International foods in Fredericton
Finding foods from home can play a major role in the decision to immigrate, and stay, in a new country.
Going to the supermarket and finding ingredients that allow the preparation of dishes from your own country, and finding restaurants that prepare your culture’s food have a huge impact on immigrant’s lives.
Right now, Fredericton has a few international food options, such as restaurants like Moco, an Italian restaurant, and Naru, a Japanese restaurant, that are located downtown.
However, some people on the international community say it is not enough, especially regarding Central and South American food. Maria Leiva, a Honduran political science and international relations student at St. Thomas University, says that she and her friends have not find anything that reminds them of their home food.
“Until now we haven’t found anything that serves like, Central American food and the closest thing that we have found is Mexican food, but it’s not real Mexican so… We don’t have a lot of options regarding restaurants.”
Even though Fredericton does offer some options for the international community, some people seem to be frustrated about not being able to find ingredients and dishes related to their culture.
Juan Diego Rivas Freire, international relations and political science student from Ecuador, believes that food is a really important factor, and it can help relieve, or aggravate, the feeling of homesickness.
“Well, it is frustrating mainly because you get really homesick. Food is such an important part in our culture.”
One place that can help immigrants fight homesickness through food by finding ingredients and foods from their home countries is the Farmers Market, located downtown.
People can find fresh food and ingredients from various nationalities in the Market, such as Lebanese, German and Dutch.
Finding foods from your home country can be a very positive event. Daniella Borja, a psychology student from Ecuador, said that she had one of the best experiences when she found some bananas in the supermarket that were from Guayaquil, her hometown.
“I was so so happy, and like, I went home and started screaming because my roommate is also from back home, from Ecuador, from Guayaquil, and I was like ‘I found it, I found it, for the first time.’ I was so so so happy. Like, you have no idea.”
For immigrants and international students, finding foods from their culture can improve their experience outside of home, by helping them feel, at least, less homesick.
