Jennifer
Fortnash
Worked
in China, Summer 2012
“Lunchtime”
Culture can be found in even the seemingly most
simple and ordinary of moments. Here, the viewer joins the lunch table of two
young Chinese boys at their middle school’s cafeteria in Zigong, Sichuan,
China. As we grow and mature, we experience an ongoing process of social
interactions with other people. This is a way in which culture is learned and
shared. Lunchtime is often a time of socialization among grade school
students—a time of cultural exchange. The photograph not only affords the
viewer a close-up glimpse of a meal and mealtime interaction shared between
native Chinese, in addition, it may also prompt one to reminisce about his or
her own childhood lunchtime memories and reflect on the social exchanges that
took place.