Food and the World

 
Is it just me, or is eating an abominable amount of food before leaving a country 100% necessary?  At this moment, I’m eating Teriyaki chicken soba at the Koja Grill in North Philly. 

While I could find Korean food in Panama, I’m going to be surrounded by new flavors, cooking styles, and foods. I’m thrilled. I could also find Panamanian in the US, but that’s beyond the point. Learning about and experiencing a place through its food tells a story without a word.
When living abroad, your diet is either altered or it totally changes. It’s one of the experiences of going abroad that I think is often overlooked. The idea we’re getting used to a different way of eating deepens our overall human journey. It’s not just eating, but connecting with and expanding upon our human roots.
Everywhere I go, the influences of food come home with me and I’ll incorporate new things into my cooking palette. If you don’t cook, you might not get it — yes you experience the food, but when you make that food or incorporate that technique, those memories re-visit you and strengthen your relationship to food and its role in culture, life, and travel.