Family Meal Times in Different Cultures Around the World

Childhood obesity in our culture is at an alarming rate. I think putting children in drastic diets is not the main solution to the problem. If families share more meals with their children, they will be healthier and better individuals.

My dream is to travel around the world to photograph families in different cultures sharing meals especially those with school-age children. As one Registered Dietician (Ms. Becky Hand) quoted: "The family that eats together, stays together".

I do believe in that. There are numerous advantages in families sharing meals regularly especially those with school age children.

There is less incidence of drug and alcohol abuse in the children,the choices of food made by the children are better (less fast food consumption and therefore more economical,too), their grades are better,and it provides better opportunities to communicate. The meal time can serve as a teaching place for etiquette, table manners, discussion of ideas including personal problems,and introduction of different food from other cultures.

It is,also,a way to prevent children from straying as they feel more secure. The meal times are good ways for children to know that they are to be home at a certain time for the meals but they would not feel that it is a "curfew". It has been proven that children whose families share meals regularly have improved grades and academic performance. Since the children are served nutritious food, they have better stamina and therefore are more active. That wil prevent them from being sedentary and therefore maintain an ideal body weight.

My dream is to share my pictures with families in my home state by having free exhibits in schools, libaries,churches and malls.

I would be around to answer questions and even give a short talk, if needed.

I am a novice photographer and I do not have very expensive cameras and accessories but I feel that I can convey my ideas even though I am not a professional. I own a basic digital SLR with just a few lenses. With a background in the health field (a retired nurse), I feel confident that I could tackle the task.

Having traveled in many foreign countries and locally for several decades, it would be a great honor and an exciting educational experience for me to be able to capture meal times in different cultures around the world.

When I go overseas, one of the most fascinating destination for me is the local markets to observe the people, see what fruit,vegetables, meat, poultry and other food items they buy. By going to the markets, it gives me the opportunity to absorb the local culture and interact with the locals.

The term "fresh" has different meanings in different cultures. For instance, fresh chicken in one market in Barcelona meant chicken that still had their feathers on but were hanging lifeless upset down!

If given the opportunities, I would love to observe food preparation, as well. Sharing a meal with the families would be a nice experience too!

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a day with a Hmong family outside Hanoi, N. Vietnam. Even though I did not speak Vietnamese, we were able to communicate through my tour guide.

I watched the grandmother make tea with water boiled an aluminum pot on a concrete slab using branches and twigs for firewood.

That experience gave me the idea to spend some time with different cultures in different parts of the world.

When traveling, I always bring small souvenirs for the people. I take school supplies to give to children. It fosters good interpersonal and iternational relationship and it makes people smile when they do not expect to get something from a stranger. It breaks cultural barriers even if sometimes there is a language barrier.

When I have a chance to get the people's names and addresses, I sent them copies of their pictures.

If my dream assignment comes true, I will participate in food preparation and share some of my limited cooking abilities with the locals (if given the opportunites to do so).

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