Whether you've done some international traveling or not, I think most people would agree that "taking a spin" around the globe--go ahead; spin your globe a few times and see which countries pop up in front of you--attunes each of us highly to the vast differences that exist between countries, regions, and even neighboring towns. Both psychologists and my personal experiences suggest that we each naturally tend towards "like" and feel somewhat uncomfortable when surrounded by the unfamiliar. For example, how many times have you heard a travel story that goes something like, "I was in Dubai and met this awesome couple from--believe it or not!--the town next to mine; we spent my entire trip together."?
While I definitely do not discount the value of seeking comfort in things we know, I think the challenge of finding something we can all relate to is both fascinating and necessary as sometimes the only familiarity you will have with your surroundings are those new and different things you've taken notice of.
Somewhere between the crocodiles coming out of the Chao Praya River and crossing the street in Bangkok, Thailand; chatting with bearded, wool-wearing fisherman-artists in Alaska; cleaning window glass out of the car, along with the "soccer ball turnip" some kids had been kicking around in Sevilla, Spain; and "investing" in individual squares of toilet paper in post-Communism Lithuania in the public restrooms, I became desperate to find some commonality with the rest of the world. Though seemingly complicated, the answer was actually right in front of me, or rather, on the plate in front of me: FOOD.
