Don't Eat Pig Meat in Helmand

On the first day of my arrival, I had lunch at the PRT with Ben. Quarter past twelve the electricity shot down and the water too. When Ben was talking about electricity outage I understood how much it is hard for them but for me it seemed normal because I have spent years and years without electricity and water.

We went to the tent, where food served. Ben directed me from where to start taking food. We went to the table where there was a gentleman who ate his food already. I was almost to start eating my food, suddenly a middle aged man with beard asked me in Farsi: Are you muslim?, of course I am Muslim, I answered him. Why you took pig meat? He asked me. Where is the pig meat, I can’t see it, I said to him. He showed me a few small piece of pig meat which was mixed with salad and he left me with cold disappointing words and murmuring: This is my job to tell you that you are muslim, and with eating this dirty food you make yourself nasty.

I couldn’t believe this behave, I looked at Ben and his friend who was sitting in front of me. They said nothing I really ashamed when the guy asked me to not eat that food. I was anxious because I felt he insulted me, Ben and his friend. Why I should not eat the food that my friends eat? Why that should be happen in such places.