October Blog

I really enjoyed the class that we had discussing food and culture. I didn't really notice the signifigant impact food had on culture until my sophmore year of high school. That year I met two of my close friends who were born in India. They would always tell me about the different kinds of food that they would have everyday, traditional Indian food that I've never heard of before. Sadly they're father passed away the summer between my junior and senior year and they invited me over to have dinner with their family following the funeral. I found it super interesting that they ate with their hands and had a particular technique for eating. Their family had been holding up their traditions for years and it was cool to see how they were brought together even in a sad time. Another ritual that I foudn interesting was that after the death of a family member, they do not eat meat for 40 days following the death. They explained it to me as a way to pay their respects and keep in mind the life of the person who passed. It was a really neat experience talking with their family and asking them quesiton sabout their culture and how food brings their family together. It helped open my awareness to what other people find important and what helps make up their values and traditions based off their background.