u/Exotic-End-666

I live in the Oklahoma panhandle and had never really traveled farther than maybe 300 miles from where I was born and raised. My parents were not ones to take vacations or go to some country, they worked and sometimes we would go to the lake but that was about all I had experienced.

Well after several friends pointed out that I should try it, and how I have lived almost 50 years and never gone farther than what I already knew, I decided to go see the ocean, and I now know what they were talking about and how much can be gained from actually going to a place and seeing it in person vs watching youtube and tv about it.

Went to Daytona Beach, saw the Ocean, saw St Augustine the oldest city in America (which was amazing to see and learn about) was in an airport with more people than live in my whole county in it at one time all going different places and from different cultures and countries. We spent a week there, and I can honestly say I was wrong not to want to go on trips when I had the chance, and I can see how much TV or videos do not show what it is like to see that much water in one place, or to watch people from all over the world all in one building going all over the world. I did not know how big a cruise ship really is until I saw one on the dock and not in an ad on TV. I feel like a curiosity has been sparked in me to now see things for myself and learn about them in person vs just saying "Why do I need to know about that" to everything, I feel I learned more in a week than I have in ages.

Yea I told people around and they all responded with "see told you there was more to it than going to X and checking it off a list" I see there is, and the place you are going is not always what you remember when you come back.

I was a picky eater (still am in many ways) and was given grief for it for years. Friends and family would call me out on not being more adventurous about what I eat. So I got irritated and started trying anything anyone offered to try where before I would just say "No thank you" and not try whatever it was they were offering. So I learned as long as I try stuff no one cares what I choose to eat as long as I am willing to try whatever it is they are eating. So I can still chose to eat my burger or whatever I want as long as I am willing to try anything and no one will call names or be rude.

I have always been a picky eater. I guess not so picky but I never wanted to try new or different things, never was willing to try a new cultures food, and usually stuck to what I knew. It started getting to be a real issue with my friends group who always wanted to try something new, go to some new place, or having some event that was food centered at home. I just passed on everything, It had gotten to the point where it started effecting my social life, friends and family would want to go try Thai, Indian, Chinese, or something like Ethiopian foods and I would choose to not go, or if I went I would just eat the most basic of things. This also made me not like traveling as I didn't want to go to places I was not familiar with.

Well we went out about a month ago and were at a Chinese spot, and I was having a plain rice dish (like usual) and my friends started giving me a hard time about it, the usual "only eats chicken nuggets and mac n cheese" comments, which I was trying to argue against (I do eat more than pizza or mac-n-cheese) but it really started pissing me off as the evening went on. Near the end, comments were still coming, one friend shoved his S&S chicken to me and said "They are just nuggets with different breading and sauce, if you can't try that you really are a child" I started to shrink away and refuse, but decided to "Show him" and tried it without question. Wasn't bad really, and it exploded their heads that I had done it after all these years. Well that made others push something my way to try, none of them were as bad as I imagined, none were bad, some I wouldn't eat again by choice. I guess just one bite like everyone has always said is really true, it doesn't hurt and I am starting to understand why they always told me I can't say I don't like a food if I have never tried it. Well now we have gone to Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Pho, and some seafood. They are all offering me bits and bites of what they order and I have to admit, some I don't like and will never eat again, but I guess I was always wrong for saying no before ever trying it and probably insulting them and their preferences by my refusal every time we went out, and probably making it harder on the whole group because of my own hang ups and just not wanting to be put on the spot like that. I mean I still eat mostly the same things I always have, but at least now I won't be known as the person who just refuses to try new foods because I like kiddie foods. I also see how when we have had get togethers I probably offended them all for not trying foods they put effort into making.

I honestly think it was partly due to my parents, they would try to force me to try something and I would refuse and it would turn into a heated angry fight every time. I once swore I would never try a new food again because of how I was treated over not trying them, but I never thought if I just tried it all the fight would never exist. I have been my own enemy for years and years and am embarrassed.

I have always been a picky eater. I guess not so picky but I never wanted to try new or different things, never was willing to try a new cultures food, and usually stuck to what I knew. It started getting to be a real issue with my friends group who always wanted to try something new, go to some new place, or having some event that was food centered at home. I just passed on everything, It had gotten to the point where it started effecting my social life, friends and family would want to go try Thai, Indian, Chinese, or something like Ethiopian foods and I would choose to not go, or if I went I would just eat the most basic of things. This also made me not like traveling as I didn't want to go to places I was not familiar with.

Well we went out about a month ago and were at a Chinese spot, and I was having a plain rice dish (like usual) and my friends started giving me a hard time about it, the usual "only eats chicken nuggets and mac n cheese" comments, which I was trying to argue against (I do eat more than pizza or mac-n-cheese) but it really started pissing me off as the evening went on. Near the end, comments were still coming, one friend shoved his S&S chicken to me and said "They are just nuggets with different breading and sauce, if you can't try that you really are a child" I started to shrink away and refuse, but decided to "Show him" and tried it without question. Wasn't bad really, and it exploded their heads that I had done it after all these years. Well that made others push something my way to try, none of them were as bad as I imagined, none were bad, some I wouldn't eat again by choice. I guess just one bite like everyone has always said is really true, it doesn't hurt and I am starting to understand why they always told me I can't say I don't like a food if I have never tried it. Well now we have gone to Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Pho, and some seafood. They are all offering me bits and bites of what they order and I have to admit, some I don't like and will never eat again, but I guess I was always wrong for saying no before ever trying it and probably insulting them and their preferences by my refusal every time we went out, and probably making it harder on the whole group because of my own hang ups and just not wanting to be put on the spot like that. I mean I still eat mostly the same things I always have, but at least now I won't be known as the person who just refuses to try new foods because I like kiddie foods. I also see how when we have had get togethers I probably offended them all for not trying foods they put effort into making.

I honestly think it was partly due to my parents, they would try to force me to try something and I would refuse and it would turn into a heated angry fight every time. I once swore I would never try a new food again because of how I was treated over not trying them, but I never thought if I just tried it all the fight would never exist. I have been my own enemy for years and years and am embarrassed.