Eating. The iternational language

What is it about new comers that makes us want to feed them? Every time I leave the United States, all anyone wants to do it feed me. At first I thought maybe it was the specific country I was traveling to, like it was a custom. 

But the more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve come to realize it is not just one specific country. You find it in Japan, Finland, Germany, Thailand, Holland, the US. I know my family is guilty of it. As soon as the exchange student steps off the plane, our first question is ‘how was the flight’. The second is ‘are you hungry?’. 

What is the appeal with sharing our food with others? Is it the fact that eating is something done around the world, a connecting point that does not have a language barrier? Or is it that warm fuzzy feeling of sharing something that is yours with a complete stranger? Maybe both? Maybe I’m off base and its something else entirely. 

All I know is that if you are going to travel, be prepared to eat. Isn't that one of the greatest perks of traveling, getting to experience new food in a new environment? Never before did I think I would be sitting at a table where little English is spoken, and even less Thai on my part, laughing, communicating and smiling with those around me. Food is a connection that can be made no matter what religion you are, what time zone you live in, or the color of your skin. It creates bonds that last for ever. I will never again look at Pad Thai the same way.