Ayza Sayany, Pitt in London Summer 2025
Food has always been my way of understanding the people around me. I remember the first time I tried a knish at a Jewish deli and immediately connected it to my mother’s samosas. I noticed that roti and tortillas serve similar functions in Pakistani and Mexican cuisine, and that biryani, paella, and jambalaya all put their own flair on rice dishes. Through potlucks, fusion dishes, and shared meals, I began to see food as a universal language that brings people together. While embracing and respecting our differences is important, we share far more in common than we may realize.
I carried this perspective on food with me to London, placing great emphasis on exploring London’s vibrant culinary scene. Like the US, the UK also contains many immigrant communities, but with more of a distinct emphasis on cultural enclaves and neighborhoods. I took a class called Exploring the Global City, in which we studied how cultural aspects of London like food, art, music, and architecture are deeply intertwined with the identity of London as a global superpower. One of the highlights of this class was going to markets, such as Spitalfields Market, Borough Market, Greenwich Market, and Brixton Market. Each market was uniquely tied to that area of London’s heritage, but also provided all types of cuisines in one place.
As an incredibly diverse city, I felt as though I was able to explore the world all in one place. I went to Brick Lane, trying curry and learning about the vibrant Bangladeshi population who resided there. I also visited a bagel (spelled beigel) shop there, which is one of the only remnants of the large Jewish population that once existed in the East End. I went to a tea house in Kensington, ate more fish and chips than I could ever imagine, enjoying uniquely British traditions. I even visited a Philadelphia themed restaurant, Passyunk Avenue, as an homage to my hometown.
In England, pub culture dominates the social scene. We would often stop at our local pub after class for a bite to eat and chat with locals. Through this culinary experience, I was able to get to know the people of London better.
I also saw studying abroad as a way to be independent and try new experiences, and food was one of the ways in which I did this. In Dublin, I tried freshly shucked oysters, overcoming my fear of seafood. While trying new foods may seem like a small step, it truly was a product of me becoming more open to new cultures and perspectives while stepping outside my comfort zone.
Overall, food greatly shaped my experience. I returned from study abroad a more culturally enriched, educated, and worldly individual… who also had an incredibly full stomach.
Leave a Reply