Of expatriates and their (dis)like for local cuisine
Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore was probably honest when he said on a national TV that he does not like Kenyan food as much as his remark might have piqued some locals.
Today’s global economy means that many expatriates can easily order their favourite cuisine from back home.
Whether it is a particular kind of meal that they can get in a convenience store or a take-out meal from their favorite fast-food joint, expatriates throughout the world now find it easier than ever to lay their hands on their favourite food.
While this is great some of the time, far too many expats stick to the same old staples all of the time and really do miss out on experiencing some of the more interesting sides of life in their host country’s cuisine.
In no better way were the bitter reactions expressed than on Twitter where Collymore became a trending topic for the better part of Wednesday with users using the platform to chide the Safaricom boss.
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
Yes you are a Kenyan and you like your Mukimo, Githeri, Nyama Choma and all the local delicacy’s our beautiful country has to offer.
Put yourself in Bob’s shoes, would you eat dog meat if you lived in China or Korea or drink snake wine, snake-infused spirits which are believed to offer a number of medicinal benefits, including boosted libido if you lived in Thailand?
In Italy, the home country of pasta, pizza and all things delizioso is also home to casu marzu, which is sheep’s milk cheese containing live fly larvae.
The insects eat the cheese then excrete it back out, softening and enhancing the flavor. It’s then up to you whether you want to eat the cheese with a light dusting of maggots or without. Apart from the Pizza which everyone likes, would you eat casu marzu?
So let Bob be because he’s the type of expatriate who only restricts his dining experiences to fond favorites from home or to what he is used to.
All we can do is to challenge him to try something new. Not only will sampling some of the local cuisines give him an opportunity to learn more about the country he’s living in, he may even find a new food that he’ll love.