Outside the Comfort Zone

...by a whole lot.

Ask my family what I am like with fish, they will tell you that I am a big, fat sookie-la-la. I don't eat it. I've had barramundi but I have an completely illogical dislike for the things in most cases. My grandmother's throat was once pierced by a fish bone while she was eating and it's given me the heeby-jeebies ever since. Surgery for something that doesn't taste all that good to me doesn't seem to be a real win-win.

I like shellfish but everything else is a no-go.

But here in Japan...fish (or sakana) is a staple. I went out for dinner over the weekend with parents from my school. I didn't know I was walking into a multiple course meal of raw and cooked fish.

This is what I ate...yes, I ate all of it (in varying amounts). This is one time I have no problem calling myself brave here in Japan.
Raw fish, raw squid and horseradish...
Sure it looked nice but....
It's RAW SQUID!!! I ate one whole and it was mushy and salty (not in a good way) and the tentacles creeped me out.
Raw tuna and another kind of fish with radish flowers and gold. Didn't mind the raw tuna, the light pink stuff - not so much.
Cooked fish (don't ask me what kind)...and it was delightful.
Some kind of fishy patty thing that was really yummy (and blessedly cooked).
Octopus salad. Cooked. Not too bad. The 'pus wasn't too chewy and it was a 'go back for more' dish.
Soba (I think I spelt that wrong) noodles. Cold. Yummy. I found out that chicks are allowed to slurp (not just the dudes), so I slurped. It was fun to make as much noise as humanly possible while eating. One mum took a picture of me doing so, I am hopeful that it will never surface.
Apple icecream with green tea jelly. Ice cream was to die for, jelly hmm. I am not a fan of green tea but it complemented the ice cream well.

And here's me at the end after eating all that (plus unlimited alcoholic beverages).