Don't be a Dinosaur...

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley

Majestic Great Zimbabwe

One of the best things about living in Europe is the boarders, or lack of. In my humble opinion as a student in living in the European Union, I’m very happy with the creation of the Schengen area. There is a certain freedom you feel, time and money permitting you can travel and see the world- well at least Europe without the hassle of applying for a visa each time you cross a border. Other parts of the world make it slightly more difficult to cross into their borders.

In this way food travels allow us to engage with new ideas. Crossing the boundaries of food allows us to have a glimpse into cultural groups and their food ways. In the past year I have learned about sustainability of food systems and how communities and countries try to achieve the goals of social, environmental and economic sustainability.

My studies here in Italy have taught me to travel. One of our guest lecturers explicitly told us to get out of our bubbles and see the world. Exercise our palates and learn new flavours, rediscover the old ones at the back of our memories. Go places and engage. Try new food. Engage with people. Cross borders (the metaphorical ones, the tangible and physical ones) and have new experiences.

Travel is what I have done, and what I hope to continue to do. I'm so thankful for all the travel opportunities I've had in the past year and the ones that I hope to have in the future. The little that I have seen of the world has allowed me to debunk a few of the myths about other countries.

This means you can have weekend getaways in neighbouring countries. You can drive across the boarder, fly, walk, cycle. Do what you choose. While living in the western part of Switzerland, my family and I would drive the five or ten minutes across to do our shopping in France. It's surprising how just a few minutes away the road signs and street markings are different.

One of the many frontiers between France and Switzerland

In an effort to save some money while visiting Switzerland on a didactic trip our class spent the day in a border town in Switzerland. When our day was over we walked across a bridge that led us into Germany. Staying at a German hotel meant that each breakfast we had was a full on German breakfast: cured meats,fresh fruit juices, breads, yogurt, cheese, pickles- the complete opposite of the simple Italian breakfast of strong coffee and a sugary pastry.

Switzerland in the distance, across the river from Germany

I have been able to spontaneously fly across the border to visit a friend in Paris. It was great, just a short flight and there I was in a vibrant French city.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris at twilight

Living in Bra has its advantages, surprisingly. We are an hour away from the airport so we can get a quick escape (as long as the airport is open and not under some sort of renovations, as it happens once in a while, or if the trains are not on strike). Bra is also just a few hours drive down to the coast, the Italian and French Rivera. A quick spontaneous drive down for a dinner of mussels and French wine. Great things to do with housemates is go on spontaneous adventures.

Azure Skies and Ocean of the French Riviera

What about a business trip to a capital city. Its more interesting when the capital city of the country you live in happens to be Rome. A visit to Rome should be on everyone to do list, at least once in a life time. It’s a historic city waiting to be discovered. When you are there all those history lessons form years gone by about ancient Rome and the Roman Empire begin to make sense. There is something spectacular about seeing the grand structures and edifices for yourself. If you thought they were larger than life in the history books then you will have to prepare yourself  for the alluring grandeur of Rome.

Roma, Italia

In the words of our guest lecturer,Frank, a charismatic Italian-American restaurateur from New York City "Don't be a dinosaur". See the world, and talk to people. A trip to the other side of town or even to the neighbouring city is your start to breaking the boundaries and borders that separate us.

Travel makes you appreciate the place you call home. Yes, you can even appreciate Città di Bra and its 30,000 inhabitants.

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang

Olives for oil

Its funny how the idea of food is universal, but in essence what each individual will end up calling food is very subjective. Sometimes what we call food has a dual role as a medicinal or even used for cosmetic purposes. Take olives for instance. Depending on where you are situated in the world and what you are interested in olives are either an ingredient for food, or for cosmetics or both.

I found myself in this situation and realization a few weeks ago on my adventure in Tuscany. For our last study trip (where did all the time go) our class once again got on a bus and somehow survived a week long trip with each other and a terrible heatwave. Sweltering is the word I would use to define it. It was assumed a few times that since I'm from the beautiful continent of Africa I would be used to this heat. Well, NO! If anything I avoid the sun as much as I can. I had never been so glad to come back to Città di Bra.

Back to the subjectivity. Tuscany is viewed by many as Italy. The romanticized idea of Italy is rolling hills of wheat, vineyards, olive groves and everything in between, but you wouldn't expect geothermal plants. The part of Tuscany we visited had several geothermal plants scattered in the valleys, you would smell the sulfuric residue before you saw the greenish grey power plant. That being said it still was beautiful but not quite what I had imagined.

I was looking forward to our trip to  meet the olive oil producer. I had never been to an olive grove and coming from Southern Africa, olives are something that I had grown to appreciate and still find fascinating. As a fruit, the meaty flesh is bitter and peppery and yes oily. An acquired taste and sensation for many but one I have come to love. 


We met our producer and we were shown around the ancient olive groves. We met an old tree about 800 years old and stopped to converse under the shade of this ginormous olive tree. 

Moving into the production phase, it was a hypothetical demonstration since olives are extreeemly time sensitive and olives are pressed immeadiatly after harvest, literally they are taken straight from the tree to the press. If you take your time the quality of the oil changes due to the oxidation that occurs, changing the organoleptic charecteristics of the olive. In short the quicker you get your harvested olive to the mill the better the quality of your oil. 

After the hypothetical pressing we had a tasting of the olive oil. Always a memorable experience because you are sipping on thick, rich, bitter and pepper oil. While the oil is in your mouth you are supposed to inhale some air through the mouth (make sure you make a lot of noise while doing so) and allow the flavour to develop. Its easier than it sounds. Then you spit out the rather disgusting concoction of olive oil and your saliva.The brave ones swallow but its really thick going down your throat. If you start coughing or better yet chocking know that its a good sign.It means that the oil is thick and full of flavour. The more bitter the better!

So after our tasting I thought to myself that I have always considered olive oil as an ingredient. But not necessary one for cooking but more in the lines of cosmetics. In Southern Africa, if you as a young black girl about olive oil, let me clarify that this also includes me and my crazy mysterious friends the conversation might end up being about cosmetics and hair products. Olives and the residue are great for cosmetics, soaps and a lot of other things that I have no idea about. I'm more intested in the cosmetics and the hair, seeing as we have a lot of high quality brands for hair products that use a base of olives for their products. Not only is it wonderful for cooking with, and baking, but the quality of the oil is also very good for the hair and the skin. Hence me having a little pot of a olive oil for my hair and skin, (something that my brothers have laughed at me for doing). But you should try it. It works wonders!