Navigating Food and Cultural Differences as an International Student in the UK
Mipo Adeniyi
MSc Digital Marketing
Hello! I’m Mipo, and I am an international student from Nigeria.
One thing nobody prepares you for as an international student is the abrupt change that comes into your life. It seems fun and exciting packing your life up into boxes, saying goodbye and then moving miles away from home. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun, however, adjusting to a new culture can be daunting, especially if you’ve never had to leave home before. There are so many changes that come, from culture shocks to food, lifestyle, religion, social norms and communication styles.
One thing that definitely stood out to me when I moved to the UK is that culture shocks don’t necessarily come in accents, it shows up on your plate! Food isn’t just comfort, it’s a way of life, and suddenly, your favourite meals don’t exist, are hard to find, expensive, or taste different.
My mentality definitely had to change moving to the UK. I had to be more open minded, and that can be hard as a picky eater. Walking into supermarkets felt odd, standing in aisles that have everything, but nothing I know; this hits hard. There were days I didn’t necessarily miss people, I missed flavours. The spice, the texture, the familiarity. A simple craving could turn into homesickness very quickly.
Adapting doesn't mean abandoning culture
Over time, I learnt that adapting doesn’t mean you have to abandon your culture, it just means being more open, experimenting where necessary and making space for new experiences. I started experimenting a lot, infusing my Nigerian culture into what I eat in the smallest ways possible, substituting ingredients, and making food feel like home even when home is miles away. Alongside this, I started trying my hands at British food, taking baby steps, because if there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s to give grace to yourself because you’re also new, and while you may want to enjoy this new phase of your life, adapting can be a bumpy journey.
International shops and restaurants in Huddersfield
Living in Huddersfield has made this process easier, with the array of international supermarkets and restaurants in town where you can find ingredients and food that remind you of home; such as the African supermarkets like Prince, Mckinsley, Afro Jireh, and restaurants like Bongo. There are also Asian shops like Umrah, and restaurants such as Istanbul, The Ephesus and Nawaab. This has made life in a new place easier, as I could always go to these places when I wanted something familiar.
Trying new cuisines
On other days when I felt more like an explorer, I tried other cuisines not too far from what I was familiar with. One of my favourite experiences was trying Turkish food for the first time at Istanbul restaurant with my colleagues at work. I had such an amazing experience, which made me go a second time with my university friends. Experiences like this remind me that being open to new food is also part of embracing/experiencing new culture.
Cooking traditional food with friends and family
Another thing that made me feel at home was cooking traditional meals with my sister. We make the effort to cook Nigerian meals, as often as we can. We make soups like Egusi, Okoro and Ayamase and eat them with swallows like Eba and Wheat . We also make meals like Jollof rice and plantain, and snacks like meat pie and puff puff. A memory that stays with me is Christmas last year; my first Christmas away from home. We had friends over who brought different dishes that we all shared and this made us feel like a community, even when far from family. Something new I’m open to trying would be getting introduced to new cultures through sharing food and learning new recipes! Luckily the university has a global food and culture festival every year, which will give me the chance to experiment and explore.
Living by the UK Schedule
Outside of food, eating schedules and even how people speak about food in the UK is totally different. Something that really shocked me is how people eat on the go, and how tea is a structured part of life for British people, it is more than a drink, it's a way of life, a ritual. Understanding this made adjusting easier, observing first, and then finding balance between what feels familiar and what feels new.
My final thoughts
Being an international student has taught me that you can miss home and your culture without feeling like you’ve let go of yourself, your identity and your culture. If there’s one thing that is constant, it’s change, and we all have to adapt in one way or another. You can still crave home cooked meals, and enjoy new ones, you can miss home and still enjoy what you have here.
It’s not always going to be rosy at the beginning, but as time goes by, you get better at adjusting and taking each day as it comes. It’s about giving yourself time, time to miss home, time to adapt, time to create new buckets of comforts and happiness in a place that feels unfamiliar. And it’s in realising home isn't just a physical place, it’s a feeling you can carry with you.
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