Food

Food would be one of the most missing elements, once you are in the States. Everyone is on the move. There is very limited time for cooking at home if no guest is coming. Even the guest would most often be invited to restaurants or cafes. In streets, you cannot pass by without seeing a person holding a cup of coffee, tea or carrying a sandwich. Food is everywhere: in the classroom, streets, library, office, buses, market...Most food is in packets ready to consume and easy to handle. Many people just eat out. The family rarely meets to eat together. In the American family, I was told that anyone can open the fridge to eat on his own or prepare it. The Fridge is always full of cans, packages. It is just heat to eat. What is really peculiar in the States, all sorts of international food is available. Stores are full of different ingredients. There are special stores for any community that may live in this country. But, the food is either too sweet or salty.


I am just wondering about the numbers of females in stores, schools? Are they the females' land? Is there any culture associated to this?

Most of the times, as I have learned food is associated with business. The manners of eating are significant. The person would not be hired for not sitting ‘appropriately’, the kind of ordering, the ways of eating, putting and utilizing the table’s utensils including: fork, spoon and Knife; the use of napkin is of equal importance. How to behave vis-à-vis the ladies, sitting on your right or the ladies, if you are the only male around the table?


In our country, we eat just fresh food including vegetables and fruits, meat. All ingredients are so good, nice and tasty. It is healthy food. Probably, that's why some Americans carry extra pounds of weight. Our beast should be killed (slaughtered) appropriately. The beasts must not suffer; feel afraid when they are being slaughtered. They are supposed not to see the knife or blood. They must be treated gently. The bucher must alter the name of God in the beginning of killing the animal. The beast must be made to face the Kiblah (Prayer's direction, the direction of sunrise). We do not eat pork or drink wine no matter what sort or expensive it may be.

Before eating, we say "Bismi Allah' in the name of Allah, after washing our hands. We eat and drink with our right hand. We eat from the same plate, but we can use forks and spoons and eat from different plates. Each one is to eat from what is immediately in front of them. When we finish, we say " Hamdo Lillah' Thanks Allah.