narrowing the focus

I've been thinking some more about what to focus on for my project once I'm in Malta. Looking back over the itinerary for last year's program I was encouraged to see that the field school sets aside one day to study food anthropology and food preservation techniques from Malta. Hopefully that will function as a springboard for more things about food and culture that I can study that are specific to Malta itself.

Aside from that I've been thinking about two major themes that might be worth pursuing for my study. The first is a study of "insider vs. outsider" mentality that I thought of when Adam brought up a story one of the professors at K-State used to illustrate "belonging" to a culture - that when a foreigner can enjoy a certain dish that is linked to a place's identity, that can make them "one of us." In Malta, a place that has come to thrive on tourism and is dependent on the influence of outsiders, I thought it would be interesting to see what the Maltese people think of tourists and the way they eat, and to see whether tourism has had an impact on what types of food the island produces and prepares.

Another track that could be equally of interest is that of consumer culture, and how food is marketed and presented in Malta, and how people interact when they eat - whether it's more a "grab-and-go" culture revolving around rigid schedules or more of the laid-back stereotypical European mealtime culture where eating is a social ritual and meals encourage interaction and stimulate conversation.

Of course it would be ideal to look at both aspects as well as some different aspects of the culture since the program guide stresses that "die-hards will of course have 2 or 3 projects going simultaneously." I'm also intrigued by the use of space and studying the megalithic temples that are the oldest free-standing structures in the world. But at least I have some ideas for my main focus and now I can concentrate on more detailed research to come up with questions to ask. It's hard to believe it's only 10 days until I'll be leaving the country!