The Dishwhat ?

President Obama said that this is the Greatest Time to Be Alive

Donal Trump said that we lived in one of the worst period EVER

On the other side of the Atlantic, the same stories continue to pop up, with an ambient declinism and resignation. We have seen the rise of populist political parties in Hungary, France, Spain and Italy as well as some strongmen tightening their control of power, such as Erdogan or Putin. If we were to rely exclusively on newspapers and magazines to form opinions on the direction our societies are heading, we would probably throw everything away, build a bunker in a remote part of Iceland, and hide. Global warming and climate change would probably make it a perfect spot to live in anyway in a couple of years time!

We’ve decided to do just the opposite. For over 3 years, we’ve lived in Kazakhstan. Apologies in advance for anyone offended by our viewpoint, but, picture an autocratic country where there is complete state control over the media and corruption is rampant. This, as well as significant time difference with our home countries, led us to experience partial to total disconnection. We had the opportunity, or should I say, the privilege, to have sufficient time to absorb and enjoy the strong local culture, but also, to take a more measured approach at events happening back home and think differently. All these experiences deeply transformed us and our perspectives on the world.

When traveling in Central Asia, a pretty forgotten destination as far as tourism is concerned, we realized the effect travel had on our perception of the world and of that of our relatives and friends. When sharing these experiences, we shared not only a raw description of unknown lands and cultures but also, an understanding of human nature in its most diverse forms. As we narrated our experiences, the astonishing cultural discoveries we made, the kindness of our hosts, but also a whole population’s weariness and fear of police bribing or surveillance, they slowly forgot their daily lives’ struggles and worries. Yes, there is something in human nature that can be stronger than the fright of the unknown: curiosity and compassion.

This is what we intend to promote and encourage throughout our world tour. This probably sounds ambitious, overly optimistic, idealist, some might even say naïve… It is. So what? Is there something wrong in leaving apprehension and cynicism at the door. The fact is that many people, young and old alike, undertake very similar adventures around the world. All have the same feedback: a large majority of their encounters with random strangers are the most beautiful experiences in their lives. One of the most valuable lessons they learn is that only cultural exchanges and experiences really bring people together and, thus, could reverse the rising trend of isolationism and hateful exclusion.

To achieve this, why not bring food into the equation? We love food. All foods. And as French people, food is what bring us together. It represents family moments, good time with friends. It is a key element of our culture. However, we concede this is true in nearly every country. It is often the best starting point to a conversation, a simple and natural way to share something with someone different. Food is a language, and probably says more about a country, its history, and its people than anything else. This is why we have decided to follow this theme for the trip “Let’s eat together”. Our goal is to eat with as many random people and see what comes out of this. We will be establishing a menu for each country we travel through, reflecting the traits of the culture that have charmed us.

So, join us on our world tour! You can share it, talk about it, or actually join us ! Don’t believe us? We’re very serious. All strangers welcome! Find out our itinerary by clicking on the “itinerary” tab and see you soon!