Katxupa vs. Cheeseburgers

Throughout our trip, we have enjoyed dishes prepared with fresh vegetables, meat, and rice bought at local markets. Therefore, my experience with the restaurant culture has been very different. As a large group, we have experienced long waiting times even with meals advertised to be fast food. This week I have been thinking a lot about perspective and its true definition. As I have thought about how appreciative I am to live in the United States, I have found myself rethinking my American perspective and making an effort to understand the Cabo Verdean perspective. When having a conversation with a student studying English at Santiago University, I was asked if I enjoyed their famous dish, katxupa. I responded that it was not my favorite and I was missing some foods from home. For example, I think I would pay over twenty dollars for a cheeseburger from cookout. However, when she explained to me that she preferred Cabo Verdean cheeseburgers over American ones, I was truly shocked. To her, the difference was that their meat was reliable. It was unprocessed and fresh versus artificial and filled with unhealthy tasty flavors. Once I thought about why she enjoyed this food I was able to expand my perspective to beyond just wanting to receive food within less than five minutes. Instead of questioning why anyone wouldn’t want to live in a country where you can receive food so quickly that is so tasty, I began to see answers to the question of why someone would want to live in a country that has a culture of fast food. As I have spent more time here, I am beginning to open my mind to see different perspectives. Because of this, I am thinking outside of my American bubble and being open to learning and discovering more about how truly beautiful and wonderful Cabo Verdean culture is.