StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Finding Home in Food - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The author illustrates his way of finding home in food. Food is not just ‘food,’ but it is an emotional way of feeling at home. Food is author’s source of strength, and it keeps him connected with his family and home, even when he is hundreds of miles away from them…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.1% of users find it useful
Finding Home in Food
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Finding Home in Food"

Finding Home in Food Since my teenage years, Western food has been a source of great attraction and enjoyment to me. Fast food like burger and pizza had become my favorite since my teenage days. Eating pizza was one of the most pleasurable activities in my young days. I remember going to pizza joint near my school every weekend. Although it was not considered good by my family to have fast food, I used to love it. I was discouraged from going to these joints. However, I used to manage going there with my friends on weekends. My memories are filled with the fun and enjoyment that I have had while going to the fast food joints. I loved the cheese, different toppings and the starters that were all made in Western way. Going to pizza joints made me feel that I was ‘modern’ in my outlook. For me, eating fast food was like being a part of the ‘developed’ world. I used to look forward to going to pizza joints and enjoy the pizzas. So when I got a chance to travel to the United States, I thought that I was going to have the greatest time in my life. I knew that it is the country where burgers and pizzas are found in great varieties and sizes. Moreover, there was no one to stop me from having it. So I thought that my time in the United States will be filled with great entertainment and fun. I thought that I will not miss my home much. However, my journey to the United States proved my thinking completely wrong. As soon as I settled down with my friends, who were from my home country Saudi Arabia, I declared very loudly that I was going to have only burgers and pizzas from now on. My friends laughed and nodded. One of my friends smiled and said “Let’s see!” His attitude was as if he was challenging me. I said “Sure, no more home food.” This statement was a sign of accepting the challenge. So the fun began right from the day I came to the United States. We ordered large pizzas and Coca Cola. As soon as the pizza came, I attacked it. I was holding a can of Cola in one hand and a large piece of pizza in another hand. This was a fast food dream that I was living. I decided to make the most of it. This continued for next three to four days. I was having pizza and burger for every meal. My attraction towards fast food made me think that there is no greater pleasure in this world than being able to eat burgers and pizzas every day. I had thought that fast food is one thing that I cannot live without. Soon I realized that I was wrong. By the fifth day, I started remembering home food. My mind started dwelling on home made food and beverages. On that day, I told my friends that I will order the pizza. I took the number for nearby pizza joint and called them. I went outside my room to avoid my friends from listening to me. When I became sure that no one was listening, I asked the guy on the other end, “Do you have pizzas with Asian toppings?” The customer care guy gave a long “mmmmmmm” and said “No sir, we don’t.” I was quite disappointed and ordered the usual pizza. By this time, i.e. in just five to six days from the time I arrived, I had lost my enthusiasm towards fast food. I was craving for spices and variety in food. Even then I thought that maybe I am feeling home sick and hence, missing the food. I thought that if I have just one dish of Asian food, I will go back to the fast food with the same enthusiasm. However, my heart was saying something else. Fortunately, the confusion between the mind and the heart was cleared very soon. The next day, one of my distant relatives came to visit me. She brought a big Tiffin box full of Biryani, an Asian dish made of rice, chicken and spices, for me and my friends. She said she thought that home made food will make me feel at home. I said it is nothing like that, and that I am quite used to the Western food. My friends coughed to hide their laughter. After all, there was no strength in my statement. They had realized that I was craving for home made food now. However, as I did not want to lose the challenge, I tried my best to hide the truth. Deep inside, I was desperately waiting for my aunt to open the box and serve me what she had got. When it was time for dinner, she arranged everything on the table as it was done back home. We all sat together, arranged the plates and gathered the food on table. The moment she opened the lid of the Tiffin box for serving Biryani, the aroma of spices filled my nose completely. Tears came to my eyes. I instantly remembered home and suddenly felt extremely home sick. I wanted to run away to my home. My mind started flooding with memories of my family having food together, spending time with my mother in kitchen, watching my mother cook my favorite dishes and remembering her serving the food with love. I dived into Biryani instantly. I ate till my stomach was completely full. My aunt had got enough Biryani to set aside for next day, but it was destined to be finished. Late at night, when everyone was asleep, I went to the kitchen, opened the box, and finished every bit of the Biryani. Only after finishing off all the Biryani did I feel satisfied. I realized that my attraction for fast food was a temporary thing. Usually, at a young age, one feels attracted towards those things which are forbidden. Fast food was a forbidden thing. My elders used to advise me to eat healthy food and avoid fast food. I think the idea of revolting against my elders was one of the reasons for my attraction towards fast food. Good things and good advices in life are always taken for granted. It is only when you have to stay away from home that you realize the value of your home. Similarly, the importance and the deep emotional attachment with home food were revealed to me only when I was not able to have it. In a few days, I learnt how to cook. I bought all the ingredients needed for making Saudi Arabian food. I went to my aunt and learnt a few dishes like Biryani, chicken and Kebab from her. This was my way of finding home in food. Food is not just ‘food,’ but it is an emotional way of feeling at home. Food is my source of strength, and it keeps me connected with my family and home, even when I am hundreds of miles away from them. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Finding Home in Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1481217-finding-home-in-food
(Finding Home in Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/english/1481217-finding-home-in-food.
“Finding Home in Food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1481217-finding-home-in-food.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Finding Home in Food

Nursing Home Care

Name: Title: Course: Tutor: Date: Nursing home and Pneumonia Care Introduction The residents of nursing homes would often be transferred to hospital so as to be given acute healthcare services or for diagnostic tests.... Improved technology, fiscal pressures and associated services make it complicated for nursing home residents in hospitals.... The findings of this research would therefore enable nurses to advise accordingly when families of nursing home residents seek advice on where to have these persons treated....
3 Pages (750 words) Research Paper

The Bodyweight of Children in the Asian Community in Manchester

The contemporary UK supports awareness of healthful food selections, but offers modest supervision for parents on infant –feeding habits (Darcy, et al, 2006).... Gregory, et al (2010) indicate that parental feeding styles determine the amount of food intake by the children.... They however indicate that though the implications of too much food intake might not cause immediate obesity, in the long run a great percentage of them end up being obese....
12 Pages (3000 words) Research Proposal

Virtual life damage real life

The fridge and the microwave have replaced the parents in the kitchen because they children can acquire stored food in then fridge and warm them in the microwaves.... Online food orders have also replaced family meal times because the parents order food for their children over the phone or online which is delivered for the children to eat.... Fast foods and home delivery has diminished family meal times and children's homework and plays have diverted to the internet....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Home Care of Elderly Citizens - the United Kingdom Home Care Association Ltd

The paper "home Care of Elderly Citizens - the United Kingdom home Care Association Ltd" highlights that the umbrella group, United Kingdom home Care Association Ltd (UKHCA); represents the growing Small Medium and Large (SME) organisations that are the ground force of social care.... Its own website describes its focus, which appropriately gives reference to its remit: "The United Kingdom home Care Association Ltd (UKHCA) is the professional association of home care providers from the independent, voluntary, not-for-profit and statutory sectors....
11 Pages (2750 words) Research Proposal

The Negative Impact of Junk Food on Human Health

This study, The Negative Impact of Junk food on Human Health, is seeking to create awareness among the general public about the negative impacts of the junk food.... Majority of people in different age groups prefer to consume junk food, despite such foods not being good for their health.... It is something abnormal for people to continue eating junk foods despite the availability of adequate knowledge about the negative impact of junk food on their wellbeing....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

Good Hope Company

This work called "Good Hope Company" describes home-based services for all elderly people with limited mobility.... Good Hope is not just a caregiving company; it is their community and their home.... To come up with a strong company that will provide the elderly with a conducive home service in their home....
6 Pages (1500 words) Case Study

The Target Market for the Business

The probable home they seek will be of basic design and construction and afterward working their way up in the property ladder as their income, family, and needs grow.... The next target group will be customers purchasing a second home who either are looking to downsize or upsize.... nbsp; Another criterion which can be added is through philosophy and lifestyle which may include country or city, a detached or fully integrated lifestyle, an eco-friendly environment or a home with full amenities (Hoagland and Williamson 57-75)....
9 Pages (2250 words) Term Paper

UK Insurers Can No Longer Insure Flood Risks

It is recommendable to have a good policy for the home.... It is crucial for homeowners to have home insurance in order to protect against loss of personal property and loss of home use.... This is likely to force home and business owners to take care of their own business....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us