Picky Eater Abroad

If you know me at all, you know that I’m a picky eater. I’m talking super picky, like can’t go anywhere without looking up exactly what’s at a restaurant and hoping they have chicken tenders or plain butter noodles. It’s always a constant battle with my family, since I only like a few things, a few restaurants are the only ones we choose from. As I embarked on this journey with top ramen in my bag, I decided to make a promise to myself to be more adventurous. With this came saying yes and going with the flow. My perfectionist personality and plan oriented mind often times holds me back, so this trip I was determined to let go and go with the flow. Now this is easier said than done, but at least the world strides app had a detailed schedule of times and activities (which I soon would learn was false). The first night in Thessaloniki, I embarked on my very first adventure. Dinner. Jet lagged and feeling sick a group off us wandered into the town square and picked a random restaurant to try. Gone were the days of knowing what’s on the menu, especially since I can’t read Greek. Loads of appetizers started appearing and one by one it was soon discovered that I was only eating the bread. A chant erupted, and I got fed a piece of calamari, then immediately gagged it back up. But I tried it. I tried a food I would never have eaten if it wasn’t for a push from my peers. From the first night forward, I tried mostly everything that was offered to me. When I didn’t like things, I gagged them down. I found out my palate was quickly expanding, mainly because there never was mac and cheese on a menu. Things I normally stayed away from became my go to. Instead of plain butter noodles I ordered a new pasta dish each time. This may not seem like a big deal to some but for me it was a big step. On the food tour we took in Greece, I tried every food. In branching out and truly embracing the culture I realized that my fear of something I thought was so big really has been limiting my experiences. I think about times when I say no to going out to eat or trying a new restaurant because I’m scared of what the menu holds. I was limiting myself to my experiences because of food which to me now seems so silly. Sometimes to gain a new perspective all it takes is just being with people who push you to try new things. The perspective I gained on this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life and will impact my future decisions. Now when my family argues about where to eat it’s all about what we haven’t had and what I haven’t tried. Slowly I’m understanding what works for me and what I like to eat and not just what I am comfortable with.