The Beauty of Food, by Gloria Lee

I went to Spain with some knowledge about the country’s food. I’ve been to multiple Spanish restaurants, where I always ordered tapas and/or paella. I left for the country thinking about all the patatas bravas, sangria, paella, and jamon I would have. Little did I know that I was in for the best gastronomical surprise ever.

I was very lucky in the fact that my host mom was a great cook whose food tastes and interests matched so well with mine. We both shared a love for vegetables and all things healthy. She introduced me to so many different kinds of Spanish foods and always prefaced my first bite with a description of the ingredients that went into the dish and which region of Spain it was typical in.

What I loved the most about my experience with food in Spain, though, wasn’t just the delicious food I will always yearn for. It was the act of eating together. My host family had two young children, so I always ate dinner with them at around 8:30 PM. The dad was always there to watch us eat and talk to me about my day and about everything ranging from my classes to where I had to visit during my weekend vacations. My host mom and I almost always ate lunch together and it quickly became such a precious opportunity for us to learn more about each other and talk about anything and everything that came to our minds.

In America, family meals are just not as important. Granted, there are certain events that make for family dinners that everyone shows up for. However, on a daily basis, they just are not as common. The stereotypical American is constantly busy and on the go, so many foods are eaten outside of the restaurant or outside of the communal dining table. As a college student, I’ve had so many instances when I pushed off meals or ordered food for delivery and ate it in the library so as to not waste my time meant for working on assignments or studying. And I honestly never saw anything wrong with this sort of lifestyle until I lived in Spain for 2 months.

I love that Spaniards take time out of their days to sit down and eat. I love that they stay at restaurants for hours to casually drink their beer or wine and talk with their loved ones. I love that mealtimes are to be shared with those around you. I understand why this is not as much a part of American culture. However, I hope to make it a part of mine because it was such a beautiful and special experience for me.