Carbonation into Juice

So, it turns out that my team is amazing, and so intentional. I have this funny little thing where I abousolty hate anything carbonated at all, even if it’s just sparkling water. I can’t stand it, and I have no idea why. But one thing my team does for me, as they know I dislike it, is make sure to get something for me that I will drink. Here are a few examples:

One day we were having a team time lead by the one and only Esme Treadwell, and she decided that she wanted to treat us to some snacks and drinks. Well the drink she bought, and this is so valid as a thing to do, was a big two liter bottle of coke. But, taking into the fact that coke is carbonated, she made me a cup of hot chocolate with chocolate milk mix, and it was amazing and so sweet.

Another time, this story is more funny, but we were at a function with our ministry host’s here in South Africa, and they were serving us carbonated drinks, by placing the bottle on the table and then we had glasses in front of us. Well, I was sitting next to Esme, and I asked her if she thought it would be rude if I just didn’t drink anything, she said it would be, especially because it was carbonated. But eventually we decided that I would just get one poured and Esme could drink it for me, so that was funny.

An example of how much I dislike it, one day I was out with my favorite Lili Burrión, and the very best Sofia Kunst, we decided on Taco Bell for lunch. Well, we decided on a platter for three that came with drinks. So I bought that, then walked over to the fountain and saw like one option, some kind of tea, that wasn’t carbonated. So I got the one that wasn’t carbonated, and prayed it wasn’t. (At this point I didn’t know it wasn’t carbonated). We got our food, and went to go sit down at the table, and I told Lili, through Google Translate, that I was scared to try my drink in case it was carbonated without me knowing, I’m not quite sure she understood what I was saying about being it being carbonated because Google Translate is a bit crazy sometimes. She was like, here try mine, and I tried to say no because I knew hers was carbonated, but she insisted. So I tried a sip, braced for carbonation, and at first it wasn’t there, and then boom, it was. The face I made must have been hilarious because she started laughing, and Sofia did too. What makes this story more fun, is that three days later she tried to offer me coke, and I was like don’t you remember what happened Saturday? And she started laughing and was like yes, and tried to make me take a cup, saying I should have a little, and that was a fun little interaction.

A Christmas story redemption- So I helped shop for some of the groceries, and we got two different drinks for it. One of which I thought was not carbonated, and the other was to be cranberry juice and Sprite. But then, a couple days later I needed a drink, and decided to try the kind we had gotten for Christmas, because I had been told it wasn’t carbonated, but surprise surprise, instead of just flavored water, it was sparkling water, so yes carbonated. I then approached Maggie-Claire the night I tried the drink, and asked her if I could use a little of the budget to get myself something I would actually drink. Well she told me she had a plan for me, so that left me wondering, What was this mysterious plan of hers? She bought me juice, and I love her for that.

Another super sweet way I’ve seen this work out, is at most functions coke is an easy drink, so at most functions I just don’t really drink anything, or I’ll drink water. Well one of the families we met through our ministry hosts invited us to eat with them on two separate occasions. At the first one, they found out that I didn’t like carbonation, and got me water. Then at the second one, they got me juice. All so that I could have something to drink, which was so sweet.

I’m so grateful for the community people God has surrounded me with, and I love them all dearly.