I went to a Middle Eastern supermarket today in a neighbor city and my experience in there was taunting initially. Most of the people there were from Persia, India, and some Middle Eastern countries. There were a few Asians there but I am sure they may have the scared feeling as they enter the land of the other people. I generally do not like to categorize people base on their ethnic group in my writing but for the purpose of this blog, I will opt to do that.
After entering the door, the grocery part of the market was right in front of me, the sandak flat bread was to my right and people were in line to buy the $2 something bread. I recognize the sandak bread right away and made a mental note to buy it but I chose to have a tour around the store before picking anything out. My sister and I were distracted by the $2.99 blueberry stand which was right next to the door and had to pick up one since it was cheaper than other markets around our area. My mom is known to be frugal and I guess my siblings and I pick that attitude overtime.
Then we headed to the food court. Food, glorious food. Recently, I have recently became a maniac foodie type of person for the past months and have came to love food; I love trying new food, new drinks, and even some alcoholic drinks. Many women around my age have picked up the habit of eating out and loving it during undergraduate years and I didn't discover my passion for food until later on. I guess as a full-time working person, I have the means and finance to support myself without worrying much about if I have enough to buy the necessary or not.
The smell and presence of these exotic food did not quite attracted me at first. Yelp reviews were great, the reviewers gave recommendation and an outline on what to buy in the store, but the atmosphere did not give me the impression that the food were good and worth my attention. Don't get me wrong, I love trying new food, and the presence of anything new captivates me very easily but at that moment, I didn't feel it. For instance, once, I was a Mexican swap meet and saw a cup of the green pear cactus fruit and it held my attention for so long that I finally bought it at a Mexican supermarket (hey, it's cheaper there.) Those of you who have had the fruit before know that the fruit isn't that attractive in their outward presentation. The green cactus fruit especially is very plain and is not at all attractive compared to the colorful ones.
So back to the Middle Easter market. If I can like the an average looking fruit such as the green pear cactus, how come these new food didn't make me gravitate toward it?
After ponding about it, I found the reason: it's the people in the market. Most of them were Middle Eastern individuals. Persians, Iraqis, Lebanese, etc were all there. They gave me a look as if I didn't belong there and my social anxiety increased as I maneuvered myself in the market. I didn't feel comfortable; if there were not as many people in the market, I would have the chance to think clearly on what I wanted. I did not feel fitting in, I felt foreign and excluded. My family and I stayed and finished our food and we left without any trace of rudeness from the people there.
Have you ever been in a strange place with people whom you are not surrounded by on a daily basis? If you have, you may have been scared and afraid somewhat.
Here are some tips on how to deal with the fear of being in a strange place:
1. Be comfortable with yourself. I have became so much more comfortable with myself over the years and the feeling helped me to stay focus on why I was present at a certain place.
2. Focus on why you are there. If you plan on doing a specific activity or buy something, do it.
3. Relax. Take a deep breathe and remind yourself that everything will be okay.
4. Enjoy the time there. Fear will always be a part of trying new things, so it's best to just enjoy the present moment.
5. Talk to someone, anyone. When you feel afraid, that is a sign that you are looking inward too much. The best way to defeat and suppress the fear is to talk to someone, anyone. Today, an employee wearing a bright yellow polo shirt passed by me and I asked her a question. It helped me to forget my anxiety.
Being in a strange and new place is always a scary thing. The good news is there are tips and ways to conquer it.
No comments:
Post a Comment