Event: Japanese Cooking Night

I attended and took part in a Japanese Culture Club food night. During the evening we made a few varieties of Japanese food as well as watching films in Japanese and sharing cultural experiences. This was an opportunity for those who knew Japanese recipes to share the knowledge and for other students to have a chance to taste them. Also a member of the faculty came, who was interested in sharing her experiences and those of her son who lived in Japan. While cooking we were able to discuss culture, as well as the unique experiences of a foreigner living in Japan. This took into account the different world view prevalent in Japan, and being an outsider in a culture that prides itself on its group unity. There is of course a need to be a in a group within the country that and outsider cannot quite resolve, because they are always an outsider. In particular I cooked a dish called Okonomiyaki, which has no real Western equivalent. Overall it was a good experience, and its global aspects were clear to see as we, a group of Americans shared the culutral food of a island all the way around the world. It was plain to see the challenges of migration in our discussion about living abroad and the challanges of doing so in a non-Western thinking culture. Good food and good discussion were had by all. Also some of the movies on had a historical context.