As the semester ends and I reflect on my time at Temple Rome, it’s clear that my involvement in the Culture & IdentityEnvoy program has opened many doors for me and enriched my experience in more ways than I could have imagined. I have gotten the chance to volunteer, meet people from all over the world, and think about the complex social issues that exist within any city. A large part of my experience in the envoy program has been linked with John Cabot University (JCU), a four-year international university here in Rome. The various events I have attended throughout the semester have largely been put on by students at JCU, allowing me to meet students from all over the world and understand their perspectives and motivations behind studying in Rome. During my last month of study abroad, I attended an Eid celebration at John Cabot University. This and other events have helped introduce me to new people, cultures, and ideas, while simultaneously making me feel closer to home while abroad. In this article, I’m focusing on the importance of food in culture, sharing how food has been a large part of learning about new cultures.
After sundown on Tuesday April 9, all were welcome to join the Arab Student Association on the terrace at JCU to share a meal together and celebrate Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, the month of dawn-to-sunset fasting. The complex rhythms of Arabic music flooded the air, creating an atmosphere that was both serene and lively, giving attendees space to eat mindfully or mingle with others. I was so excited to have a plate of foods I have been missing during this semester filled with (amazing) pasta and pizza. I filled my plate up with my childhood favorites like dolmas, hummus, falafel, and tried koshari for the first time. Koshari is Egypt’s national dish, consisting of noodles and rice topped with tomato sauce, garlic vinegar, and chickpeas, among other toppings. Everything was delicious and the atmosphere was so welcoming and fun. We were even sent home with a bag of falafel and kadayif, a dessert made of sweet, stringy pastry, which I had also never tried before.
I have felt the cultural importance of food from a young age, as I grew up with parents who love to cook and share meals with family and friends. A typical Friday night looked like dinner parties with American classics like steak and potatoes or barbeque. During the week, I looked forward to my dad making traditional Indian dishes like keema and aloo gobi. We also ventured into other parts of our heritage through food, my mom making it a point to have full Hungarian or Irish meals occasionally.
I tried goulash in Budapest while visiting during spring break, and felt I had a total full circle moment- eating the food my ancestors used to while visiting their home country. I am very thankful that I had the ability to travel around Europe during my spring break, and I would highly encourage anyone studying abroad or traveling to any country to seek out some traditional food so you can understand what types of things have nourished the people there and what might be served in their homes. Some other favorite foods from my travels this semester included chimney cake from Prague and schnitzel from Vienna.
Temple University has also facilitated our cultural learning by providing students with the opportunity to partake in either pizza making or pasta making classes. Cooking has been one of my favorite hobbies since I was young and has honestly become a part of my identity. I often cook my own meals in the communal kitchen at my residence hall here in Rome, dotcampus. Cooking alongside others inherently builds community because you are engaging in a parallel activity with those around you, just as children build friendships at a young age. Engaging in this cooking class introduced me to many other students and understand how food brings people together, not just in Italy but all over the world!
Chimney cake in Prague, Czech Republic
Check out more blogs from Temple Rome’s Culture & Identity Envoys here.