Dining with exchange students from half the world

I guess to the Americans, BBQ is a huge affair. Food is prepared in humongous portions, gallons of beers are bought and of course, practically everyone the host knows is invited. Such was the scenario at ACBB; it was like a mini UN conference. Germans, French, Swedish, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Canadians and the Singaporean trio who made this blog possible. Different cultures were exchanged, strange tales and practices of another countries were learnt over mountains of burgers and endless bottles of beers. A burger could make or break a BBQ, at ACBB, the meat patty is HUGE. If the meat patty in a big Mac in Singapore is a size M, ACBB's is at least a size XXXL, Carl's Junior's burger is a hobbit compared to this one. Superbly grilled and surprisingly juicy, the slice of a patty is so thick that you would probably have to break your jaws to properly fit a bite.

What shocked me during the BBQ, was not the exotic cultures from a foreign country, but the huge appetite this German lady Anika. I thought I was the undisputed King in buffet, but alas, I think I might have met my match at last. While I was still on my first plate, she had already started on her third, and when I was too bloated to stuff the remnants on my plate to even the score, she upped the ante by wolfing down another bowl of ice cream. I'm sorry if I let you folks back in Singapore down this time, but I always believe in living to fight another day.


From left: German lady with an appetite to be reckoned with, Anika, cheerful Mexican, Sidarta, Chinese lady, Macy Zhao Yin, and petite French girl, Chloe.


Again from the left: Short haired German lady, Sina, French guy whose name-I-can't-really-pronounce, Macy again, guy from China Hong Kong, Zhao Yoke, reticent chap from Nepal, Birandra,


Still from the left: Tony from I-forgot-where, the trio from Singapore trying their best to do Asia proud, lady slurping spagetthi, whose name-I-also-couldn't-remember (pardon the Singlish here), and Sina again (perpetually smiling).

*There were many more guests who were at the party, but I guess a ravenous appetite has a much higher priority than taking photos (even Jiahao's trusty camera made way for the irresistable burger at ACBB). Hence, I apologise for not being able to feature everyone we got to know that night in this entry. But just to let all my female readers know, the French guys will be able to sweep you off your feet any time.*


Food, from left: Meat patty for burger, a pot of chilli cooking (it's not the chilli we know of back home, more like spicy gracy with bean paste), spagetthi.


Food, from left: Omnipresent at every meal, fries, bowls of salads, buffalo wings and drumlets, tray of shrimp and lastly, close up view of chilli.


Sawyer's triumphant pose.

To me, BBQ is just an excuse to eat food with a less than desirable level of carcinogen and a convenient way to prepare food when the trouble of cooking sets in. ACBB changed that perception. I've made more friends from around the world than I could in a short span of 4 hours. Still reasonably jet laggged, I was really surprised that I could last through the entire BBQ session. I suppose the camaraderie shared by everyone that night was magical and it has etched a lasting memory in my life.