There was something strange about the spaghetti. It was spicy.
I later found out this was because of the hot sauce and cilantro.
But perhaps the strangest thing was the tortillas the spaghetti was served with. That, and the fact it was lunchtime in Honduras.
This globalized world we live in was never so clear to me.
Spaghetti in Central America. Memes on T-shirts in Italy.
Because of the Internet and social media, we can pick up on many different customs from all over the world, and many American customs seep into other cultures.
However, we often only see a watered-down approximation of that culture’s cuisine and traditions.
Go see other cultures for yourself.
Because of this wonderful world we live in, we have access to small tastes of other cultures, but we need to go deeper for a more complete understanding of the world other people live in.
For example, running water is a luxury in many parts of the world.
People don’t worry about locally-sourced or organic food, because most of it comes out of their backyard.
Every particular group of people has their own individual concerns and methods for addressing those worries.
If you don’t have the financial means to go on an extravagant international tour, don’t worry. Fundraising is a fantastic option, and it is often necessary for mission trips.
I didn’t have $2,000 lying around, but some awesome people helped make my trip to Honduras possible.
If fundraising isn’t an option, do some research.
There are ways to travel on a budget. If you can wait to travel for a while, then a savings plan will help you travel with any luxuries you want to budget for.
Even in this globalized age, we can still be isolated in an American bubble.
But you can pop this bubble by seeing your favorite culture firsthand.
Most likely, jet lag will be the worst thing to happen.
Maria McIlwain is the news editor for The Plainsman. She can be reached at news@ThePlainsman.com.
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