Some other changes

Another major change was that of my food habits. In India we were used to eating only Indian cuisine when we were growing up, specially for our main meals - lunch and dinner. For lunch the main ingredient was rice which was consumed with a few vegetable preparations and fish. For dinner we frequently had tortilla-like freshly made bread called roti which we ate with vegetables with gravy, a meat curry and so on. The drink with these meals were always water. Tea, (hot and always served with milk and sugar), was made for breakfast and afternoon snacktime. In our house we had toasts for breakfast and fruits and other Indian snacks were served during afternoon teatime betrween 4 and 5 p.m.. Growing up with with this type of food I had to learn to adjust to different kinds of food preparation and meals. In the beginning I thought it rather strange to eat just baked or fried pieces of meat without any spice and call those 'chops.' In India a chop was deliciously spiced breaded and fried. It could be either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is very similar to what is known here as croquettes. It was also quite strange to eat boiled vegetables with just salt and pepper with the meals. But my husband appreciated western meals too. So with help of our friends I learned to prepare, and gradually to also enjoy western cuisine. Now I really like to have just a salad for lunch and dinner. This is still unthinkable to my relatives in India!! All this has taught me that out habits can be changed with the environment and that the changed habits can be enjoyed as much, sometimes even more, than the habits that one grows up with. I have also learned not to critisize and consider our ways as the only way to do things. There are many different lifestyles in this world. Differences have taught me many things and broadened my outlook. I am thankful to God for letting me have this opportunity.