfast #EatLikeARefugee

A photo posted by Rebecca Bowyer (@rebeccabowyerwriter) on

3. Rice is really boring

Rice and butter chicken – ace. Rice with sweet and sour pork – mmmm. Rice with coconut milk -heaven.

Rice with a couple of teaspoons of chicken stock, 6 kidney beans and a few slivers of capsicum? Nup. Not so much.

4. Any food tastes really good when you’re hungry

By lunch time on Day 2 I didn’t care that it was just rice with a few beans and a bit of capsicum. I savoured each mouthful, chewed slowly and made sure I got every last grain in the bowl.

And that hot cup of black tea that I made to go with it? Out of the same teabag I’d already used for 2 cups of tea that day? Heavenly.

5. Those sardines are starting to look mighty appetising

Make sure you’re following along on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Tomorrow is sardine day…

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Comments

  1. I honestly don’t know if I would have made a full week, I’m in awe of you and Em (the people I know doing it) and how well you did. It certainly is an eye opener, that’s for sure, and definitely makes me check my privilege!
    Belatedly catching up from #teamIBOT

  3. I love sardines! Especially on toast, but I guess you don’t have any of that either! I am impressed by the value added teabag and humbled by the whole ration challenge. I feel hungry just thinking about your rations yet a bit sickened by my privilege. You’re doing an ace job!

  7. So it’s the rice that’s killing me – so bloating and I feel blah. Because of what I did before this I am used to feeling tired, eg no protein dairy but I’m missing my green smoothie and tasty garlic and onion soups. It’s way easier than I thought it would be and it’s nearly day 4! I’d say by Friday though I’ll be OVER it. (I have sugar which does help though – I put it in flat bread and it’s my breakfast with warmed rice) x
    Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted…News story: A mum’s shocking road rage incident on the Gold Coast’s M1My Profile

  10. It sounds really hard. To be honest, it’s the sardines that put me off trying this purely because I don’t eat seafood generally- makes me queasy. Very first world of me, I know!

    • I’m salivating at the words SOY SAUCE. Mmmmm what I wouldn’t give for a condiment or 5…. Tell your teen to do Ration Challenge and raise some money! 😉