Message from dlong

[Anonymous]

I found yet another great article in the May 2007 Faces magazine (I will be subscribing now, this magazine is great and has tons of kid-friendly issues dedicated to Asia.) This article is on Chinese table mannerss. I have been inspired to have my students read this article and have a meal where we use this set of manners. I learned the value of knowing a culture's table manners when I studied abroad in Jamaica and discovered the hard way that you are not expected to eat everything you are served - the host serves much more than one typically would eat as a sign of respect to the guest and the guest shows respect for the host by leaving food on the plate. (Two very painfully stuffed meals went by before I could track down my school professor and ask how to decline more food!) I am now very interested in learning table manners from around the world.

I was intrigued to find out that the way I eat with chopsticks would be considered to be a sign of dissatisfaction to a Chinese host. There are also many other rules/manners I did not know about. I think my students would enjoy the experience of learning Chinese table manners and practicing them. I would also love to make this lesson one of many where we learn about table manners from around the world, maybe even a refresher course on American table manners can slip in too!