Thursday, September 23, 2010

Culture Shock

Jay is in Panama. Random, I know. He is there for a South/Central American retailers meeting. I think he's supposed to be getting them pumped up to sell treadmills and other fitness equipment. Either that or he's on a really extended golf outing. Nah.

If you know Jay, you know a few things about him. He loves to try new foods and restaurants and enjoys learning about new cultures. He was excited for this trip; well, as excited as you can get over a work trip, I guess. He bought a book about the Panama Canal. He downloaded a show from iTunes about the Panama Canal. You could probably quiz him about it and he'd get all the answers right. Anyway, he tried (and failed) not to show that he was excited to go on this trip because it's hard on me and the kids when he's gone for a longish (6 days) trip. I know that he was interested to try some authentic Panamanian cuisine.

He's on day four of his trip and so far has eaten Generic Airport and Airplane Food, Generic Radisson Hotel Food, Popeye's Chicken, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, and Bennigans. I don't know why I find this so funny but I do. When Jay goes on business trips he takes his food very, very seriously. He keeps a running list (I think it's a mental list but he may very well have an actual list somewhere) of places to eat in big cities. He makes reservations. He plans how to get from his work location to his restaurant of choice. He'll have appetizers at one place and dessert at another. He makes the most of work travel by eating as well as he can. Except, apparently, in Panama.

So send happy food vibes a few thousand miles south if you can. I think Jay could use them.

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