The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.” – St. Augustine
Like every other student that has wanted to study abroad, it has been a dream of mine since I was little. A passion for travel and exploring new places meant constantly watching YouTube videos and Googling images of far off places.
Someday…
Someday… is no longer a far off image on Google. Someday…is no longer an episode on the Travel Channel. But ‘someday’ is now a reality; technically speaking, ‘someday’ is actually… ‘Thursday’?
Time does truly fly.
Exactly 1 Week, 7 days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, and 604,800 seconds, from today, I will be in the air, on my way to China. Seven days until departure, seven days until one of my life-long goals is finally achieved!
But, before the departure, the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh sponsored a dinner at Sichuan Gourmet in Squirrel Hill, Pa. To say I was astonished would be an understatement. Growing up in Johnstown, Pa. , Chinese food before a Friday night football game or just a quick meal with friends was something I looked forward to, but I never realized how untraditional it was. Therefore, I became very cultured Tuesday night when my classmates and I were treated to a “real” Chinese dinner.
Below, is alittle video I produced of the night!
Chinese dining habits are quite different from Western ones, but fear not, I am here to help!
FAMILY CENTRIC MEALS
One stark difference between Western and Eastern dining habits is portion size—more specifically, how the way meals are consumed affect portion size. While meals in Western restaurants are sized for individuals, dishes offered in Chinese restaurants are meant to be shared. As such, cooks prepare food into bite-sized pieces, or prepare it in a way so it is easy to portion, while serving it to you on large plates and platters.
As meals are shared, one may be concerned with the degree of sanitation. It’s common to find communal chopsticks, or Gōngkuài (公筷), placed with each dish. You may also notice that tables are round and have a lazy Susan. Aside for efficiency purposes, circular tables represent important motif in Chinese culture; it signifies unity, and presents dining as an event where family members reunite.
TIP: While a round table is convenient and unifies the family, one must all look before you spin the turntable to make sure that no one else is reaching for food!
SEATING AND DINING
As mentioned above, Chinese restaurants often use round tables. In Western cultures, the host or the eldest family member often sit at the head of the table.
But what happens when you dine at a circular table?
I asked the same question!
At a circular table, the seat of honor is the one facing the entrance of the establishment. The closer you are positioned to that seat, the more importance you have.
The timing which dining begins is also contingent on the presence of party members. The appropriate time to dig in is after the guest of honor, or the eldest member of the group, is seated and has begun their meal. Sometimes they will signify the start of a meal, by saying “吃吧(chī ba)!” or “开动吧(kāi dòng ba)!” which means “Please eat!”
CHOPSTICK ETIQUETTE
The culinary tool that you’ll be using for the majority of your meals: chopsticks. My fellow classmates and I, some more equipped than others, found this task extremely difficult especially with noodles and soup!
However, during the course of the meal, the owners guided us on certain actions that should not be executed with chopsticks.
- Do not use chopsticks to point at another individual.
- It is seen as a sign of disrespect and aggression.
- Creating racket with chopsticks.
- Sticking your chopsticks into a bowl of rice, specifically upright, is seen as taboo.
- There’s a specific reason for this: as a bowl of rice is often offered at funerals, which symbols bad luck.
HOT TEA WITH HOT FOOD
While meals in Western restaurants are often served with a cold beverage, Chinese establishments often first offer their various teas. Even dishes renowned for their spice are accompanied by a pot of hot brewed tea.
Why? Well, there are a multitude of reasons. For some it’s just something they’ve always done. Others swear the tea cuts back grease and oils and acts as a palate cleanser. Most, however, agree that warm water aids digestion while cold water acts against it.
Tales of Traveling Sole Sisters 