When I was little, I was an extremely picky eater. I didn’t like to eat almost anything. As a result, my palate until I was 18 could be similar to the one of a 6-year-old child. I used to say I hated the way food that was too heavily seasoned tasted (also a pretty double standard of mine, since Mexican cooking often features a lot of ingredients and spices). It was not until I came to Thailand for the first time that I completely escaped my comfort zone and opened my mouth to a lot of new possibilities. As weird as it sounds, exploring and eating in Thailand changed my life completely. I discovered flavours I thought impossible, and combinations that sounded so strange they could come out of a weird cooking book. Everything was so aromatic and tasted similar to a perfume (a good perfume). When I came back to Canada from my first being in Thailand I was open to trying new foods (kitchens) from other parts of the world, I became open to the possibilities of other food.
At the time of posting this blog, I’ve been in Khao Lak, Thailand for a total of 1 month and 12 days. The first two weeks were tough and definitely challenging. I felt disoriented, unfamiliar with my surroundings, with no means of transportation, and a growing sense of claustrophobia in the middle of the jungle where my house is (it’s a bit far from everything). There were bugs everywhere, no warm water, and I found myself missing the comforts I’d always taken for granted. On top of that, my job was in a field I knew little about, Public Health. There was so much I needed to learn, but at times it felt like I was doing a lot of learning yet achieving nothing, which was frustrating. However, after those first two weeks, things slowly started to come together. I realized that the first month was crucial for building connections, learning about the culture and language, and adjusting. I began to see the value in not knowing everything, and shifted my mindset from “WTF am I doing here?” to “WTF — I’m here!”
After this long introduction, I shall get to the point. It’s been quite a journey during this first month. Honestly, it’s been quite hard to put everything into words. So, I thought I’d do what I do best: make a list. I like to compare my experiences with food to my lived experiences. And what better way to reflect on my experiences than by comparing them to food I’ve tried in this first month, both Thai and Burmese dishes.
Getting to Know My Office — Tea Leaf Salad & Ginger Salad
My coworkers are mostly Burmese men and women with beautiful (and hard-to-remember) names. But learning their names and spending time with them has been such a joy. From day one, they welcomed me like family.
I hadn’t even introduced myself when a plate of Burmese tea leaf salad was placed in front of me, along with the words: “Sa, sa!” (“Eat, eat!” in Burmese). That salad, which I’d only tasted before, now became a staple of my work life. And alongside it, I tried ginger salad for the first time—raw ginger, peanuts, tomatoes, and oil. It sounds strange, but it tasted like something that could cure anything.
Meeting these women—who already feel like best friends and may I dare to say family, though they don’t know it yet—has been one of the best parts of this journey. Just like the salads: nourishing, unexpected, and made with care.
They’ve looked out for me, made me laugh and have been extremely patient with my lack of Burmese skills (although I am really trying and think I’m quite good at it). The care and friendships they’ve shown me are quite like nothing I’ve experienced.
First Day Teaching — Burmese Cake
One of our friends asked if we wanted to “teach” English to a group of students aged 16–26. It was meant to be conversational practice, but when the students arrived, I realized I had no idea what I was doing. They expected structure; we expected casual chats. It felt chaotic at first, but somehow, it worked.
I’d compare that experience to trying Burmese cake for the first time. It looked confusing—rice noodles with coconut shavings, black sesame, and salt on the outside. But in the middle? Cake. Sweet, familiar, grounding. Just like teaching: uncertain and strange at first, but surprisingly meaningful once you push past the unfamiliar.
Learning to Ride a Scooter — Som Tam (Papaya Salad)
I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared than when I was riding a scooter down the main street for the first time. I told Jordyn afterward, “This feels like swimming with sharks.”
It was a wild mix of panic and adrenaline—just like Som Tam. That first sour bite shocks your system, then suddenly the spice kicks in, and somehow you’re hooked. I’ve now learned it’s all about the hips and letting yourself go with the flow. Like the salad, it’s sharp, bold, and even a little chaotic—but once you embrace it, it’s fun, refreshing, and addictively good. Now I’ve found myself as being addicted to riding a scooter and eating papaya salad…
Khao Sok National Park — Morning Glory with Rice
On my first trip outside of Khao Lak, I visited Khao Sok National Park and stayed in a small riverside cottage with a new friend, Caroline. It was beautiful and serene, but what stood out the most? Hot water.
My current house doesn’t have any, and I had convinced myself I didn’t need it—“It’s hot outside anyway,” I’d said. But in that moment, taking a hot shower reminded me of home, of how comforting it is to have something so simple.
This feeling reminded me of morning glory with rice. It’s a dish I’d always liked, but never realized how much comfort it brought me until I ate it at the end of a long day. Sometimes it takes losing something to recognize how much it means, as cheesy as that may sound.
This first month has been full of surprises—some spicy, some sweet, some deeply comforting. I’m learning that growth doesn’t always come with clarity at first. Sometimes, it tastes weird, feels confusing, or scares the hell out of you. But just like food, once you give it a chance, it can nourish you in ways you didn’t expect.
Macadamia and Pineapple Salad — Bright, fresh, and unexpected. Like those afternoons when we went to the beach after long days of work.
Smoked Tofu Salad; My favourite meal so far. I’d compare it to building friendships with Amina and Jordyn.
Hong Kong Noodles : A taste that takes me back to the energy of Bangkok. A chaotic, exciting, and addictive.
Green Curry : A comforting reminder that the best things come with a little heat and challenge.
Aloo Chana & Pratha — Warm, grounding, and just what I didn’t know I needed.
Fresh Fruit — No words. Just joy.
So, that’s my first month in Khao Lak: served up with a side of salads, cakes, and spicy. If there’s one thing I’ve learned (besides how to dodge potholes on a scooter), it’s that life here, much like the food, is all about balance: sweet and sour, comfort and chaos, the familiar and the new. But more than that, what has truly stayed with me is how food here, just like back home in Mexico, is all about sharing. Every meal feels like an invitation—whether it’s tea leaf salad at the office or papaya salad at a roadside stall. People here eat together, laugh together, and offer you a seat at the table without hesitation. And that sense of community, of generosity, has nourished me just as much as the food.
I don’t know what dish (or adventure) is coming next but I know I’m ready to try it (as long as it’s vegetarian ofc). Here’s to the next few months: hopefully as delicious, messy, and full of love as the past month has been for me.
