Mac-and-cheese, anyone?

As a child growing up in Riyadh, I couldn't wait for Saturdays.

Saturday was the first day of the week, which meant lunch would be instant noodles.

Oh, how I would wait.

I remember standing in the kitchen with my mandatory evening cup of milk on any other day of the week and looking longingly at the packets of noodles in the shelf, mentally counting the days till I could have it next. The cheese flavour and the chicken flavour were my absolute favourites. On Saturday, after school, I'd run back to the school bus instead of loitering around talking to friends, and wait impatiently for the driver to get the bus moving. Mom would start making the noodles as soon as I flew in the door, muttering about my love for "junk food".

I loved my Mom a little extra every Saturday.

Today, as a 22 year old woman living alone in Glasgow, I live on instant noodles and mac-and-cheese. "But there's no protein, no vitamins...nothing good!", you gasp. No kidding. Try being a(n international) student in the UK. Food is frighteningly expensive. 6 tomatoes (yes, 6) for £1.49. That's 8.3 Dirhams (AED) and 106.37 Indian Rupees (INR)! For 6 tomatoes!!!

After months of trying not to spend all my money in the first two weeks of the month, I figured I'd have to start living the student-life stereotype. My kitchen shelves now hold boxes of mac-and-cheese and instant noodles. The freezer holds a few bags of frozen vegetables and meat, used sparingly. The fridge holds some milk and eggs...sometimes, I splurge and buy some fresh fruit.

Funny how priorities change with age. I'm living every child's dream, and it's not as awesome as I thought it'd be.

Speaking of dreams, this morning's matinee featured a rather strange combination of Arabic food, make-up, surgery, and talking peas. Go figure.

Bleep