To the Kingdom of Cambodia: Tarantulas and To-do Lists

While I was still at home preparing to be shipped off to Siem Reap, I loved telling people that I was going to try a fried tarantula; a sick twisted idea to most Americans, but a delicacy to most Cambodians. Something about those disgusted reactions made me feel all tingly inside because I was willing to try something they weren't. I've played the scenario over and over again in my head. I see the crispy eight-legged creature and think, "oh that's gross," and then immediately dive right into that juicy thorax. But holy shit, actually seeing this "delicacy" in person is far more intimidating than I ever could have imagined. I have never been so afraid to put something edible into my mouth. And I use the term "edible" lightly.

I recently mentioned how I met another American, from Saratoga nonetheless, and he would be accompanying me on my other-worldly dining experience. We went to the Bugs Cafe, a semi-famous restaurant that serves tarantulas, scorpions, water bugs, crickets, and even bee larvae. For the first time in my life, I was actually nervous to try the restaurant's food. It took awhile to decide what to order (it all sounded so good...), but eventually we both settled on a fried tarantula and scorpion.

For what seemed like an eternity, we waited while our specimens were prepared in the kitchen only feet behind us. I could see the glow of the flames on the wall in front of me and could hear the sizzling and searing of different creatures. Part of me wanted to get it over with, while another part of me wanted to savor the moment. When our meals finally came out, the task ahead suddenly seemed much more difficult than the scenario I had played on repeat in my head.

We just stared at our plates. I'm not sure what we were waiting for, maybe a reason not to eat what was in front of us, so we welcomed the owner's offer to explain exactly what we had gotten ourselves into. With a sophisticated French accent, the owner explained how all the poisonous parts were removed (only 2 people have died), and which parts of the arachnids were the best, and worst. Once we competed our crash course, there was nothing standing between us and our plates.

For whatever reason, I decided to go with the scorpion first. I thought the tarantula was more intimidating, so I thought the scorpion would be a nice warm-up. I started by tearing off one of its pincers, and chomped down with some onion to provide a sense of comfort. The pincer was the crunchiest thing I had ever eaten, and it sorta felt like I was eating a hollow M&M that just wouldn't break. Once the pincers were finished (luckily there were only two), I moved on to the body. The scorpion's exoskeleton gave me another crunchy experience, but not nearly as crunchy as the pincers. I tried my best not to look inside, but I couldn't help myself.

The crunchy exterior was home to a stringy brown paste, and it tasted just as good as it looked. I cannot describe how it tasted, as there is nothing I can compare it to, but I imagine it was my first taste of something "gamey." As I was finishing the scorpion I could not wait until it was gone, and upon finishing I took a big swig of my beer while trying to keep it all down. I was now halfway done with my meal, and I had saved the "best" for last. In a lot of ways the scorpion resembles the first half of my fellowship. Extremely hard, gross, and in some ways I am joyous it is over.

The tarantula was in the form of a "donut," so it was covered in a light brown coating, slightly abstracting what was lurking underneath the comforting fried exterior. Eight long legs served as a gentle reminder that this was in fact a tarantula, and that is where I chose to begin. The legs weren't much of a challenge, as they were thin and didn't provide a great deal of flavor. The body was described as being similar to crab meat by our French host, and I was looking forward to giving it a try. I bit down on the body, taking the whole thing in one bite, and I was pleasantly surprised. It actually did resemble crab meat. The thorax was where I was really nervous, as this was the section of the spider that housed the organs and excrement.

As I watched Dave devour his thorax first, I took one last pre-thorax swig of beer and quickly ate the most intimidating part of the tarantula. Again, I was pleasantly surprised, as I think my grossness expectations were unrealistically high. We both felt accomplished and cultured as we washed out any remaining arachnid parts from the corners of our mouths, and most importantly we both conquered some pretty strong fears. At this point there is nothing I cannot eat. Balut, snake, scorpion, tarantula; I'm proud to say my once very basic pallet has expanded into territory most are unwilling to explore. The experience also put it into perspective that while one culture may adore a particular custom, another may despise or outright reject it.

After our bugs were finished, I learned more about Dave's experience working in Baghdad, and the inner-workings of US military operations abroad. He talked for hours about the topic, and I intently listened to every word. He later apologized for hijacking the conversation, and I made sure to express my appreciation for his sharing of such an interesting tale, and how the art of listening has been lost in our digital age. Too often is our attention divided between what is sitting right in front of us and some pointless cat meme. Before we parted ways Dave confessed that he missed speaking with an American, and I found this to be particularly relatable. In my four short months of living in Cambodia, I have experienced the same longing to speak with someone with common life experiences and language capabilities.

Too often do I find myself struggling to find the right way to convey an idea, or wondering if the person actually understood what the hell I just said. It has been frustrating at times, hilarious at others, and is always a test of patience. Last night TGC director, Judy, took Sydney and I out to a fancy dinner and for two hours, we felt as though we were back in the US. The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant, as well as our conversation with Judy, were able to transport us back to a land I think about every day. There are many things we take for granted, but I never thought simple communication would be one of them.

My exciting experience with feasting on arachnids made me think about the order in which we complete tasks, and the all-mighty To-Do list. Many people like to save the hardest tasks until the end, while others like to get them out of the way first. I would label myself as a student of both schools of thought. In this instance, I decided to save the hardest task for last, which was the shit-and-organ-filled sac of the tarantula. I could've eaten that first and gotten it over with, but sometimes it's best to build up to something like that. For you thesis students out there however, you might find it best to tackle the longest and most difficult parts first. After the biggest hurdles have been crossed, the rest feels like eating a few measly legs.