‘Different Strokes for Different Folks’

Exchanging ideas and culture is like my job right now. I find it incredibly fun and rewarding. Since my language skills are so limited, I spend much too much time speaking about food. One of the first phrases that my host mother imparted on me was instigated when she found out that I drink tea without sugar. We discussed why I might do this and she made all kinds of speculation. The conversation ended with a proverb (I think) that cannot be literally translated very well, but means ‘different strokes for different folks.’ На вкус и цвет – товарищей нет. I love this phrase and use it often. My host mother finds my use of it hilarious and I always enjoy getting a laugh. I would try to teach you all, but I don’t think my phonetic typing of the phrase would be very accurate.

On the subject of tastes and how they vary from culture to culture and from individual to individual, I started thinking of certain tastes that I’ve acquired over the years. Those who remember that far back knew me as a very picky little child. I have definitely come full circle and eat most anything now. But I wonder where and how I made the decisions to broaden or even to narrow my horizons. I have some silly examples in my head, but that’s because the silly occasions are more memorable. I distinctly remember the first time I realized that I hated roller coasters, my first taste of sushi, the first time I enjoyed tuna, and the great taste exposé of beer that I experienced in Germany. Using that example, whenever I meet people who dislike beer, I usually think to myself that the only reason is that they’ve never lived in Germany. I know this is a gross generalization, but I can’t help but associate that location and that culture with the broadening of this particular taste in me.

This has me wondering what tastes of mine could be illuminated or developed here in Kyrgyzstan. My Russian host mother is training me to be more knowledgeable about flowers and, thus, more proactive about presenting them on all sorts of occasions. Also, I already find myself enjoying watching figure skating and musical performances much more than I ever thought I would. I am developing a new taste for chocolate butter. It’s not like Nutella or any other chocolate spread, it’s literally chocolate flavored butter. However, my absolute adoration of all potato dishes seems to be diminishing. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes. I never thought I could get sick of them, but it is a possibility. On second thought, that’s impossible.

I’m sure others could comment on this topic more eloquently. Do you have a specific taste that you developed upon exposure to a new culture?