Food habits of a portuguese immigrant population living in Germany

Abstract

Resumo da tese: Introduction: To emigrate means to leave the homeland as a refugee, to work temporarily or to establish home in another country, foreign to the individuals (Rocha-Trindade et al, 1995). Migration is not an easy process. It implies to leave a life behind, family and friends and restart in another place. In the majority of times e/immigration is due to a need for searching a life with better conditions. It is, therefore, a search for a better economical (and social)STATUS (Baganha, 1998; Rocha-trindade et al, 1995).The process usually with a person (usually a man) that leaves to another country, searches for a job, a house, settles down and then sends for the family. A FAMILY REUNIFICATION IS SEEN AFTER THE MIGRATION OF THE WIFE AND THE CHILDREN, WHO ALSO have to adapt to the host country (Baganha, 1998; Monteiro and Pinto, 1998). The new life, together with a new language, new culture, new living and working conditions will affect the of the newly arrived immigrant to a large extent. The immigrant may never feel totally adapted even when living in the receiving country for decades. The Portuguese Emigrant lives always with the Myth of the return (Baganha, 1998, Rocha-Trindade and Raveau, 1998). "Saudade" is a Portuguese word, which is part of the daily life of the Portuguese emigrants. It involves a nostalgic feeling towards what was left behind, the people, the culture, the habits... and also the food. Emigrants tend to miss the way they used to eat before in their coutry, specific foods and dishes, the meals and the taste of food. (...)