Rice Rice and more Rice

Story 1-So i watched a BBC report on a small remote island in Thailand. Some insane percent of the islands children (70 percent or higher) are considered malnourished and starving. The island itself produces tons and tons of green vegetables and other foods yearly. However, because there culture does not deem a vegetable to have any nutrients or normal for there culture to eat they ship all of there goods to other countries. With the money they make from selling vegetables and other goods, they buy rice.

The island sees rice as the number one staple in their diet. The island is starving itself due to its own culture and history. They have little influence from the western world, and don't understand much about a good diet and nutrition.

Story 2- Next, as we were in Fouzghou we were in a rather remote area of town. There really was almost no chance of having anything even remotely appetising to eat. Even our own hotel didn't have an English menu (when we first got there) and so finding food kinda sucked.

The hotel normally didn't have a western breakfest and in our contract we are guranteed something along those lines. (And by along those lines, i am meaning VERRRRRRRRY broad) But they said they would set something up. The first day there was basically water, tea, very runny eggs, toast, and rice. Well i sucked it up and had some rice.

Luckily there was another hotel down the street and so for lunch(at load in meaning limited time to explore) we went there to eat. I tried to be adventurous and ordered what i thought was chicken and rice. (And by that i mean no hamburgers and fries) When it came out it ended up being cold/fairly raw chicken with bones and a side of white rice. Guess what i had for lunch? One big bowl of white rice.

For dinner we decided to try a restaurant down the street from the venue. They didn't have an English menu, but luckily we had our translator Kat along with us. Ordering food with someone that can translate a menu is totally different from ordering as Americans. We'll unfortunately the food gods just weren't on my side today. I wasn't impressed with the options and opted for white rice for dinner as well.

Story 3- I was running late trying to get to the theatre one night for shows, so i did what i have done regularly which is jump in a cab and head over to McDonald's. I FUCKING HATE McDonalds!!! But i brought back my cheeseburger, fries, and some nuggets to the theatre and was sitting on the steps eating my food.

One of the stagehands comes up to me with his dinner in hand, and starts trying to talk to me. It was in Chinese and naturally i have no idea what he is saying. I call over a translator and ask her to tell me what the guy is saying cause he is being a little forward. The girl says that he is trying to offer me some rice. He is trying to give me some rice to eat in addition to my McDonald's. I kindly say "No thank you.", that i have my dinner. And his response. "That can't be filling enough, you need to eat more rice to fill you up"

Moral of the Stories. Truly you can make what you will of the stories i just told you. To me they all seem rather odd, and maybe it is only because i am western and was brought up that the core of your diet should not be rice.