November 12, 2008
Megan, founder of TwitterMoms, together with the great people over at Global Wonders posed the following question to TwitterMoms members for a chance to win a DVD series from Global Wonders:
Being an Asian-American family in New York, this is actually a part of our daily lives. The hubby and I are both Filipino-American. Each of our families hunted out the American dream, and we each immigrated to America as children, he at 8 years of age and I at 2. Both of us became naturalized American citizens as teenagers. As you can imagine, while we may be fully assimilated, our lives still bear the footprint of our ethnic background in some of the foods we eat, with rice being an almost-daily staple, and with the hubby’s once weekly trips to the Filipino store to pick up some homemade stews. (::blush:: Unfortunately, I haven’t tried my hand at cooking Filipino food.)
I don’t think I’ve mentioned it too much before, but I absolutely love food. If I had the dispensable income available, I would completely foodie-rock out every night. So why would I even bother telling you about how much I love food? Well, not only do I enjoy food, I absolutely LOVE food from all different cultures. Thai, Indian, Irish, German, Polish, Mexican, Columbian, Korean, Polynesian, Spanish (as in Spain), Japanese, Russian, Greek, Turkish, you name it (it’s not possible to list everything!). Oh, and if I haven’t tried it, I will. Next on my list is finding an Ethiopian restaurant in the city that won’t break the bank but has decent reviews.
I’m always game for trying and delighting in a different country’s culinary creations, and even if the hubster’s not available, I’ll take littleQ with me on my little multicultural cuisine adventures (or I’ll order to go, though I prefer not to).
Tasting and learning about the foods eaten by a different culture is definitely a wonderful way to learn about that culture. If you watch Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern or No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, then you’ll know that through food, you’re able to learn about the customs, language and lifestyles of a region. In many cases, consuming those foods eaten by a group of a people and learning about them will allow for one to gain a better understanding and respect for a culture’s way of life. The apex at the survival of a people is their sustenance, and so what better way to learn about a culture than to savor the “common man’s meals” and delicacies from that culture? You can then ask questions or read up on that cuisine to find out why that food is so important to them or why it’s so prevalent, making it a learning experience all around, not only for your but for your child as well.
So, to answer the question how do we inspire our child to learn more about and appreciate other cultures? One way is through the foods of those cultures, of course! Just like adults, children will certainly dislike certain foods, however introducing different flavors and different cuisines at early ages (taking into account allergies, duh) is an amazing way to introduce your child to other cultures. It’s also a great way to establish and encourage multi-cultural appreciation, tolerance and understanding.
Tip: To truly “eat to learn” about another country or culture’s cuisine, please, please don’t go to a “fake” pretend-fusion restaurant. If you’re near a metro area, just ask around and chances are you’ll find what you’re looking for.
How do you inspire your child to learn more about and appreciate other cultures and the languages, customs and lifestyles that come with them?
Technorati Tags: multicultural, culture, customs, language, lifestyle, food, foreign, Global Wonders, TwitterMoms, different, international, cuisine, understanding, tolerance
My older daughter has a lot of cultural education at school (Kindergarten), including Spanish class every day and once-a-week Japanese club. I try to cook food from all over the world, and she’s usually up to at least trying just about anything I make. There’s research that shows that having a varied diet, using elements from all over the world, is very good for your body.
We do a lot of cultural things. We send our sons to Hebrew school to learn the language. And we keep a Kosher kitchen, which means we only buy food with a Kosher symbol on it (see the little U inside the circle on your cereal box?) and we shop at the Kosher market. And the holidays, of course. And, my cooking incorporates food from all over the world. There are nice ways to cook Kosher tacos, Chinese stir-fry, etc.
M As last blog post..Should vs. Do
In my culture ‘African American” we always have a big meal on Sunday! You would think you were at a buffet.
I too am a huge fan of “eating to learn!” Food is such an important part of every culture, and I think it’s wonderful that you are introducing your children to different cuisines. By learning about the cultures behind those different foods I’m sure your children will develop a greater appreciation and understanding about other cultures as they grow up. Thanks for sharing!
-Rashmi Turner
Founder/CEO, Global Wonders