Reflection About Food

Nine days of constant travelling through Xian and Beijing have made me realize that food is a significant component of China’s culture. The history behind the culture surrounding food, the way it is prepared to the way it is served and even the utensils used each carry thousands of years of unspoken tradition. Through my love for food and my willingness to try new cuisine I created my new family here with my fellow peers and educators. Coming to China, I knew I will be challenged with new cuisine and I did not know how receptive I would be to this change. On our first stop in Xian, we were told to be wary of the street foods by Tony, our tour guide, because some students had food poisoning on previous seminars. Even with this warning, a couple

This is family style meal where they put a big simmering pot of water or flavored stock. Then they serve a variety of ingredients ranging from seafood, vegetables to a variety of meats. Then each individual takes a piece of an ingredient and dips it into the simmering pot until its cooked and ready to eat. Personally, this was a challenge since the stock was very spicy but none the less this was a memorable dinner. It made me see the importance of family and sharing in East Asian culture, more specifically in Chinese culture. As I reflected on this dinner, I looked back to all the other times I had eaten at a table with a rotating center. Even the design of tables at restaurants reflected this culture, which was most apparent with Dim sum which is a style of Chinese cuisine where they serve small bite-sized portions of food. When I started comparing this style of eating to my American upbringing, I began to realize that we are a lot more selfish with food in the United States. This idea of individualism plays a big role in our food culture as well and this is where it clashes with the East Asian idea of collectivism. Personally, I forgot the last time I had dinner with my family and this is something I would like to take back with me. The fun of sharing and eating together seems to be lost in my family and I want to ignite that sense of shared space through food when I return