Yeah, I know, but we were talking about regional delicacies and stuff last time, so... [Part of practicing Yaval with Spock meant just talking about his home moon, and Poe has let himself ramble on and on about stories of his youth, about his grandfather teaching him to cook, the way he and his dad would whip up what basically amounted to a feast and invite their neighbors to come share their meal under the Force-sensitive tree that was slowly growing large enough to overshadow their house, the puddle jumper races he and L'ulo would hold every time he visited, how overjoyed he'd been when he finally beat the Duros alien who was more or less an uncle to him.
Yaval culture was, by necessity, a hodge-podge of other cultures mashed together, which means some things might seem familiar to some people, and others not. To Poe, who grew up in the midst of it, it all had seemed completely normal, of course. The loud, almost exuberant displays of affection, the speed at which someone was adopted into your family circle, the willingness of everyone to lend tools or labor or whatever else might be needed to help a neighbor who was in distress.
He knows he probably sounds like some sort of galactic tour guide hyping up some backwater moon to unsuspecting tourists, but really, Poe's memories of his home world are tinged with rose-colored glasses, and he wants everyone he knows to experience the beauty of his home.
Specifically Spock. He thinks his dad would get a kick out of the Vulcan, would be fascinated by her heritage and would love discussing the scientific properties of the flora native to the Yavin system. Even L'ulo would enjoy her company, he's sure, although his uncle wasn't the most scientifically-minded person. They could at least commiserate about being the only non-humans in the room, while Poe and his father undoubtedly did something embarrassingly human in the corner like hug.
He watches Spock pick up one of the cookies in her long, pale fingers, the powdered sugar dusted overtop coating her fingertips when she brings the cookie up to her lips to bites into it, more sugar sticking to her lips after she pulls the cookie away so she can chew. Poe kind of wants to lick that sugar off her.]
Everything is so sweet here. [He wrinkles his nose, thinking to the food he's managed to get the replicator to spit out and how much it wasn't even remotely right.] Even the stuff I can get out of the replicator is too sweet. I've wound up cooking for myself every day.
[ Learning a language involves more than just learning the writing system, the alphabet and various sounds and syllables that compose a language. While Spock is no linguist, her mother was one, and her father an ambassador. Learning about the culture behind the language, gaining an understanding of the diversity of the individuals who together speak the language, and even simply understanding the origins of their common phrases is necessary.
(Spock might play dumb Vulcan from time to time, feigning ignorance at the illogical, often idiotic, phrases they use, but she understands their meaning for the most part.)
There are few pleasant stories Spock has regarding her childhood. Even without the aspersions cast on her heritage, Vulcans have never been an easy, affectionate race of individuals. She can talk about surviving in the desert for ten days, the attack of the le-matya and the loss of her sehlat; days spent studying in relative seclusion, the necessity of working with her peers who did not appreciate her talents, and the work put in to achieving spectacular results on her exams. So hearing such wonderful stories from another, especially one who was in some ways born into a war, is a marvel.
It also helps in understanding some of the romanticism of Yaval. Though the languages are vastly different, some of the displays of emotions reminds Spock of Pre-Reformation poetry. ]
Terrans do possess a tolerance for sugar that is extraordinary. [ Spock, always fastidious, licks the powdered sugar off her lips, then takes another bite of the cookie, which defeats the purpose, as more lingers. ] The taste of these is not displeasing. Stronger than traditional Vulcan sweets, but satisfactory still.
[ She finishes off the cookie and is left with fingers covered in powdered sugar. Vulcans rarely eat with their fingers for this very reason. ]
[ Spock may play dumb when it comes to Terran turns of phrase, but Poe himself still struggles with regional idioms; there are quite a few sayings his classmates are fond of that he doesn't understand but unlike Spock, most people don't believe him when he protests his ignorance. He's had to ask her to explain some of them to him during their little meetings, first in Standard, and then later, when she grew more confident and fluent, in Yaval.
One of these days he's going to get her to teach him Vulcan. Flying comes much more naturally to him than languages, but he's no slouch there. His Standard is so fluent as to be nearly-undistinguishable from a native speaker's, he thinks he can handle a little Vulcan on the side.
In more ways than one. ]
Yeah, they're pretty good, right? I like to make them when I'm studying, 'cause I can eat them one-handed so I don't get too distracted.
[ One of the other ways Poe differs from the majority of his classmates is that real, hard-copy books and journals are common on his home world. The paper they use in the Yavin system differs from the ones still used occasionally on Earth, but the concept is the same. Poe prefers working out of a proper book to working off a padd, something he has complained about multiple times.
Picking up a cookie, he pops it into his mouth whole and then licks the sugar off his fingers as he chews. ] You know, you should give me some Vulcan recipes, I can try to make them for you.
[ Having to explain idioms to another individual, who genuinely does not grasp the meaning, has been enlightening for Spock. It has gvien her an insight into both her perception of humanity and Terran culture. Many of the things Terrans find so familiar are truly not, although once Spock explains the phrases, Poe often provides an expression of similar meaning in Yaval.
These lessons have been a highlight to teaching. Spock cannot say she enjoys teaching, though there is a certain amount of satisfaction gained from performing admirably at her duties. The individual tutoring and lessons, discussions with students, and watching them develop in private are what she does find worthwhile, and that keeps the restlessness at bay. ]
They do create something of a mess, however.
[ Spock has to avert her eyes when Poe licks his fingers. It is not intentional, his actions, as few individuals outside of Vulcans know the intimacy associated with hands, but it still makes her vaguely discomforted. Which is illogical and Spock squashes that down as quickly as she can.
She locates a napkin to dust off her fingers. ]
I would be amenable to that, though many ingredients that Vulcan foods require are not easily replicated or found here.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no need to apologize!!
Yaval culture was, by necessity, a hodge-podge of other cultures mashed together, which means some things might seem familiar to some people, and others not. To Poe, who grew up in the midst of it, it all had seemed completely normal, of course. The loud, almost exuberant displays of affection, the speed at which someone was adopted into your family circle, the willingness of everyone to lend tools or labor or whatever else might be needed to help a neighbor who was in distress.
He knows he probably sounds like some sort of galactic tour guide hyping up some backwater moon to unsuspecting tourists, but really, Poe's memories of his home world are tinged with rose-colored glasses, and he wants everyone he knows to experience the beauty of his home.
Specifically Spock. He thinks his dad would get a kick out of the Vulcan, would be fascinated by her heritage and would love discussing the scientific properties of the flora native to the Yavin system. Even L'ulo would enjoy her company, he's sure, although his uncle wasn't the most scientifically-minded person. They could at least commiserate about being the only non-humans in the room, while Poe and his father undoubtedly did something embarrassingly human in the corner like hug.
He watches Spock pick up one of the cookies in her long, pale fingers, the powdered sugar dusted overtop coating her fingertips when she brings the cookie up to her lips to bites into it, more sugar sticking to her lips after she pulls the cookie away so she can chew. Poe kind of wants to lick that sugar off her.]
Everything is so sweet here. [He wrinkles his nose, thinking to the food he's managed to get the replicator to spit out and how much it wasn't even remotely right.] Even the stuff I can get out of the replicator is too sweet. I've wound up cooking for myself every day.
no subject
(Spock might play dumb Vulcan from time to time, feigning ignorance at the illogical, often idiotic, phrases they use, but she understands their meaning for the most part.)
There are few pleasant stories Spock has regarding her childhood. Even without the aspersions cast on her heritage, Vulcans have never been an easy, affectionate race of individuals. She can talk about surviving in the desert for ten days, the attack of the le-matya and the loss of her sehlat; days spent studying in relative seclusion, the necessity of working with her peers who did not appreciate her talents, and the work put in to achieving spectacular results on her exams. So hearing such wonderful stories from another, especially one who was in some ways born into a war, is a marvel.
It also helps in understanding some of the romanticism of Yaval. Though the languages are vastly different, some of the displays of emotions reminds Spock of Pre-Reformation poetry. ]
Terrans do possess a tolerance for sugar that is extraordinary. [ Spock, always fastidious, licks the powdered sugar off her lips, then takes another bite of the cookie, which defeats the purpose, as more lingers. ] The taste of these is not displeasing. Stronger than traditional Vulcan sweets, but satisfactory still.
[ She finishes off the cookie and is left with fingers covered in powdered sugar. Vulcans rarely eat with their fingers for this very reason. ]
no subject
One of these days he's going to get her to teach him Vulcan. Flying comes much more naturally to him than languages, but he's no slouch there. His Standard is so fluent as to be nearly-undistinguishable from a native speaker's, he thinks he can handle a little Vulcan on the side.
In more ways than one. ]
Yeah, they're pretty good, right? I like to make them when I'm studying, 'cause I can eat them one-handed so I don't get too distracted.
[ One of the other ways Poe differs from the majority of his classmates is that real, hard-copy books and journals are common on his home world. The paper they use in the Yavin system differs from the ones still used occasionally on Earth, but the concept is the same. Poe prefers working out of a proper book to working off a padd, something he has complained about multiple times.
Picking up a cookie, he pops it into his mouth whole and then licks the sugar off his fingers as he chews. ] You know, you should give me some Vulcan recipes, I can try to make them for you.
no subject
These lessons have been a highlight to teaching. Spock cannot say she enjoys teaching, though there is a certain amount of satisfaction gained from performing admirably at her duties. The individual tutoring and lessons, discussions with students, and watching them develop in private are what she does find worthwhile, and that keeps the restlessness at bay. ]
They do create something of a mess, however.
[ Spock has to avert her eyes when Poe licks his fingers. It is not intentional, his actions, as few individuals outside of Vulcans know the intimacy associated with hands, but it still makes her vaguely discomforted. Which is illogical and Spock squashes that down as quickly as she can.
She locates a napkin to dust off her fingers. ]
I would be amenable to that, though many ingredients that Vulcan foods require are not easily replicated or found here.