Culture Chat: Understanding the World through Food

Authored By:

CIEE TEFL

CC2

During my time traveling alone, I’ve found comfort in local flavors. With each bite, I feel myself relaxing into the culture a little more. The land feels a little less unknown as the language barriers and cultural gaps melt away along with the rich chocolate on my tongue.

Food goes beyond a meal or recipe, it’s about traditions, social philosophies, and history, and it’s a passion for it runs deep in my family. Whenever we would travel, we would plan our vacations around our meals and allocate a good portion of our budget on eating out. We'd pick locations famous for its food and ensure to try all the delicacies. As an adult, I’ve continued this tradition in my own solo adventures. Food has since become my best icebreaker in a new country, an excuse to walk miles in a foreign city, and a way to understand the local culture better. Gelato doesn’t just exist for tourists’ Instagrams, it serves a purpose, I intend to discover it-- to learn the story behind the meal.