Name: Soha Sewani

What is the name of your TAC project? Dastarkhawan (Turkish word meaning table cloth)

Number impacted? I am not fully done with my project yet, but I would say about 12 people have seen the recipes so far. Hopefully, I can reach a lot more once I get the cookbook published or the recipes shown in a virtual exhibit.

What life-long lesson have you learned from your TAC project? One life-long lesson I have learned from my TAC is the importance of adaptability and flexibility. Especially in a world where everything is changing so quickly, I think it is very important to keep an open mind and be okay with straying from your original idea. I didn’t end up conducting my original TAC at all, and the biggest thing that helped me re-envision my project was actually starting. You will never know what obstacles you will face and how your plans morph into something better if you never begin in the first place, and so taking that first step was very important.

What is the most unexpected or surprising or interesting thing that happened during or as a result of your TAC journey? Firstly, some of the recipes that were submitted sound extremely interested and I am very excited to try them out myself. Further, something unexpected is that I feel as though the pandemic was actually beneficial for my project as it steered me towards using an online platform for my TAC, which helped me reach a wider audience than if I was to do it in-person.

Did you face any challenges in executing your TAC in the face of COVID-19? If so, how did you adapt to the new reality of the pandemic? Luckily, I don’t think COVID-19 has affected my TAC significantly as it was already compatible with and rooted in online interactions. However, it did impose limitations on some of my ideas, such as distributing a physical copy of the completed cookbook or presenting it in The Children’s Museum. This really pushed me to find creative solutions to these unforeseen circumstances like utilizing online exhibits that many museums have and creating a website where recipes can be published.