Japanese tourists visiting New York City often ask if they can eat dinner with a "regular American family," according to the Talk of the Town in this week's New Yorker.
The Japanese Travel Bureau here in New York has to turn down these repeated requests becasue they cannot find New Yorkers to host them. "Nobody will do it in New York," said tour leader Carol Elk.
Sign me up! I'd surely host a family of Japanese tourists for a dinner at my apartment and then dream that someday I'd make it to Japan and they would return the exchange. Would you host some tourists and their translator too? What would you serve?
I'd totally do it!
Food and cultural exchange go so well together. I had a limited experience in Egypt being hosted for tea by a kindly man who wanted to act as tour guide in a small village outside of Luxor. Though it consisted only of very sweet tea and some store-bought biscuits, it was hands-down the best experience of the trip.
And it works between different ethnic groups in the same city too. On a recent trip to Antwerp (Belgium) and Amsterdam, there were programs for "regular" families to eat at the home of an "ethnic" family. In Amsterdam, the event coincided with Ramadan in an effort to create some understanding of the Muslim community in the general population.
If I had the time and money I'd love to set up an online dinner party exchange site for travelers. Kinda like couchsurfing.com, but tablesurfing instead. People from around the world could sign up to attend or host, and then post reviews and referrals publicly. I've traveled a lot and my best memories are always lively dinners at people's homes, and I love to entertain at home too.
Someone start this up!
Hi Everybody! The response to Lauren Collins' New Yorker article has been so unexpected, but very welcome. I would love to hear from people who would be willing to host a group of Japanese tourists in their home, not just in NYC, but anywhere east of the Mississippi River. That's the territory that I'm responsible for.
The best way to reach me is by email: celk@jtbi.com
I need the following information: 1. How many people you could accommodate for a sit-down dinner. 2. How many people you could accommodate for tea and snacks in your living room/dining room area total. 3. Your profession and your spouse/partner's profession. 4. Number of children and ages. 4. Pets 5. Your address and a bit about your home. Is it an apartment in a high rise? A renovated brownstone? A 3BR ranch home? 6. Anything else you would like me to know! Maybe you traveled in Japan once or are an amateur chef and would just like to cook dinner for guests. If you could send me a photograph of your family or house or both that would help also.
If you have any questions, you can reach me by phone also: 212-698-0862
Thanks Chris for posting this! Oh and if any Canadian readers are interested, you can contact Mimi Horita at the JTB office in Vancouver: mhorita@jtbi.com
Carol Elk
There is a non-profit group in Italy that receives government funding for exactly this kind of program. I think it's called Staseranonesco, which means something like "tonight, I will stay home."
The first thing we wondered was what "family" meant...
and we thought of children we could borrow to make a nuclear unit!
I was in NYC awhile ago with my husband and 3 year old daughter - and a group of Japanese tourists asked to "borrow" her to take pictures with in front of the Library Lions! It was cute. I'm in rural MD - I'd host a meal, if anyone ever travelled out our way!
I'm in LA, and I'd love to host a group of tourists for dinner. I'm from Oklahoma originally, and I'd make up a delicious BBQ dinner. Something really southern.
Where is tablesurfing.org? You're right BX, that site needs to be made.
I am in Egypt and perfectly willing to host tourists at my table . I have a large apartment and live by myself. I host my society friends anyway. A great way to keep me busy, earn some money and make my life more interresting!