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      08-19-2013, 05:53 PM   #22
tony20009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nullrouted View Post
Why are we talking about/eating this third-world food...Don't we all usually suffer from first world problems? For example, which cut of beef to select from the handy leather bag that steaks come in (AKA, cow)
Yes, I do pretty much exclusively have first world problems.

I often travel to and work in India and China, and in China especially, one can come across some crazy foods. It's also very possible that you find yourself a guest in someone's home and out comes some dish they are offering in great homage to you. This can especially happen if you meet locals and become friends and they end up inviting you to join them on a trip to their family's home. Trust me, I learned the hard way. Fortunately, I didn't know what I was eating, and it did taste good. After learning it was tripe I ate, I had to admit that even the texture wasn't what I'd have expected. I would eat it again, but I won't ask for it.

The same sort of thing can happen in many non-Western countries. In India, I have eaten things I don't want to eat again, but mostly because it made my tongue burn for hours. Overall, India's not as well developed as China, so you can at times suffer the same issues as the locals. For example, finding potable water in certain places. As a business traveler, this is unlikely in your daily routine, but if you venture off on your own to just explore and experience the native culture, it can.

That said, I think even the most distressed person in the world probably won't be putting mice in a wine bottle. But it's probably not a bad idea before arriving in a new country to find out what the "weird" foods are. At the very least, you'll be prepared to feign an allergy to something before it's offered to you. It's also a good idea to listen to and recognize the names of the common foods you might find objectionable, just so you don't think locals, with their accent that is new to you, are saying, I don't know, pizza instead of piss, or something on that order. One thing's certain in many places: if you say yes, you will very probably have to eat it.

All the best.
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Tony

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