In past articles I’ve mentioned my interest in medicine and maybe becoming a surgeon. That is not what this is about. This is very different, and is about three varied passions, things I hold near and dear to my heart, that you probably do too…

Eating:

I love food. All kinds of food. Growing up I was never a picky eater because I wasn’t ever really given a choice of whether or not I wanted to eat the food in front of me. My parents’, “this is dinner, take it or leave it,” attitude exposed me to many varied and unique types of food from a young age. Sure there are foods I’ve learned that I don’t particularly (or ever) enjoy, like lima beans or bleu cheese, but food in general is always undeniably amazing. Trying octopus definitely freaked me out a little bit and I couldn’t defeat mind-over-matter enough to try sheep brain the one time it was offered to me, but the way I see it, anything is worth trying at least once. Although while I’m not typically squeamish, I admit I’ve drawn the line against eating any kind of creepy crawly or anything ball-shaped (eyeballs, testicles, etc.). From Emeril Lagasse and Morimoto to my mom’s international cooking, there’s no dish that could ever be bad. I adore spicy food – the hotter the better – and I have a gnarly sweet tooth, but have somehow never had a cavity in my life. And I’ll admit that I’ve lost track of all of the food-devoted Instagram accounts that I follow. In this first world country I’m lucky enough that eating can be about more than just nourishment. Eating is an experience, and no two will ever be the same.

Traveling:

I was fortunate enough to be able to travel with my family a lot when I was younger, and I had the chance to take in the sights and sample the delicacies of France, Israel, Portugal, India, Mexico, and many more. These experiences instilled in me both a passion for flavor and for adventure. There’s really nothing like seeing the places you’ve always heard of and seen on TV in real life and being able to walk through and experience them for yourself, followed by a meal as authentic as the attractions. I think it’s so important to understand, if not experience, other cultures and to build a global perspective instead of having one limited exactly to where you were born and the people you were surrounded by. This is vital because not doing so is one way that ignorance and arrogance thrive and create discordance in the world. And what more enjoyable way to do so is there than to actually go see and experience these things yourself. It's also super cool how the most different cultures all have their own version of the same things. Take flatbreads for example: there are Mexican tortillas, Indian naan and chapattis, Israeli matzo, French crepes, Ethiopian injera, Greek pita, Colombian arepas, Italian focaccia, and many many more globally unifying and delicious carbs.

Writing:

Clearly, I love to write. I’ve formally changed my major about three times, and now that I’m officially a junior in college there’s no more room for error so I’ll be nearly maxing out my credit-load every semester until I graduate just to catch up. This also means that I have absolutely no room or time for any kind of minor or double major. But if I could do it all over again, I’d come into college with my current major of Biobehavioral Health and do a double minor with Global Health…and English. The class I genuinely enjoyed the most in high school was AP Language and Composition because I was fascinated by rhetoric and the ways the English language can be molded, like a slab of clay before it's sculpted into a work of art. Essays, poems, analyses, speeches, op-eds, and reviews; they’re all so unique and these nuances facilitate the creation of so many wonderful works. Language is truly amazing, and I adore writing and wish I could’ve had the opportunity to learn even more about it in college and through further writing experiences. This, in part, is why I write for Odyssey because I’ve completed my formal English education, but I’m nowhere near done with writing things that aren’t lab reports.

So how do you tie these things together into a real and profitable job?

Well, for years I’ve watched No Reservations and The Layover with Anthony Bourdain and now there’s also Huang’s World with Eddie Huang. These men have the real dream job: they travel the world, sample the most remote to iconic cultures, write about it, and get paid to do so. Under protection of their shows’ respective networks, they also get to travel to intense and potentially dangerous and controversial regions. This puts a more humane spotlight on places that tend to be under fire and also illuminates discrepancies in regions you might never have imagined. They talk to important public figures but also interact with regular people in their homes and on the streets to truly get a pulse on what’s going on.

The way I put it *slightly* less eloquently is that these guys get paid to eat and drink, curse and write, and do whatever they want anywhere and everywhere around the world. Surgery is cool and all, but this is the kind of job I would give anything for. Bourdain started out as a chef, and Huang actually started out as a stand-up comic and weed dealer, but eventually opened a few restaurants of his own too. So while I thought that maybe I messed up and should have gone to culinary school like Bourdain, Huang’s story proves that it is possible to come across this job from pretty much any background.

On their excursions, they definitely partake in pretty much every aspect of the culture and I don’t know what could be cooler than that. As awesome and fun as this job looks, I’m sure it’s not all sunshine and roses. The level of cultural sensitivity, knowledge, open-mindedness, kindness, discretion and humility that many scenarios would require is immense and is definitely not something just anyone could successfully execute while still producing interesting, meaningful, and entertaining television. Both also always end their shows with articulately insightful commentary to reflect on their time in any particular place. Bourdain’s advice to young people who’ve also realized his job is incredible is straightforward: "travel and eat a lot, as many places as you can, as widely as you can, it's just that simple." I mean sure, that sounds easy enough, I’ve already gotten started so now I guess all I have to do is keep going.