CULTURAL EVENT PAPER Culture, as the patterns, the traits, and products as an expression of a certain group of people, can be witnessed anywhere, and in almost anything. With this definition in my head, I thought that I’d visit a place where the most basic aspect of a culture can be revealed: the food. I decided to go to the Greek cuisine restaurant, George’s Greek Cafe, located beside the Lakewood mall on Faculty Avenue. The ambiance of the restaurant was nice: dimmed lights, with each table being lighted by a candle. Inside the restaurant there were mini statues and busts, placed elegantly in a display that’s lighted by candles as well. I was quickly given a table, and the service was quiet efficient. I ordered a spanakopites- baked mini filo triangles stuffed with feta cheese, spinach and spices- as appetizer. I ordered their gyro for entrée, which was a huge portion of shaved beef and lamb cooked on a spit, topped with tzantziki (a Greek white sauce), fresh tomatoes, red onion, and cucumbers, wrapped on a pita, with a side of rice. It was, I had to say, delicious, and definitely worth going back for. What’s new is that although I felt like I was in a completely different environment, I didn’t feel awkward or estranged, but rather familiar. The first thing I want to mention is the architecture. The restaurant was built according to the Neoclassical style, which is common popular among Greek buildings, in contrast to the traditional Chinese architectures, which emphasize on elaborate details and bilateral symmetry. When I walked in, what I immediately noticed was the music (which I later confirmed to be Greek), since it was completely new to me. I was able to hear the influence of Middle Eastern and some western sounds, as opposed to the frequent use of the pentatonic scale in Chinese music. One striking difference I observed is that, despite there being tables filled with families and couples, the volume of the conversations was actually low! And, well, everyone knows how rowdy and loud a Chinese restaurant can be. Now, as I was being walked to my table, I realized that the information I can observe is extremely limited, so I made the decision that I will ask as many questions as I will be allowed. So every time the waiter came by, I would ask a very general question, and deduct what I can from his answers. I first asked about the table etiquette. In Greek culture, during a family meal, the food is passed around the table. In Chinese culture, even though the family members are seated around a round table, the dishes are to remain on the table. That being said, there are striking similarities between the more intimate activities of Greek and Chinese culture. The social relationships of these two cultures are both extremely group-oriented. Since the social relationship between each individual is valued, both Chinese and Greek cultures have strong interpersonal bonds. Another interesting fact is that, during my meal, if I made eye contact with my waiter, he would immediately walk over, and ask me if I need anything. In Chinese culture, a nod or a slight gesture with the hand can be used to summon the waiter as well, signifying that both cultures rely on nonverbal expressions. I suppose I can deduct that both are high-context cultures. According to the waiter, during a meal, the oldest is served first, and in Chinese culture, it’s culturally branded into our being that we are to serve our elders first, since as a group, those older than you are to be shown respect. From this experience, I learned that even though the Greeks and the Chinese have different cultures, there are bonds that these two cultures share, and definitely related in ways that sometimes we don’t see, simply because we think it’s different. I’ve realized that every culture, even the significantly different ones like mine and the Greeks, have backgrounds, values, beliefs, traditions, and customs that are shared in a very broad aspect.