Food Leads to Happiness
My grandmother used to say, “Dil jeetne ka rasta pet se hokar jata hai”— food leads to happiness. At the time, I didn’t know what she meant. But as I moved from India to Singapore to Switzerland, food grounded me and provided a path for exploration. Food offered stronger relationships, a better connection to the world, and a clearer sense of self.
Pav Bhaji was home. “Ta-Thai-Thai-Tat, Ta-Thai-Thai-Tat…” While my Kathak teacher chanted during draining three-hour classes, I’d often think about Pav Bhaji, an Indian street food prepared with vegetables and spices. When I lived in India, my parents and I would go to a street vendor nearby and eat in our silver Honda, listening to classic Hindi songs and playing memory games. So after we moved to Singapore when I was 11, and I felt overwhelmed and lonely, I turned to Pav Bhaji. But it wasn’t the same. The taste and surroundings were different. My connection to Kathak, to culture, to family and home had changed. I missed Kathak and how it connected me to my roots and developed my confidence. I realized that my home in India couldn’t be brought back. I had to embrace my new home in Singapore and its culture. So I joined debate, Model UN, and badminton, becoming involved in the community and making friends. Pav Bhaji taught me to embrace change and value new experiences.
Quesadillas challenged me to explore. In Singapore, I tried Mexican food for the first time at Margarita’s. I was captivated by murals on the restaurant walls that told a story about Mexico’s culture. The texture of the tortilla and the melding flavors of the cheese, meat, salsa, and sour cream hooked me. I began exploring other cuisines like Thai, Vietnamese, and Spanish. Paella became my favorite Spanish dish, and led me to explore Spanish culture. I began teaching myself Spanish by listening to music and watching shows like ‘La Casa de Papel’. Eventually, I took Spanish in IB. This growing interest in history and cultures led me to explore places like Angkor Wat, learning about the effects of World-War II on Cambodia, and the history of the Khmer empire. Quesadillas encouraged my interests in different cultures and history.
When I was 16, we moved to Switzerland. But soon after, my grandmother passed away. My mother stayed in India for a month while my father and I returned to Switzerland. We liked home-cooked food, so we cooked together, something we’d never tried. Cooking Biryani with my father was therapeutic. While cooking, we’d discuss the effects of Brexit on the UK’s economy or quantum versus particle physics or Venezuela’s economic crisis. Our discussions inspired me, leading me to take physics and economics in IB, and helped me overcome the loss of my grandmother.
Dim Sum taught me about leadership and collaboration. In grade 11, I joined Nepal Club, where we raised CHF 11,000 for orphanages and local schools in Nepal, and travelled there during summer. We spent time playing with children, and teaching Spanish, German and Origami. On the last night of our trip, we learned to cook Dim Sum. While chopping vegetables and steaming Dim Sum, our club bonded while recalling memories where we’d been frustrated, happy, sad, or overwhelmed. Reflecting on my experiences in Nepal, I realize again how food brought people together to cooperate and unwind in an enriching way. This year, I became president of Nepal Club, and plan to expand our involvement.
What would my life be if I hadn’t tried Pav Bhaji? Or Quesadillas? Would I connect to people in the same way, or want to learn about history and culture and develop a sense of collective belonging? Food can change reality. It has the power to change perception and preference. Throughout different phases of my life, food has flavored emotions and experiences, changing my understanding about culture, people and the world.