The way I eat has changed dramatically since I met my husband. He's from the Philippines, where it’s common practice to not only share food but to also eat from the same plate. The epitome of this communal style of eating is Kamayan. ‘Kamayan’ literally translates to ‘hands’ in Tagalog, one of the eight major Filipino dialects, and is a communal feast where people eat from a table set with banana leaves instead of plates and you use your hands for utensils. This way of eating naturally lends itself to conversation, as we reach beyond what’s immediately in front of us to what and who is on the other side of the table. I like to think of this blog as a virtual kamayan -- a space for reflections, community highlights, conversation, and resource sharing. Pull up a seat and dig in!