About The Table We Share: Food and Culture
This one-week, homestay-based program will immerse students in Chicago’s neighborhoods, cultural centers, and food hot spots as the backdrop for experiences that celebrate food, culture, and shared history. Through culinary exploration, community engagement, and guided dialogue, you’ll discover the cultural traditions that shape the city’s neighborhoods and experiences – recognizing how shared meals and stories can build understanding and common ground. These initiatives reflect the AFS approach and the impact of our programs: opportunities for meaningful dialogue and relationship-building that encourage constructive engagement, shared learning, and a deeper appreciation of our common humanity.
Things to Know
Through the AFS-USA lens, this program will explore and strengthen interpersonal and intercultural “power” skills, such as communication, collaboration, understanding differences and fostering active dialogue, intercultural awareness, and conflict resolution.
Themed workshops and excursions around the city will provide the perfect backdrop for you and your fellow participants to examine the legacy of food in Chicago and how our stories around food impact the way we learn and connect with each other as active global citizens. Grounded in the educational philosophy of our mission, this program combines homestays, guided exploration, dialogue, and reflective learning to create a well-rounded experience rooted in the spirit of Chicago’s cultural landscape.
