Tag Archives: Food

Adapting to Spanish Life

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Walking down any street in Barcelona, there is bound to be a store for produce, a housewares store, a pharmacy, and most definitely a ham store. While this list of stores seems a little odd to non-Europeans, it says a lot about the Spanish culture. For one they LOVE ham. Iberian ham is a specialty of Spain and they eat it all the time and in nearly every way possible. Spaniards also walk everywhere so going from store to store to pick up items is just another fact of life. In the two weeks I have been here I have learned a lot about Spain and its people, as well as the culture. Continue reading →

I’ve Been Vegetarian for 3 Weeks!

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So, I have not been vegetarian completely. I have indulged in some chicken, beef and fish a handful of times. Changing diets so quickly was a lot more simple than I thought it would be. Although I have rejected many food combinations I have been very open to the way my host family eats.

Watch Brooke’s video below: Continue reading →

The Connection of Food to Italy

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When I decided to study abroad, one the first things I was really excited to see or rather taste was the food. Nothing ties more countries together than food and to be able to share it with other people and sharing various dishes are some of the few ways to experience cultures without a language barrier. Wanting to be a chef when I was younger has made me appreciate food and taste from different cultures without being picky. Continue reading →

“You are Missing Out on So Much Food”

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To be completely honest, being a vegetarian in a Latin American country is not ideal. While in North America we have a huge vegan and vegetarian movement, the movement has not quite picked up the same momentum in South America. While it is a struggle, it is definitely not impossible. Continue reading →

Tea & Pie

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I have discovered many wonderful things about New Zealand since arriving a few weeks ago.  The people are incredibly welcoming and friendly.  The accents are delightful.  The weather is gorgeous and everywhere you look the scenery is like something out of a movie.  Schools provide dental care for elementary schoolers.  Currency actually has kiwi birds on it.  There are no snakes anywhere in the entire country.  And every morning, at ten-thirty AM, Wakaaranga School has morning tea. Continue reading →

Vegan Journeys

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I’m here to take you on my diet journey. So technically, I wouldn’t say I’m a vegan, but for about five years I’ve cut out red meat and prefer to choose dishes without animal products. This decision was made to improve my overall health, specifically my heart. I began making my own meals and developed a preference for the different replacements. It goes back to one Lenten season, a Christian tradition, taking place six weeks before Easter. My sister and I went vegan. After Lent was over, I didn’t realize I had developed a preference for vegan replacements and meat wasn’t as delicious as it was before. Until I came to Korea, I hadn’t realized how easy it was to be vegan in America; and even easier in my hometown in Southern California. Spending summer in California didn’t necessarily prepare me for the diet change I would have to make in Korea. Continue reading →

Dating Seoul

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It feels like it’s been years since I first applied and got accepted to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea. Midterms were last week which made me really think about how far I’ve come. I’m finally at the halfway point of the semester, and I guess you could say I’ve survived! I’ve prevailed! I’ve- whatever you wanna call it! In between studying of course, I would spend the week reflecting on how my lifestyle has changed from the first weeks to now. When thinking about my experiences here in Seoul, I couldn’t help compare it with a new relationship. This may sound strange, and I’m not saying I’m literally dating Seoul, but I think it fits perfectly as a metaphor. I’ve gone through three stages of the relationship so far. First stage, the awkward phase, second, the lovey dovey phase, third, the comfortable phase. There may be better names for these phases, but I’ll use these for now.  Continue reading →

Snack Time

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This has been a big request for a while now. One of the most popular aspects of Japanese culture is the food, and I knew that a blog post composed of the types of things I’d eaten would be inevitable. When I told people that I would be studying in Japan, one of the most common responses- and questions- would revolve around Japanese food. Either about how they loved it or wanted to know if I liked it. I do love Japanese food, but now that I’ve been living here for so many months, I see it in a different light. It’s no longer “exotic” or “specialty” to me, because it has become a staple in my everyday diet. Not to mention the fact that there are so many types of dishes- some that I had never even heard of until arriving here- that I’ve only started to try. As there are many great things to eat, I realize that one blog post will probably not be enough. Perhaps I’ll add more in the coming days, but for now, enjoy some of my favorite dishes that are common in Tokyo. Continue reading →

Bittersweet

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This past week I have been able to get back into the swing of school. My feelings have been up and down as we are quickly approaching the end of the semester. I am surely not ready to leave Florence, but I am more than thankful for this journey. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to travel if it ever presents itself. You can read about new places and even see beautiful places on television, but absolutely nothing can replace the feeling you can get from traveling. Continue reading →

Visa: Processed and Ready to Rumble

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Dobry Den!

I got an email from the Embassy of Czech Republic in Washington D.C. It highlighted that my visa is now ready. I was super excited to hear good news and I really needed it. Now I can worry less and enjoy my stay in Prague. Continue reading →

And Just Like That We are Halfway Through

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Time has gone by so quickly. Everyone warned me of this that in a blink of an eye this will all be a memory. Excuse me while I already tear up at that thought! We are halfway through the semester and midterms are in absolute full swing. I have spent the past week drowning in work and studying. But everyone needs a break right!?

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A Vegan Living in Rome

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Why would you do that? Isn’t it so hard? Do you hate yourself? Where do you get your protein?

Those are the questions I get when someone finds out I am a vegan. Its usually followed with statements about how God put animals on the earth for us to eat, or that I am going to get sick and die if I don’t eat meat. The conversations then end with jokes being pushed back and forth and then a few eye rolls. But this was before I moved to Rome. Now, being in Rome, people are absolutely outraged by my choice to not eat any dairy, eggs, fish or meat. Continue reading →

A Little Taste of Comfort and Home

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“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and new colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

I stumbled upon this quote this week during my daily visit to Pinterest. I am not going to even begin to sugar coat this, it hit very close to home. I teared up a little bit writing this. Continue reading →

My Last Month in Italy

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33 days left in my time studying abroad in Florence, Italy! It was not until one of my roommates pointed this out this past weekend that our time abroad has been flying by! It is unbelievable how fast time goes when you’re having some fun. Studying abroad is intriguing, nerve-wrecking, exciting, and leaves you speechless, all at once. Although I am now biased towards studying in Florence, studying abroad anywhere will change your life and I highly suggest it!

In the next month that I am still here, my brother is coming to visit, I have multiple presentations and papers to submit, and I also have a few more places to travel to before I head home for the Summer! Continue reading →

Unwinding: Food Culture and Making Time

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This has been my first weekend in Madrid in a little over a month, which definitely made me realize how fast time is flying. Earlier this week, my friends and I finalized our plans to visit the south of Spain for Semana Santa (Holy week/spring break), which I’m so excited for. Thus, having a free weekend to recharge and unwind before doing more traveling next week has been so refreshing and invigorating.

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