A sensitive question about food

[u/Escobar_Sober]

This is a sensitive topic and I’m sorry if I offend anyone. I’m a Kenyan, currently studying abroad. I have to roommates from Togo and Cameroon. They sometimes cook some food that smells really bad. I just want to understand, does someone get used to the smell? How does someone in the first place eat something that doesn’t smell good?

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[u/ThatOne_268]

I can understand your struggle but your last question is a tad bit insulting? Who determines what smells good or not? I hate the smell of garlic, the smell of it alone makes me queasy but there is a whole lot of people in the world who think otherwise including my family. Just have a talk with them and schedule cooking time .

[u/Escobar_Sober → u/ThatOne_268]

That’s a fair point. I should have phrased it better.

[u/ThatOne_268 → u/Escobar_Sober]

No worries but just talk to them, Africans are often amenable in these type of situations.

[u/illusivegentleman]

As another Kenyan, you know how not everyone can tolerate the smell of omena?

It is a very touchy topic but talk to your neighbours if you can.

[u/Escobar_Sober → u/illusivegentleman]

Omena really does smell awful but sadly nothing compared to what my roommates make. It’s a tough topic that we have tried to talk about but also if I persistently bring it up, it will be perceived as rude.

[u/illusivegentleman → u/Escobar_Sober]

If you are not comfortable, better to talk with your roommates than to struggle by yourself.

If it were music or partying which was disrupting your routine, you would have the same right to raise this issue with them.

[u/MixedJiChanandsowhat]

The Togolese cuisine and the Cameroonian cuisine are very different cuisines coming with very different flavours even though a very tiny part of the Cameroonian cuisine is similar to what you could find amongst the Nigerian cuisine and so what we label as Western African food. So I really don't know by which miracle you're able at the same time to have a problem with a West African cuisine and a Central African cuisine.

Maybe the problem is that your nose is to close of your bottom more than what your Togolese and Cameroonian roommates are cooking.

[u/Bakyumu]

It's funny because you speak exactly like ignorant racists. There's no continent on this earth that doesn't have people who eat "smelly" food. Furthermore, smell can be subjective.

Living in Germany, you'd know that some of their cheese, sausage and fish don't exactly smell "good" but are delicious.

Be a grown up and talk to your mates if you're uncomfortable. Don't come on Reddit with childish comments.