Some MHIRT takeaways and tamales with family

    My second blog post consisted of me trying out Nacatamales for the first time and reacting to them. Needless to say, I was impressed but also intrigued by how different Nicaraguan tamales were than Peruvian ones. I took this conversation further and brought it up to my family, who were amazed to hear that Nacatamales had rice and potatoes in them. They asked me to stop by and grab some that day to eat for dinner -- they were a hit. As a result, my mom brought up that it had been a while since we last made tamales as a family. That same weekend, we decided to grab supplies and have a day at home to prep some Peruvian tamales at home (it takes many hands to efficiently make enough to last a week). 

    During our prep, my mom, sister, and I all had different jobs and as we worked, we had conversations about our culture, music, family, and what's going on in today's day and age. I realize more and more the unity that food is able to create. I find that this is what draws me toward trying new foods and understanding distinctions between how different groups of people interpret their cuisine and gastronomy. The tamales we made were a representation of the conversations had at that table; our stories, music, struggles, and love. That being said, this gave me a different outlook on the foods of other cultures. I'd love to have an insight as to what the food means to the people making it and what it's a product of. This experience makes me realize more and more why I would love to live a life of travel and experience more than a life of being settled and growing too comfortable to a routine.

    I am thankful, to say the least, about the people I've been able to work with throughout my time at MHIRT. While the experience may have been different in person, that's not to say I won't take friendships, mentorships, and lessons with me from the interactions I have had with the staff and my colleagues.