Recipe of the Week: Hello Dolly Bars - currently in my suitcase!
It has always been my dream to travel to the wonder and beauty that is India. And on Friday, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to do so with my friend Nirali (check out her blog). We will be staying with her family in Ahmedabad, and also traveling to Delhi and Mumbai, for a total stay of 13 days.
And I couldn't be more excited.
But a lot of preparation goes into a trip like this. I had to go to the doctor to have some vaccines and malaria medication, read up on all the places we are going, and, most importantly, pack my bag. I have already packed the basics: my jeans, t-shirts, toiletries, electronics, and all that miscellaneous stuff that I think that I will need. But amongst this plethora of goods, I have packed something that may seem odd.
Food.
Beside my camera and my reading materials in my carry on, I have a package of pretzel goldfish, a box of fruit leather, and a plastic bag of cookies that my grandma made for me. Typical, processed, American snacks.
For some reason, this stuck out to me. Out of all the things to bring to India, why did I feel that need to bring my own food, food that I was comfortable and familiar with? Why did I need the 'safety net' of processed goods? There would be food in India, good food for that matter, but why did I pack my own?
I have decided that in this situation, I unconsciously needed this type of 'safety net' in my travels. I am going to be thrust in an entirely new world and culture, and I needed something familiar to cling to in times of need. They may just be little goldfish, but to me, they can represent much more.
This idea of a 'safety net' is actually something very relevant to Reading Lolita in Tehran. Author Azar Nafisi finds solace in her literature, books that she knows and loves, and uses them as comfort in hard times. While bombings in Tehran are rampant and a potential harm to her family and loved ones, she simply reads. Reading to her, like bringing that food along with me, provides her with comfort and a seemingly safe environment.
It has always been my dream to travel to the wonder and beauty that is India. And on Friday, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to do so with my friend Nirali (check out her blog). We will be staying with her family in Ahmedabad, and also traveling to Delhi and Mumbai, for a total stay of 13 days.
And I couldn't be more excited.
But a lot of preparation goes into a trip like this. I had to go to the doctor to have some vaccines and malaria medication, read up on all the places we are going, and, most importantly, pack my bag. I have already packed the basics: my jeans, t-shirts, toiletries, electronics, and all that miscellaneous stuff that I think that I will need. But amongst this plethora of goods, I have packed something that may seem odd.
Food.
Beside my camera and my reading materials in my carry on, I have a package of pretzel goldfish, a box of fruit leather, and a plastic bag of cookies that my grandma made for me. Typical, processed, American snacks.
For some reason, this stuck out to me. Out of all the things to bring to India, why did I feel that need to bring my own food, food that I was comfortable and familiar with? Why did I need the 'safety net' of processed goods? There would be food in India, good food for that matter, but why did I pack my own?
I have decided that in this situation, I unconsciously needed this type of 'safety net' in my travels. I am going to be thrust in an entirely new world and culture, and I needed something familiar to cling to in times of need. They may just be little goldfish, but to me, they can represent much more.
This idea of a 'safety net' is actually something very relevant to Reading Lolita in Tehran. Author Azar Nafisi finds solace in her literature, books that she knows and loves, and uses them as comfort in hard times. While bombings in Tehran are rampant and a potential harm to her family and loved ones, she simply reads. Reading to her, like bringing that food along with me, provides her with comfort and a seemingly safe environment.
Most people have safety nets, but just in different mediums. For me, it was food. For Nafisi, it was literature. We all like to cling to something of comfort and familiarity, so what is yours? What is your safety net?
I'm reading this in Hyderabad, India. We literally just got back from the store where I nearly cried when I saw processed, Americanized food. I think you're right, food can definitely act as a safety net. When I am rounding out two weeks away from home and my mom and my dog, seeing the food that reminds me of home made me feel like I was just a little bit closer to being home. It didn't connect until I just read your blog, I had just assumed I was hardcore craving a snickers bar, but it's true, food can offer a massive safety net when interacting with other cultures.
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