--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: but for me—a fast-growing…" description: "\"“but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most alarming thing was when we sat down to our first meal. I couldn’t believe the dish that appeared ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg" --- # but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most… ![“but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most alarming thing was when we sat down to our first meal. I couldn’t believe the dish that appeared in front of me. They served us dog meat. Yes, dog meat. The stench was overpowering.” quote by Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg) > ““but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most alarming thing was when we sat down to our first meal. I couldn’t believe the dish that appeared in front of me. They served us dog meat. Yes, dog meat. The stench was overpowering.”” [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator confronts cultural shock and disgust when encountering unfamiliar food, illustrating how unexpected experiences can challenge assumptions. **In simple terms:** Unexpected foods can shock us. Key Takeaway Stay open‑minded to new cultures. Themes culture shock food Mood curious introspective Type cultural reflective When to use this quote - travel - immigration - cultural exchange Key Concepts anthropology psychology adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you react to unfamiliar customs? - What can we learn from discomfort? A Different Perspective Cultural bias can limit understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dish Appeared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dish-appeared-4305990/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [Meat Stench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat-stench-1293403/) [Served Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/served-dog-1293406/) [Thirteen Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirteen-year-252911/) ## Related quotes > [“They served us dog meat. Yes, dog meat. The stench was overpowering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/they-served-us-dog-meat-yes-dog-meat-the-stench-was-overpowering/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [Youth will be served, every dog has his day, and mine has been a fine one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/youth-will-be-served-every-dog-has-his-day-and-mine-has-been-a-fine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Conversations with my thirteen year old self Conversations with my thirteen year old self You're angry I know this The world couldn't care less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-nk/conversations-with-my-thirteen-year-old-self-conversations-with-my/) [P!nk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-nk/) > [What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets." (...) "Obviously, Doctor," she said, "you've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/what-are-you-doing-here-honey-you-re-not-even-old-enough-to-know-how/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Having a thirteen-year-old in the family is like having a general-admission ticket to the movies, radio and TV. You get to understand that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/having-a-thirteen-year-old-in-the-family-is-like-having-a-general/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [“That her niece should find such profound pleasure in the company of a thirteen-year-old black girl--and, more to the point, always within the precincts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdowell/that-her-niece-should-find-such-profound-pleasure-in-the-company-of-a/) [Michael McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdowell/) > [“Andrew would also drape his arm around my shoulders and then leave it there. Don't get me wrong, there's a thirteen-year-old girl inside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-thompson/andrew-would-also-drape-his-arm-around-my-shoulders-and-then-leave-it/) [Alicia Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-thompson/) > [I was a thirteen-year-old boy for thirty years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-was-a-thirteen-year-old-boy-for-thirty-years/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [“I'm apparently in love with a thirteen-year-old who makes lewd sex jokes in public, shamelessly plays footsy with me under the table the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-banner/i-m-apparently-in-love-with-a-thirteen-year-old-who-makes-lewd-sex/) [Daryl Banner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-banner/) > [“Most days I woke up brimming with a sudden terror--that I'd forgotten to do essential things, that I'd never make friends in Colorado, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-read/most-days-i-woke-up-brimming-with-a-sudden-terror-that-i-d-forgotten/) [Cornelia Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-read/) > [“Chucking her under her chin, he said, "What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/chucking-her-under-her-chin-he-said-what-are-you-doing-here-honey-you/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“We were typical, happy thirteen-year-olds who were going out - which meant we never talked or really acknowledged one another. It was wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-munn/we-were-typical-happy-thirteen-year-olds-who-were-going-out-which/) [Olivia Munn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-munn/) > [A thirteen-year-old is a kaleidoscope of different personalities, if not in most ways a mere figment of her own imagination. At that age, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/a-thirteen-year-old-is-a-kaleidoscope-of-different-personalities-if/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [“Dr. Armonson stitched up her wrist wounds. Within five minutes of the transfusion he declared her out of danger. Chucking her under the chin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/dr-armonson-stitched-up-her-wrist-wounds-within-five-minutes-of-the/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [Dan," she said. "I'm worried about him. It's not right that a thirteen-year-old knows as much as he does bout stealing things." " You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-smith/dan-she-said-i-m-worried-about-him-it-s-not-right-that-a-thirteen/) [Roland Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-smith/) ## More by Masaji Ishikawa > [“People came to our house from far and wide. Party and military bigwigs, some guy known as the “combat commander,” the village headman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-came-to-our-house-from-far-and-wide-party-and-military-bigwigs/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“This was laughable, of course, but that’s always the way with totalitarian regimes. Language gets turned on its head. Serfdom is freedom. Repression is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/this-was-laughable-of-course-but-that-s-always-the-way-with/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I was amazed we’d got through the checkpoint so easily. I couldn’t help asking about it. “Well, these soldiers, you see . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-was-amazed-we-d-got-through-the-checkpoint-so-easily-i-couldn-t/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“My family was poor, but my childhood days in Mizonokuchi were the happiest of my life. Even now, when I think about my hometown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/my-family-was-poor-but-my-childhood-days-in-mizonokuchi-were-the/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“People ridiculed me. “What on earth are you doing?” they asked. “Why are you working so hard?” They didn’t understand that driving that tractor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-ridiculed-me-what-on-earth-are-you-doing-they-asked-why-are/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I mean, this was the second half of the twentieth century, for pity’s sake, and they still saw communism as the road to utopia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-mean-this-was-the-second-half-of-the-twentieth-century-for-pity-s/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“But the reality hit home late that night. I had a wife. And now two children. And however hard I worked, I would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-the-reality-hit-home-late-that-night-i-had-a-wife-and-now-two/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“So we became masters at faking it. Everyone did. To do anything else could have gotten us killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/so-we-became-masters-at-faking-it-everyone-did-to-do-anything-else/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I still hope to rescue my remaining children. It is a terrible curse to not even know if they are still alive. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-still-hope-to-rescue-my-remaining-children-it-is-a-terrible-curse/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“But that’s the trouble with propaganda. It constantly contradicts itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-that-s-the-trouble-with-propaganda-it-constantly-contradicts/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“The consul was at a loss for words the first time he set eyes on me. “My God! How could they treat you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/the-consul-was-at-a-loss-for-words-the-first-time-he-set-eyes-on-me/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“We were nothing but a bunch of ravenous ghosts. The barely living dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/we-were-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-ravenous-ghosts-the-barely-living-dead/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Did the International Committee of the Red Cross know anything about this? Did the United States? The UN? Yes, yes, and yes. And what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/did-the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-know-anything-about/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“When we got back to our house, the villagers who’d had helped carry her coffin as far as the mountainside were there, partaking enthusiastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/when-we-got-back-to-our-house-the-villagers-who-d-had-helped-carry/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Much later, I checked out the Ten Commandments of the Abrahamic religions. You know how many of them contain a reference to God? About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/much-later-i-checked-out-the-ten-commandments-of-the-abrahamic/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) [Explore all 100 Masaji Ishikawa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## More Meat quotes > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“What else haven’t you told me?” I thought for a minute. “Actually, yes…there is,” I replied, pausing to consider my words carefully, “I eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/what-else-haven-t-you-told-me-i-thought-for-a-minute-actually-yes/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) [Gza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gza/) > [I love a good steak. I like my meat. I love broccoli - it's one of my favorites - and corn, too. I mix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-wozniacki/i-love-a-good-steak-i-like-my-meat-i-love-broccoli-it-s-one-of-my/) [Caroline Wozniacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-wozniacki/) > [When you cook a sausage, the skin sometimes breaks and the ground meat comes apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-cook-a-sausage-the-skin-sometimes-breaks-and-the-ground-meat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I met you you were oh so sweet, now you give me the bread and you take all the meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/when-i-met-you-you-were-oh-so-sweet-now-you-give-me-the-bread-and-you/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Read things you're sure will disagree with your current thinking. If you're a die-hard anti-animal person, read Meat. If you're a die-hard global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/read-things-you-re-sure-will-disagree-with-your-current-thinking-if/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [Simple diet is best: for many dishes bring many diseases, and rich sauces are worse than even heaping several meats upon each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/simple-diet-is-best-for-many-dishes-bring-many-diseases-and-rich/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [--Hero!? Forget it! We're Pirates! I love heroes but I don't wanna become one! Do you even know what it takes to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiichiro-oda/hero-forget-it-we-re-pirates-i-love-heroes-but-i-don-t-wanna-become/) [Eiichiro Oda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiichiro-oda/) > [It is a great delusion to suppose that flesh-meat of any kind is essential to health. Considerably more than three parts of the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-booth/it-is-a-great-delusion-to-suppose-that-flesh-meat-of-any-kind-is/) [Catherine Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-booth/) > [“There is only one right way to eat a steak - with greed in your heart and a smile on your face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soumeet-lanka/there-is-only-one-right-way-to-eat-a-steak-with-greed-in-your-heart/) [Soumeet Lanka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soumeet-lanka/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) [Browse all 1,761 Meat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most alarming thing was when we sat down to our first meal. I couldn’t believe the dish that appeared in front of me. They served us dog meat. Yes, dog meat. The stench was overpowering.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Masaji Ishikawa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year-old-the-most-alarming-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Meat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year-old-the-most-alarming-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/masaji-ishikawa-5495_quote_but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year_2117931.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most alarming thing was when we sat down to our first meal…” — Masaji Ishikawa", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Masaji Ishikawa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“but for me—a fast-growing thirteen-year-old—the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year-old-the-most-alarming-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-for-me-a-fast-growing-thirteen-year-old-the-most-alarming-thing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```