I’m sure more than a few of you grew up saying grace before meal.  Whether religious or not, stopping to be grateful for a meal for a moment is a pretty universal cultural habit that I’ve seen all over the world.  In Kyrgyzstan, we do it a little differently.

As a country where the majority of residents identify as Muslim (I think calling it a “Muslim Country” is reductive and simplistic), Kyrgyzstan definitely has adopted a lot of cultural things from that background.  This is one of them.

I remember my first time encountering this.  It was my very first day sitting at dinner with my host family in Chui back during PST, and at the end of the meal, I wasn’t really sure how to know when it was over or when I could get up.  Then my host mother took her hands in front of her had said “come, let’s omeen.”  I imitated her, and she recited a small prayer while holding her hands sort-of cupped in front of her, before raising them up and covering her face with them, then sliding them down as if she were cleansing her face.

Sometimes, particularly during Ramadan, this is also done at the beginning of a meal.  But usually it’s at the end, accompanied by a prayer that is improvised, and wishes people good health, good fortune, and thankfulness for the meal.

It turns out that this is how we finish every meal here, and even some other things, like yoga.  In fact, it’s a motion that accompanies most prayer here.  When you get on a plane, people will omeen as it takes off, and again as it lands.  When you drive past a cemetery, everyone’s hands will open and they will omeen a small prayer.  Even the driver may make the motion using one of his hands (keeping the other on the wheel, thankfully).

It’s also something of an equivalent of asking to be excused – anyone leaving the table early will quietly say “omeen” and pass their hands over their face before getting up, even children.  In fact, it’s a habit that they sometimes need to be reminded to do.  My family always laughs when my 6 year-old sister will try and leave the table quickly and I’ll chide her, “aren’t you going to omeen before you leave?”

Now, saying grace at the end of a meal is a bit of an adjustment for some people, but I actually like it.  In that state of food coma, you’re especially conscious of how delicious the food you just ate was, and you’re able to be that much more grateful for what you have.  Gratitude is a big theme of being here.

And, what’s coolest about knowing about this is that it genuinely surprises Kyrgyz people when at a feast I bring my hands in front of me to show them that I want to express my gratitude for the food as they do.  It’s a small gesture, but it makes a big positive impression.  Because it’s a moment when I remind myself how lucky and grateful I am to live in such a beautiful and welcoming place.

This blog is part of the BloggingAbroad.org blog challenge, responding to the prompt “Details.”  Learn more at BloggingAbroad.org.