Rudy, "Of course, in Guatemala, Bananas are better" (3)

The reading seeks to point out the major difference between a Culinary Tourist who intentionally seeks the experience of (unfamiliar) foodways of another as opposed to the extended stay visitor who has to deal with the new foodways of the host country. The extended stay visitor is likewise exposed to a more frequent and prolonged exposure to the culinary system which normally leads to greater acceptance of what was previously unacceptable (derived from perceiving the foods as inedible, unpalatable or strange) can lead to a greater understanding of the adopted community as opposed to total rejection which can blight the entire experience. The visitor goes through a number of stages namely:

• The initial reaction to the “foreign” would normally be rejection but circumstances such as limited access to familiar foods, lacking the funds to pay for it, or when the food is prepared for you forces the visitor to at least partake in the less “offensive”.
• An intense longing for food that reminds them of home leads the visitor to create a sense of “familiar” by recreating recipes/foods that remind them of home. This may even lead them to eat anything linked to their home country although they might have never eaten it at home.
• Acceptance of the cuisine of the adopted country after actually realising the food is enjoyable. Food items that they would have rejected at home even take on new meaning when they notice it “very good” The new foodways become an integral part of their lives. After returning home some will try to recreate the adopted dishes as it has become an important part of there life and the memories do linger.