Napkins

I'm not a big fan of the napkin. Most of the time it seems like a formality that creates unneeded paper waste. It especially bothers me at takeout places when they throw piles of napkins into your bag without asking if you want them. I had a whole drawer in my old apartment dedicated to excess napkins that I never used but couldn't bring myself to throw away.

Here at NPH you won't find napkins at any of the meals. When I get salsa on my hands I usually wipe it on my pants or if I want to spare some laundry I'll wipe my hands on my legs or on my hair (it makes for good conditioner).

I've noticed other kids and staff wiping their hands on other people's shirts after a meal. They do it one of two ways. The first is very blatant, so that the victim knows they are doing it. If you choose this route you have to follow a hierarchy ie. older vs. younger, stronger vs. weaker, encargado vs. pequeno, director vs. encargado. There is no retaliation if you follow suit. The second way is the incognito ambush. This takes the form of a pat or slap on the back, a quick shoulder rub or a kid jumping on your back. If you can pull it off you can bypass the hierarchy, but if you're caught, expect retaliation. I tend to be weary of overly affectionate kids after meals.