To be honest, in Ireland I avoided most of the pitfalls that lead to culture shock. Everyone speaks English and while they are key cultural differences, none of them are overwhelming. However, in my first few weeks there, one problem did emerge. Ever since I was little, I’ve been prone to ‘hangriness’, when I don’t eat what I want when I want it, I get ‘hangry’. While most food options are available in Ireland, sometimes it’s just not the same as it was at home.
While many of the food differences are not life changing, the lack of American style peanut butter, the scarcity of black beans, and non-existence of Kraft mac n’cheese, adds up. For me, this all came to a head when I got a cold about 3 weeks in. I wasn’t feeling well and I just wanted to same canned soup my mom makes at home.
Luckily, I got over my food freakout once I realized it was about homesickness. I’ve learned to be more open minded and try new things. Just last week I bought a box of Weetabix expecting bran flakes, only to discover it’s a biscuit-cereal thing? During the first weeks, I was here, I would have been irrationally upset about my cereal mishap, but instead I learned to enjoy Weetabix. In fact, I’m going to have to look where I can find them in the States!
