Benjamin studies Computer Science at Queen Mary University of London and is currently studying abroad at Drexel University in the US with support from the Turing Scheme.

When I first arrived at Drexel, I was adamant that I would cook for myself. I went out of my way to purchase pots and pans, spatulas, bowls, plates, cutlery, sharp knives; essentially the entire kitchen sink and then some. I also bought cooking ingredients, like spices, olive oil (which is crazily expensive – definitely one of the biggest surprises in adult life) and eggs. I even turned down Drexel’s meal plan as I thought it to be extortionately expensive (and I still do).

During my first few weeks at Drexel, I cooked a lot. From the gourmet-level cuisine that is spaghetti bolognese to the occasional riveting omelette, I thought it important to cook for myself. However, as I slowly came to realise, cooking takes a lot of time. Fresher’s week had ended, and suddenly I was in the eye of the storm of many classes and a lot of homework. Also, I had made a lot of friends, and was frequently socialising with them. The culmination of this workload and daily social activity meant that I simply didn’t have an hour or two every day to be in the kitchen cooking food and cleaning up all my dishes. Even if I did have the time, I was often too exhausted to do it.

So, eventually, I gave in and started to eat out. I tried the food trucks around Drexel’s campus. Now, I initially avoided these as my mental image of a food truck isn’t pleasant; I imagined a super unsanitary, greasy kitchen with food that would probably send my non-American digestive system into a state of shock – like something out of David Walliams’ Ratburger book. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out this isn’t the case. After trying a few food trucks (from memory, a Chinese food truck, a burger food truck and an Indian food truck on North 33^rd Street), I settled on my favourite food truck; the Halal truck opposite the 7/11 convenience store (an American chain corner shop). They sold gyros (either chicken or lamb or falafel) for $6 each – that’s around £4.50, and also rice platters (again, either chicken, lamb or falafel or a combo) for $8 – that’s around £6.25. Now I’d say it’s a pretty good bargain. I also ended up befriending the two guys that worked at the food truck. They were both lovely guys who have an interest in English football, and as an Englishman I had plenty to speak to them about. The troubles of my team, Tottenham Hotspur, provided me with endless rant material.

So ultimately I ended up eating at the food truck almost daily. As I had befriended them, they told me how they made it. It was fresh yellow rice (rice with cumin inside), alongside meat that they procured at home so it was fresh. They didn’t add any nonsense fattening agents to their food, and although the option was there to add sauces to your food, I chose not to. Also, all meals come with a drink. Though I always opted for water, there was a variety of fizzy drinks and soda available to choose from to. Food would come in a foam container and with some napkins and a plastic fork, in a plastic carrier bag. Due to this, it meant I didn’t have to worry about washing afterwards! I would eat, put my rubbish back in the bag and then into the recycling bin.

Perhaps past me would be disappointed in my decision to give up on cooking, especially as I spent such a great deal of time looking for the cooking ware. However, it simply isn’t manageable to cook and clean every day when balancing the amount of classes, homework, extra-curricular activity, social activity and travel I ended up doing every day.

I am writing this post on November 11^th 2024, so two months into my exchange. I have not gotten ‘bored’ of the food truck per-say, as whenever I fancy a change of pace I’d eat lamb instead of my regular chicken. To any people reading who don’t cook back home, but think they might once arriving in their travel-abroad destinations, I wish them the best of luck. Personally, I am at peace with my decision. If you were to buy the platter every day of a 31-day month, for 10 months, it would cost you £1937.50. This is lower than the price of Drexel’s meal plan for the first academic quarter. An absolute bargain if you ask me.

‘Healthy’, cheap and convenient. Let my trial and error guide you into a realm of deliciousness. Give it a go, and enjoy!