EAFY Day 2018

A little while ago, Extend-a-Family celebrated something called EAFY Day, in which the whole organization came together for a day of teambuilding in St. Jacob's market. This celebration happens once per year, and is always held in a different location and has a different theme. In previous years, they have had a Harry Potter themed day, a Murder Mystery, Roaring Twenties etc.

Back when I was a student, I was invited to the Murder Mystery EAFY Day, but I couldn't attend because of school, so this was my first time attending. This year's theme was "Find Your Happy", and we were requested to bring something that makes us happy. I got kind of stressed about this, thinking I might have to do some kind of presentation or something, but it turned out to be really low key. Basically, we listened to a presentation on the history of Extend-a-Family, and then we divided up to do things that make us happy. There were a few scheduled events, like a yoga session and a sign making session, that you could attend if you felt like it, but otherwise you just did your own thing.

I went on a nature walk and played some board games.

In the end I did find my happy though. Sometimes when I'm doing support work, I go to St. Jacob's Market. They have a place called Taste that sells various sauces, including ones that are made with some of the hottest peppers in the world. Taste's schtick is that you have the option of tasting whatever you want before you buy it. For some reason, I keep up with the race to make the spiciest pepper, and have always wanted to try a world-renowned heat, but have been too scared to attempt a tasting while I'm operating in a professional capacity.

This time, I was alone. I told the woman I wanted one of her hottest sauces. She recommends one made of pure Scorpion Pepper extract. She sees that I'm nervous, she brings out a bottle for me to taste. My heart is racing, I know what a Scorpion Pepper is, it's the second hottest pepper in the world, former record holder, hotter than a Ghost Pepper and only beaten by the Carolina Reaper (although a new pepper, called Dragon's Breath is rumored to be hotter). At any rate, this is easily in the top five of the super hots.

I lower the sauce-covered Popsicle stick to my tongue, the sauce lady is staring me down.

"Oh, that's lovely"

I always thought that once it gets to a certain point, flavour is no longer an objective, so I was surprised at how pleasant it tasted.

The sauce lady deflated a bit. "Well, you only tried a bit, if you had more--"

"Oh no I get it, it's a building heat. I really like that, I'll take a bottle."

And this is how I learned that I'm into extreme heat. I've always liked spicy food, but didn't know that enjoyment would carry into the super hots. The flavour and effect reminded me of a hot sauce called Pima (don't know the spelling) which they had in Mali.

In the days that followed, one of the WALES participants was talking about the pepper hierarchy and talking about watching videos of people attempting the Scorpion Pepper challenge. I got to show off my sauce.

My Pakistani roommate tried some and told me I "Passed the Pakistani test". I was at a barbecue with my neighbours from Nepal, which is apparently a weekly tradition now, and they were warning me about some of their spicy food. I bust out my Scorpion Sauce. They bragged about having peppers of an equivalent heat in their country. When people who take pride in having a background that celebrates heat brag about being on, but not surpassing, your level, that's when you know you're hot.

And that's how I found my happy at EAFY Day.