Workshop 2 : Eating Habits

    Workshop 2 is using the food as a metaphor for the different countries’ education. I can discuss the difference between two cultural by comparing the food cultural from different country.

    I had an opportunity to have lunch with Alexandra on Tuesday. We went to a restaurant called Jenny, which is same as my name. We ordered two traditional English food, one is fish and chips, the other one was a whole big potato covered with cheese, I forget the right name about this food. The platter was so big, I can hardly image that people can eat them all by just one person.  I got full quickly after I ate just half of the platter. Alexandra told me that potato was a common food material in English food, and there were actually a lot of fat in English food. To girls, maybe it is not a good choice. I also brought Chinese food to share with Alexandra which I cooked early that morning, fried rice with eggs and lettuce with oyster sauce. Although it was cold when we ate, I am glad that Alexandra liked my food. I think English food is easier and more convenient to take away, like the sandwich culture. I have seen plenty types of sandwiches in London. I like them, they are delicious and easy to make. But the cooking process for Chinese food is more complicated. Food you can take away for lunch called box rice in China, it is also more difficult to make than sandwiches. There are many steps to finish one box rice. But the balance of nutrition in food is healthy and less fat in food. However I like English and Chinese food both, I can change the food type everyday in London’s daily life.

The education is also quite different in two countries. In China, students almost do not have the chance to eat lunch or dinner with teachers. The relationship between students and teachers will not be this close, people are shy and unfamiliar with each other. Most students do not dare to question teachers or to suggest there can be a better way to do the projects. They just do what their teachers tell to do. The relationship between students and teachers is lack of communication. Students always feel uncomfortable to be alone with teachers in China. I like the relationship with tutors in London, it is quite different from China. Tutors here like to be questioned, like to discuss the every possibilities about the projects with students. They encourage students to be more spontaneous creation. The atmosphere in class is active. Teachers and students sit around the table and share the ideas and information together. We can evaluate and give opinions to others’ ideas. I can even have lunch or tea with my tutor here. We can talk about the funny things during the lunch time. Tutor will buy cakes for the class, we can share the problems we meet and try to solve them together. The relationship between teachers and students is quite friendly and relaxed. The educators in Western countries recommend students’ self-creative in education. But most people in China haven’t realized the importance of this problem. They just think it is better to send children to famous school and different types of cram classes to get better education. Students in China usually feel confused about what they are actually interested in and what they really want to learn in universities.

    People are free and easygoing in London but more careful and rigid in China, which I think just like the different food cultural in different counties. 

References:

Maria, M. ,  Florence, F. Spontaneous Activity in Education (1965). New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company.

Sir Ken, R.  Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (2011). Hoboken N.J. : Capstone.