The youth of today

As you all know, I'm a huge fan of cookery shows. I even managed to get addicted to Australian Junior Masterchef. Yes, that's right. Even the fact that it has children on it, wasn't enough to put me off.And my, what kind of children!

I could not get over the fact that a bunch of 10-year-olds could possibly be in the possession of that kind of culinary skills. Their technique, their vision, their experience... some of them most of them even put in shame. Still, I wrote it off as an antipodean quirk and didn't expect too much when the local version hit the TV in my country. And again... wrong I was. 

As one of the judges ( a big shot restauranteur famous for his Asian-style cooking and a string of popular restaurants impossible to get a table to, inspired by his travels and work all over that culinary treasure chest of a continent) was sampling a Thai curry and 11-year old contestant had produced even he went quiet. "How did you know these flavours would go so well together?" he was forced to ask. "Duh! Because I've been to Thailand" said the contestant. "Oh, really?" "Oh, yeah. like, 4 times". An 11-year-old! That just once again reminded what different lives the kids today lead.

When I was 11 my Dad had this ambitious if somewhat misguided opinion that kids should get to know their home country first. So, while my school friends holidayed at Tenerife (very hip and happening in those days), we cruised the country with a caravan. And this was 20 years before Anthony Bourdain visited my country and showed the world what a primitive Freakistan we (still) are. We are done with fighting the Russians and the Nazis - these days we either drink our way to the early grave or end there through the pole position we hold at the suicide statistics. Yes, what a glorious country. Definitely worth getting to know some more.

While my friends were busy building sand castles and collecting sea shells, my holidays were inevitable flurry of map reading gone wrong-related domestics and damp campsites. I didn't see a seashell until I was 19 and had to shell out on a trip to the Portuguese seaside. That sucked almost more than evenings spent cooped up in the caravan,keeping shelter from yet another rain storm. I didn't even get to sample seafood until well into my twenties! And here are the kids of today, with their exotic travels and foodie fiestas.

My own niece and nephew are very much examples of that life. Much to their travel-traumatized 33-year-old Auntie's envy. On their last trip they too went to Thailand. Until 5 days in their parents decided Thailand was done. And what did they do? Boarded the next plane to Dubai.

A look at their curriculum is another testament to the cosmopolitan world they're being socialized into. The amount of languages and religions spoken in their school is nothing short of amazing. In the town where I grew up the only exposure to foreign cultures were Benetton adverts. These kids go to school that looks like an audition for one of those adverts! 

Mind you, according to my sister it's because they live in a slum. Her words, not mine. And not all of the worldly ways are rubbing off on those kids. Sure, they have grown out of wanting to marry each other. But mainly as a result of my 5-year-old nephew deciding he wants to marry me instead...