My country's cuisine is very different from that of the United States. The food differs in many aspects such as portion size, spices used and proteins used. In my country we usually have dishes with lamb as the main source of protein, it's not so common in the United States. The importance of spices in cooking is also different, in the United States they don't focus much on the use of spices, they use very simple spices like salt and black pepper, while in my country they use a wide range of spices like cumin, turmeric and anise starry. So I found it difficult to get used to American cuisine. Also, because I am Muslim, I follow strict rules for food, I have to eat halal food, and there are not many halal restaurant choices in the United States. However as time went by I found some halal and Middle Eastern restaurants that suited my palate. I also found a halal butcher so I could cook for myself. I just call my mom and ask her for recipes. This way I won't miss the kitchen at home