[Advanced] To Eat or to Offend? (1)

Bizarre foods pose an etiquette challenge for travelers
Every meal was "an adventure" for frequent business traveler George Irving when he worked for an auto manufacturer in Thailand.

"You name it, I have tried it," says Irving. "Frog skins dried like chips, dried squid, fish-head soup, pickled duck tongues, 1,000-year salted eggs and so many other interesting items."

Irving says he developed a rule for his Thai hosts: "Don't tell me what it is until I have eaten it."

Many business travelers face a culinary and social dilemma in foreign countries. They don't want to insult their hosts or lose a business deal, but what's being served appears difficult to consume or downright disgusting.

Experts in business etiquette say there's no easy answer, and their suggestions about what to do are mixed.

Bizarre but safe
Physicians who specialize in travel medicine say a plate of garlic crickets or another food considered bizarre by many Americans is OK to consume, if prepared in a sanitary fashion, but it may be wise to eat lightly.

Travel medicine expert Phyllis Kozarsky says foods abroad that Americans consider bizarre point out cultural differences and may not be more dangerous to one's health than foods commonly eaten.

"If something is cooked and steaming, most likely it's going to be pretty free of bacteria," says Kozarsky.

Dr. Paul Sanders says it may be wise to not eat too much of a bizarre food. "If you eat something new, the intestines may not handle it well."

Refusing can be insulting
Refusing an unappealing food, though, could have consequences.

"It is considered an insult not to at least taste every item set before you," says etiquette expert Syndi Seid. " This is no different than someone coming into my home and refusing to try something I prepared or specially ordered for them, just because of the way it looked or their past bias.

bizarre adj.
/bəˈzɑɚ/
very unusual or strange

etiquette n.
/ˈɛtɪkət/
 the rules indicating the proper and polite way to behave

pose v.
to ask or suggest (a question)

dilemma n.
/dəˈlɛmə/
a situation in which it is very difficult to decide what to do, because all the choices seem equally good or equally bad

bias n.
/ˈbajəs/
a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly [count]


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