Octopus and the Familiar

I am in a Cypriot cooking class which is a highlight of my week. Several weeks ago it was my turn to do the shopping for the class. I felt confident about most items on the list except when I got to "fresh octopus." I didn't know anything about cooking octopus, let alone shopping for it in Cyprus. Do I buy the legs or the whole thing? Where do I find it? How many days before do I buy it? I was told not to buy it more than one day before the class. I started wishing I had taken my turn a different day. Since I couldn't shop the day before my class, I was left on a wild octopus hunt the day I needed it! To add to the complication, on Wednesdays all major stores close early in the afternoons for the rest of the day.

After an early lunch, I strapped Charis and Gabriel in the car and headed for our closest local grocery store, Costas. It is a small grocery store that manages to pack in a little of everything. Most of the employees don't speak much English. I had heard they occasionally carried fresh octopus. Charis thought shopping for octopus was great! We walked in the store with her chattering about how many legs an octopus had and if they were scary....

All of a sudden, I heard "ya'll" loud and clear. I almost got whiplash as I spun around. There was a large group of young people with brand names on their jackets that I recognized. I tried to keep moving and not act obvious as I strained to listen to their English confirming that their accents were from the US. Here we hear English a lot, but there aren't many Americans. After checking to see if there was fresh octopus (there wasn't), I got up my nerve to introduce myself. Several were Americans and loved Jesus! They attended a Messianic school near the store! Later I found out they were connected to another American girl I introduced myself to when I heard her American accent.

I left in search for fresh octopus at the next closest grocery store which was 30 min away. I was surprised at how excited I was at meeting these people. I am sure a big reason was that they loved Jesus! Another reason hit me though. Most of what is around me is different than where I lived for the last 14 years and even from my life before that. I drive on a different side of the road. I don't know where to buy things. I don't always know how to get somewhere. I can't always read labels or signs. I can't always communicate. AND I was out shopping for octopus! Sometimes all this is exhilarating, but it can also be exhausting! I realized I walk around craving something FAMILIAR. I realized how things that aren't familiar can also be in a way like the octopus looked to Charis - scary.

In the end I found fresh octopus at the third store I went to and met most helpful customer service person in all of Cyprus. All as the store was about to close. I brought home the meal from class. We all liked it, but Charis ate more than both Joshua and I combined. Through it all I became a little braver.