Imagine being immune to culture shock. You’d miss out on so much. And I admit I was growing a little concerned about my cultural immune system, last year. After all, I’ve lived in far-flung cities as disparate as Belfast, Singapore, Auckland, Los Angeles, Warsaw and London. I’ve attended weird and wonderful events like the Rio Carnival in Brazil, a Viking fire bacchanal in the Shetland Islands and the mass water fight that is the Buddhist New Year celebrations in Luang Prabang, Laos. What if I was now culturally unshockable? Had calluses formed on my soul, the hardened soul of the inveterate writer who has seen it all, done it all, and therefore feels nothing at all? Had I travelled myself into a grim state of perpetual ease, relentless comfort and unyielding self-confidence?
Mercifully, this flurry of worry was ended, abruptly, by a visit to Japan. Japan immediately made me feel like a bumpkin, an alien, a clutz and an amateur. The relief was immense. Because it’s healthy to drag ourselves away from the familiar and face the unfamiliar. Feeling like a fish out of water forces us to laugh at ourselves, it nips emergent prejudices in the bud, and it keeps our minds nimble and resilient.
Culture shock – our wholly natural alarm at a new environment, with new people and a new way of life – is the medicine that makes us better travellers, and better people.
Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
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Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
Kimberley Moulton
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
Tom Wallace
We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.
Best in class
The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)
A taste of refuge
Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.
BE OUR GUEST
Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation
Barcelona BUZZ
A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.
HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.
