Different Cultures

Being here not only exposes me to Asian culture, but also to many other cultures from all over the world.

Last night I had dinner with some friends from the UK. The discussion turned toward how the British love their tea. Stories then went around of traumatic events and how tea soothed their shock.

- a water pipe in this girl's dorm room broke and her hall mates rushed in to help her get her stuff out of the room and stop the water. Afterward the British girl made a big pot of tea and had her hall mates over for tea.
- there was a terrible train wreck in the UK a while ago. The neighbors in the surrounding neighborhood rushed out of their houses with tea pots to serve the victims tea.
- a lady in the hospital was just diagnosed with cancer. A nurse rushed in, after the doctor left, to serve the patient tea.

I was told that people from the UK grow up learning that tea w/ sugar helps prevent a person from going into shock. Plus it is a practical way of doing something helpful during a traumatic time.

It just made me wonder if any other cultures had such a strong and common item for dealing with stress? I like tea and all, but I think I would want food too...bring on the soup and rice!