One thing that never ceases to amaze me when I go abroad is how frustrating and draining it can be to deal with food. Here's why.
Food. The sustenance of life. If you're anything like me, you love eating it. And if you're really like me, you enjoy trying the weird stuff that you may or may not know what the ingredients are but what the heck, you only live once, right?
Either way, food being the source of your isolation and fear is not something you'd expect when traveling. And if you're just going abroad to vacation, it usually isn't.
However, whenever I stay for extended periods of time in different countries, I forget how often I take the familiarity of home for granted.
For example. Let's say you decide to ditch the beaten path and go to a more secluded town or side of whichever country you're in. You sit down to look at the menu and whoops, it's not in English (or whatever your native language may be). If you're lucky, they will have a translated menu. But even if you get past that obstacle, you may soon realize your waiters don't speak a lick of your native language either. This is usually where I start to sweat. Of course, you can always point to what you want on the menu but I am fortunate in not having any food allergies or health conditions that might otherwise add to a slowly-building stressful situation.
If this takes a turn toward the worst, your food won't come out right and you have no way of explaining and therefore end up paying for a meal you ate out of pity. This, in turn, deters you from going out again and slowly but surely begins to isolate you from the community in which you're living.
Here in Thailand, eating can be especially stressful because 80% of the food is street food with overwhelming pictures and no English.
**This is where I would like to clarify that I am not mad because there aren't English translations, because you should never go into a country and expect people to bend over backwards for you, especially coming from a country who would do the exact opposite.
**If anything, I am mad at myself for not preparing more and taking extra time to practice Thai.
Thai people are some of the most welcoming and patient people, more than happy to help you figure out what you want but it doesn't always take away the frustration and weariness.
If you're not careful, the fear of food can turn into a fear of culture, language and communication. Before you know it, you're getting every microwave meal from 7/ll (yes they have those here, like, everywhere actually) to avoid the crowds and have the smallest interactions possible.
And let's not forget about the supermarkets. If you're in a country long enough to have to go to a super market more than once, get ready to spend a WHOLE LOT OF TIME trying to translate and read labels. Food products may be organized the same but I feel like I'm playing Russian Roulette every time I try to decide which milk to buy.
When you wander outside your comfort zone, it can be the most rewarding experience. On the downside, it can also be the most agonizing. However, if you take the time to relax, regroup, and practice, it will most certainly become the former. Here are a few of my tips to help lessen the culture shock of food:
1. Go with a Friend
Trying different foods and having someone to struggle with can ease the tension or at least make an uncomfortable situation funny.
2. Get Lost
To avoid further frustration, take a day or at least a few hours to wander around town and find some local restaurants/ food stands/ etc. to try later. The same goes for the grocery store. Get lost before you go on an ambitious hunt to find a place where you get in and get out to eat.
3. Have a Card
If you're worried about pronunciation or getting tripped up in the moment, print out a card with some key phrases you might need to order or explain your dietary restrictions. Then, once you get there, you can have a local help sound out the words with you so you can sound like a pro the next time.
I hope you enjoyed reading along for my food rant! As always, please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.
Until Next Time,
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