Greetings readers,
I hope you’re well!
Tonight has been one of fulfillment, of both stomachs and aspirations. Over pho and other East Asian dishes in local Greensboro joint, the Tongue group bonded and had a chance to converse about life without pressure of impending assignments.
At the outset of this project, I was honestly dubious about the results, and would never have imagined it to have gone as well as it has. Being objectively categorized into groups by interests sounded like a common-sense approach to delineate topics, but when I was categorized into the Tongue group I wasn’t sure that I meshed incredibly well with the other members. Instead of being a random amalgamation of oral-related interests (languages, food, social stratification and roles, etc) it seemed that it was a group of three vehemently excited by cuisine and one only mildly. Within this broad interest, we had group members interested in the rise and falls of empires, the role of women along the Silk Road, and linguistic diffusion. I wasn’t quite sure how we could come to a proposal all members were satisfied with.
Therefore our group was initially very malleable: all our fixations were orbiting around “tongue” aspects, but no one could pin down a topic that equally incorporated everyone.  After reviewing a timeline of nomads in class and being urged to looking into spices by a professor, we loosely decided upon researching spices and the Xiongnu people. However we soon realized that there were very little sources about either of these (spices had substantially more, but not from the timeline we had honed in on), and it seemed like we were just spinning our proverbial wheels. To start over, two members met with Eric and crafted the idea of focusing on the Kashgar region and following a meal.
Within following a meal from the Kashgar region, our team split into four focuses to make a more adequate attempt at gleaning a speck of knowledge on the topic. Christopher is focused mainly on foodstuffs (yoghurt, meat, vegetables), Zachary on beverages (grain, yoghurt, milk wine), Billie on preparation and consumption (utensils, ovens, dishware), and I of the cultural role (etiquette, types of meal settings, cultural diffusion). More specifically, I’m focusing on the customs and traditions behind dining, serving, and consuming.
I’ll admit that I was a mite disappointed when we shifted from a language-focused topic to one of cuisine, but I soon realized it was a blessing in disguise. I love linguistics, but dealing with translations and mapping of tongues that I’m not even remotely familiar with within the confines of this course would have been impossible. Additionally, it’s much more interesting to foray into an entirely new topic than adding to one with a sustained bank of knowledge. I’m actually very intrigued by the cultural concepts behind food, and how food can translate culture in the stead of a shared language. I’ve always found “exotic” food interesting to the palate and the mind, but the way it originated never sparked in my mind as an area of research. While I’m excited to journey into a new area, I’m a little frightened by my lack of expertise. Everyone else in my group can name food documentaries, dishes, and restaurants off the top of their heads, and I sit there enthralled but reeling. I just hope in my unfamiliarity I don’t drag them behind. We had hoped to dine at Apple China tonight but consumed pho instead, I engulfing myself in a cloud of culinary cultural awareness I didn’t know existed outside of cooking shows.
Anxiety-wise, I’m nervous about research and reception. I’m grateful that my topic is probably the farthest removed from the food itself, but am still unsure of how to find sources. I’ve done many collegiate research papers and projects before and can list numerous sources by rote, but absolutely nothing about food. I’m hoping that I can find guidance in the librarians, the professors, and my group members, but I want to be able to stand as an independent entity, not burdening them. Obviously in the time since writing emerged in Asia there must be enough combined sources, but I’m afraid I won’t access them. As for reception, I’m not quite sure of the effect this project will have. Eric urged us to avoid being daunted by this task, because it will only be “a drop in many oceans”, if that, but I still want our project to be original and significant. Through synthesis of established sources I’m not sure how many radical new ideas will emerge.
At the outset I believed that our group was a thrown together group of individuals, but ended up discovering that Zach, Billie, and Chris had all closely bonded freshman year. This naturally made me feel like an outlier, and wonder how the dynamic would progress. In the beginning I think our issue is that we were too polite with each other: no one dared to say no, or shoot down an idea. A contained version of this is fine when brainstorming, but we ended up in a place where we had a myriad of ideas and couldn’t sacrifice any of them. I think we, or at least I, also felt slightly confused working together because none of us were sure what the actual specific outcome of the class was supposed to be. We had meetings to brainstorm and seemingly got nowhere because we couldn’t decide what to hone in on. However after nailing down the topic of Kashgar cuisine we seem to be doing well. Continuing research on dishes to solidify our plan, but slightly coasting, working towards our next deadline. We’ve spent our time tossing around the ideas of tofu raps and food documentaries and interactive website karaoke. I think once we recognized each other as people other than project partners productivity flourished.
Thus far, I would honestly say that my efforts have been more minimal than they should be, at least in comparison to other members in my group. They’re regularly watching food documentaries and seeking additional context, and I feel like I never have much to add. I’ve completed all the required assignments and pulled my weight in suggested research, but haven’t done much additional research. It’s not for lack of interest; I have a dozen documentaries in my queue. Nor for lack of will. More lack of time in a busy schedule. Between four classes, three clubs, three jobs, and applications, I don’t have much free time to explore my own fancies. I think I’m on-par with the expectations of the course, but not actively engaging enough to satisfy my own curiosities or aspirations.
Overall, I’m very excited for the course and trust in team ingenuity. Thank you for reading.
Regards,
-Delaney