Too hot to handle…Please proceed with caution!!

    To many people throughout the world, India is known for its spicy food. Food so spicy that many foreigners begin to sweat at the mere thought of digestion. But after having been in India for nearly one month, our tender American palates have begun to change and adapt therefore our spice tolerance has increased. To test our new abilities, on our last night at RASTA we were provided with Kandari peppers and for those who don’t know about Kandari peppers, it is probably for the best, they are incredibly hot.

    Megan and Sid immediately partook in the challenge by eating two peppers in a row. Sid, a native Indian slowly began to sweat, with regret streaming out of his eyes. Whereas Megan, a native Minnesotan handled the peppers cool, calm, and collected providing ample evidence of her iron stomach and inspiring many of us to eat the peppers as well. After watching the aftermath of the peppers on Megan and Sid, a second group decided to partake in the pepper challenge; myself being one of them. I can’t speak for the entire group because I believe that everyone had a different experience but I can speak of my own experience eating the pepper. The second I bit into the pepper a fire erupted in my mouth and my first instinct was to immediately eject the pepper but my pride prevented this public humiliation. Next my eyes teared, my face sweated, and my mind raced with regret. Finally I was able to swallow the burning ball of fire and thought the worst was over but the second I allowed this thought into my mind it was instantly proven wrong again. From the core of my stomach the fire begins to grow until for one moment I thought I might actually breathe fire. This feeling lasted for nearly half an hour but the nausea followed lasted well into the night.

   The mere thought of attempting this feat again hurts my soul. Therefore I feel that recognition must be given to those poor/brave souls who partook in the pepper experience. Nazzer ate 3 peppers at one time (completely unthinkable), Megan and Sid each ate two peppers, and Jericho, Roshen, Alex, Jean Paul, James and myself all ate one pepper. Though I immediately regretted my decision to eat the Kandari pepper I am confident that I will look back at this time and laugh or possibly be able to pin point this exact moment as the beginning of the end for my stomach lining.