Take your time, worship your food
Kevin Moreau
Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: International News
In France, to enjoy eating is almost a religion.
Cheese, bread and wine build an inescapable holy trinity, backed up by their numerous meal apostles.
The French are able to spend hours for lunch, even businessmen. Most spend twice as much money on food as Americans, preferring often to improve their quality of life rather than save money. It's weird in the United States as, here, time seems to be money, and eating is often more maintenance to stay alive than real pleasure.
French students are not alone in the neighborhood of enjoying or even worshiping food.
Mrzok Alotaibi and Faisal Al Rugi are computer information systems and business administration majors, respectively. They built a strong frame about food as Muslims.
These two Saudi cousins are forbidden to eat pork, drink alcohol and use their left hand during meals; and they must fast one month a year to clean their body and mind.
Despite these strict rules, Saudis enjoy eating with family and friends.
Food is also a greeting gift as hospitality is sacred for them. If you visit a Saudi friend, you will probably be treated to a delicious Arabic coffee served with dates.
Just be sure to have time, because Saudis like to delight their guests with "coffee, then tea, then coffee again," Alotaibi said.
Some French students were definitely surprised when they discovered that Americans don't eat hot dogs and hamburgers daily while drinking gallons of soda.
All right, some do, but many enjoy discovering new cultures and food.
Erin Duffy, MBA student, is an Indiana Jones of tastes.
"I like discovering experiences in other countries…. It's a learning process, exposing myself to the world," said Duffy, who is also the study abroad assistant advisor at the International Center.
In her family, food is prepared together and shared around the same table.
"Food is the happiest way my family connects," she said.
She experienced a tasty cultural clash the very first time she ate with her Indian fiancé's family. That was a big deal for her because sharing their meals made her part of the clan.
Cheese, bread and wine build an inescapable holy trinity, backed up by their numerous meal apostles.
The French are able to spend hours for lunch, even businessmen. Most spend twice as much money on food as Americans, preferring often to improve their quality of life rather than save money. It's weird in the United States as, here, time seems to be money, and eating is often more maintenance to stay alive than real pleasure.
French students are not alone in the neighborhood of enjoying or even worshiping food.
Mrzok Alotaibi and Faisal Al Rugi are computer information systems and business administration majors, respectively. They built a strong frame about food as Muslims.
These two Saudi cousins are forbidden to eat pork, drink alcohol and use their left hand during meals; and they must fast one month a year to clean their body and mind.
Despite these strict rules, Saudis enjoy eating with family and friends.
Food is also a greeting gift as hospitality is sacred for them. If you visit a Saudi friend, you will probably be treated to a delicious Arabic coffee served with dates.
Just be sure to have time, because Saudis like to delight their guests with "coffee, then tea, then coffee again," Alotaibi said.
Some French students were definitely surprised when they discovered that Americans don't eat hot dogs and hamburgers daily while drinking gallons of soda.
All right, some do, but many enjoy discovering new cultures and food.
Erin Duffy, MBA student, is an Indiana Jones of tastes.
"I like discovering experiences in other countries…. It's a learning process, exposing myself to the world," said Duffy, who is also the study abroad assistant advisor at the International Center.
In her family, food is prepared together and shared around the same table.
"Food is the happiest way my family connects," she said.
She experienced a tasty cultural clash the very first time she ate with her Indian fiancé's family. That was a big deal for her because sharing their meals made her part of the clan.
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