The men were both 1st generation Cambodian men. One had a doctorate from a university in China, the other had a Masters degree in Agricultural Science. Upon arriving here in the 1980s, both were forced to work as cooks at Chinese restaurants due to not being able to show proof of their degrees.
Anyway, I'm doing field work with a professor in my Asian Studies department who is working on an ethnography on Cambodians in our town. To that end, we're working with elders at a community center. I'm spending time observing members of a gardening group that includes the above mentioned gentleman. Today, after watering the plants and what not, we were sitting down drinking tea and were talking about growing various things. One of the men, the former doctor, starting talking about growing mushrooms. Jokingly, one of the people in my group asked if they grew "Happy Mushrooms". The man laughed and said no, but then said he did grow marijuana, and how back at home, they used to prescribe marijuana to patients who wanted pain relief or wanted something to stimulate their appetites. Instead of smoking it though, they brew it in a tea.
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"Don't freeze up girl, you're looking quite a sight." - Adam Ant. "Baby, can you dig your man? He's a righteous man." - Larry Underwood