My Life

A TRAVEL BASED ESSAY ABOUT THE TOPIC: "Understanding a Culture through food".

Am called Muyambabazi Precious male Ugandan. Am very glad to write about the above topic based on my travel experience to the United States of America in 2007. Well, it was in August 2007 when I traveled to the United States (Oregon State,Salem) in the Northwest Pacific coast of the Country. It was my first time to travel outside my Country at only 15 years. The major aim for my trip was Cultural and sponsored by the United States, State of department in cooperation with the "Critical Thinking Across Cultures (CTAC)" thus it was a three week stay. I enjoyed all flights from Entebbe airport (Uganda) to Portland airport (Oregon state).

Not only travel, I explored, researched, learnt and discovered much about a Culture in the United States since all faces I met were new to me. In fact it is from our local African Proverb which says that "A kid who does not travel will ever praise the mother that she cooks best but a kid who travels will discover that the mother does not cook to his or her best since others outside the home for example neighbors cook more delicious food than the mother's". This means that having traveled to the United States, I understood American Culture through their food. First and foremost I met my friend Professor Robert Trapp who was waiting for me at Portland airport. I was very tired and hungry so he took me to a McDonald's restaurant for a meal. We fist sat and relaxed while viewing the menu. Unfortunately I was at sixes and sevens since it was my first time to hear of words such as Homburg, Pizza, Pastor, and Sandwiches. I went ahead asking my friend to explain more about the different types of food that appeared on the menu.

No sooner had he started explaining than the waiter came to our table. He welcomed us with a big smile later started explaining the menu to me. I therefore understood the menu including welcoming, thanking as part of American Culture.