Maltina

So, before coming to Africa, I was preparing to have eat really gross food. I know that it is totally rude to decline the food that they offer. So I was prepared for the worst. So far I have loved Nigerian food. I really enjoy all the food that I have been given. But there is one thing that I have to work really hard at consuming. There is this drink called a Maltina.
It is non-alcoholic malt drink. Their slogans are "nourishment for life" and they really like to emphasize all the vitamins they have in this drink.
I am not sure I can describe the taste. From drinking this with others, I have heard people say that it taste a little like molasses. I never had molasses nor do I have the desire to ever try. When you take your first drink, you think "This isn't too bad. Not great but not horrible." But then when you have to finish the entire bottle, you realize that it just gets worse with every drink. You find yourself being really grateful when they hand you a cold one, because the only way that it could worse is if it were hot.
It is really a big honor for them to give you one of these because they are almost twice as expensive as cokes. They are pretty proud to give you one when you are a guest. Sometimes when they see you coming, they run out or send someone to get some for you. So you smile and drink. I tried a new tactic of trying to take the biggest gulps I can. I figure that I will get through it sooner that way. Of course, I almost spewed it everywhere a few times. Many times we are in a hurry and you have to finish it before you leave. So we drink quickly and our stomachs are just heavy, which is nice when you are about to travel several hours on bumpy, bush roads.

So you may be thinking that we look nervous in these pictures...we are.