Love Your Food Like I Love Naan Kebabs by Nabira Zainab

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When I was still in elementary school, specifically in 2nd grade, the students in my class made fun of me. Naan Kebab is a well-known food in Pakistan and all around the world. I had my lunch with me while I was in the classroom, and some girls could smell my food, kebab. Kebabs consist of cut-up or ground meat, seldom with vegetables, and numerous other accompaniments according to the specific recipe. Although, kebabs are typically cooked on a skewer over a fire. Some kebab dishes are baked in a pan in an oven. The traditional meat for kebabs is most often mutton or lamb, but regional recipes may include beef, goat, chicken, fish, or other meat that would taste good. Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread found in the cuisines mainly of Western Asia, South Asia, and Indonesia, and etc. It was clear that they were disgusted by the strong smell of onions and spices. They knew it was from my meal because they kept on looking at me. They began to make fun of my food and said it smelt like farts. Nevertheless, the reality is that the smell is delicious, but they are not used to it. My family has been eating it for a long time since I was a child. My family has been eating Naan  Kebabs for generations. We eat Naan Kebabs on holidays like Eid or at weddings, festival parties, lunch or dinner etc. People do not know a lot about desi cultural food, which makes them think they can make fun of it. My heart was a storm because of their words. They were invariably mocking other meals because it was different. For instance, these girls made fun of my Chinese classmate who brought in fish soup. This is an example of implicit bias because they were making fun of my culture without comprehending it. They compared Naan Kebab to fart smells, and that made me feel very dejected because they were mocking my cultural food. That day, I  didn't finish the rest of my meal. But this is not a new feeling, sometimes I won't always want to eat my desi food because I feel discriminated against, so I eat it after school or on school trips. When I heard my classmates say these terrible statements about my meal, I decided not to bring Naan Kebab to school again. However, I like Naan Kebab. People saying bad things about my cultural food cannot stop me from eating them, but I won't have to eat them in class, I will still eat them. People should not be judging other's traditional meals or foods that they aren’t used to and that it is different. If something is incompatible with someone, it is better to learn about it. If you love eating your cultural food, don’t let someone discourage you from eating your food. Love your food like how I love Naan Kebab!