Port 1 -Suzan Sucro

Suzan Sucro
6 October 2009
Intermediate Composition
Professor Domet
Portfolio 1 Topic 1
A Little Curry Goes a Long Way
I was always a finicky eater; I refused to eat anything besides what I deemed “normal” food. The first time I ate anything out of the ordinary was at the ripe old age of eighteen; it was Indian and it was phenomenal. It still amazes me that having done something as small and insignificant as trying a new food could lead to a complete change in my views and interests in other cultures, thereby changing my identity.
Before my forced Indian experience, I wouldn’t eat anything cultural. I mean I wouldn’t even eat Taco Bell unless it was the nachos and cheese. I was young and close minded; I wasn’t interested in other cultures or their food for that matter. Eating the chicken curry and na’an that fateful winter day encouraged me to try other unique foods. I started eating Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Greek and anything else I could get my hands on. Once I was aware of how great the food was elsewhere, I started to get more interested in the cultural traits as well. It was like accepting one thing caused a domino effect. I developed a desire to travel, and did. I started with France, continued to Germany, and most recently stayed in Mexico. The different lifestyles and cultural values were just as unique and amazing as the food.
My memory, regardless of how boring it may seem, is completely clear and changed the way I view the world. I am a much more open minded person with an eagerness to try new things. Small things can make an enormous impact if they show you a side of yourself you never knew; that’s what trying a little Indian food did for me.