Culture Clash

I have been sick several times already here in Rwanda. Usually with gastrointestinal problems that need no further explanation. When this occurs, however, my host family and I have extremely different ideas on how best to respond. The Rwandan belief is stated to be that regardless of how sick you are you must eat a full plate of rice and beans. I have had one person tell me it is because medicine is poison and you need food to counteract it. Recently though, I have realized that this belief only applies to Muzungu's living in your home. Over the last 3 weeks at least one member of my family has been sick to the stomach each night - meaning that they do not eat dinner and no one seems to care - but whenever I try to take that route I am scolded and embarrassed. Usually the conversation goes something like this:

Me: I will not eat tonight I am sick

Mama: Oya, Ni bibi (no this is very bad) You must eat. Lots of Rwandan clucking and judging noises.

Me: No I insist, I will not eat. I spoke to the Doctor he said do not eat.

Mama: That is a lie. No doctor would ever say that. (Calls over host sibling to speak to me in English)

Sister: You must eat! Mama is very angry. She says she does not forgive you.

 * At this point I get fed up and go into my room and close the door insisting that I am a grown woman who does not have to eat when she does not want to -yes I know Its quite childish but sometimes it is the only thing that works. *

In the morning I am always confronted with Mama praising the Lord (literally) that I am still alive and telling me that she is very angry with me because she could not sleep all night thinking that I would die. The woman is the martyr of the century. 

The whole thing has gotten progressively more obnoxious once I realized that my family is not forced to eat when they are sick. Additionally, the high frequency of sickness supports my theory that it is due to the food being cooked at 7 and then sitting out until 10 until we eat it. I can't wait until I can live on my own! 3 more weeks!