5 life changing things I discovered at a gas station in Paris.
In my trip across Europe, we stopped at several roadside gas stations. At one station outside of Paris, we stopped to eat lunch. We ordered our food, sat down inside, and ate on real plates, drank from real glasses, and used real silverware…at a GAS STATION. We didn’t get our food in a bag and eat it on the road. It wasn’t about rushing to get somewhere as quickly as possible. It made me think.
Why do most of us measure distance in time instead of miles? Is it because we want to get someplace quickly? Does this attitude affects more than our travel plans?
Looking back at my trip to Europe, I came across five ideas that will forever change my perspective about time and food and how to learn to value both in the U.S.
Some people playing chess on the steps in Rome
- Don’t be in a such a rush to get somewhere. That experience at the gas station made me realize that I don’t always have to be in a hurry. Just slow down, and enjoy the moment. Last weekend on our way to Houston, we decided to detour off the highway and stop for lunch in Fayetteville. We saw a cute little town and met some nice people at the diner.
- Watch what I consume and what I waste. We always joked while we were in Europe that we could never find a trash can. Well, think back to the gas station. Our plates, glasses, and silverware were all reused. Coffeehouses served espresso in real glass coffee mugs. And you know what, it made you enjoy the experience more and forced you to sit down and savor your drink or your food. And it reduced waste.
- School food is crap, and we should demand better. In Paris, we visited a high school, and when I found out we were going to eat lunch in the school cafeteria, I cringed. I was expecting what U.S. students are served – brown food, no vegetables. YUCK! Until I found out that this school (a regular Parisian public school) had an executive chef who oversaw all the meals. We had brie, grilled chicken, vegetables, rice, and apple compote. The cost of our meal was about $5, and again was served on real plates with real glasses and silverware. Since I’ve been back I joined Slow Food, an organization seeking to improve the quality of the school lunch program.
- Make meal times a sacred part of my family’s day. While were at that Parisian high school, we learned that they get 90 minutes for lunch! Most students go home to spend it with their families. In the era of high stakes testing, I don’t see U.S. schools giving kids 90 minutes for lunch at school, but at least I can make sure that I am using my own family’s breakfasts and dinners together with the same intention.
- Turn off technology and tune in to friends. We had spotty internet service at our hotels in Europe, so we usually had to find some cafe with internet access if we wanted to check email, Facebook, etc. One night in Vienna we went to one. While in the cafe, I looked around and discovered that my friend and I were the only ones on laptops. I’m so used to the coffehouses here in Austin where everyone has a laptop or iPhone out. I realized that in Vienna they actually went to the cafe to talk and socialize with one another. Since I’ve been back, I’ve begun the process of re-connecting with the people around me by going to dinner with friends to catch up, talking at a quiet bar with a girlfriend, and having a friend over for dinner at our house.
When I went to Europe, I expected to see sites–but what I hadn’t expected was to come back and reevaluate my own interactions with people, time and food….
How has visiting other countries changed you?
What things could Americans learn from other cultures?
Why are Americans always in a hurry?
Sharing drinks with friends.
Vienna
Paris
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Great article. I remember traveling alone in Europe in college. The best times I had were the unplanned/unexpected events–like the time I met some students in Rome and decided to meet them the following week in Austria to ski on a glacier. That change of plans lead to one of the highlights of my summer!
That’s what I miss about travelling through Europe. I had such a great time randomly meeting people and travelling with them for a bit. Such unexpected experiences!
When I visited Italy, I loved going to Dinner at 8 or 9 pm, and making a whole evening of it. The multi-course meal lasted for hours, and was extremely enjoyable. The restaurant owner is offended if you don’t spend at least 2 or 3 hours there for dinner. Here? They get offended if you spend more than an hour at the table!