Family Table Topics

Over the course of our adventure, we shared many moments and experiences… we also shared a fun mechanic every single dinner together that we called “family table topic” where we explored ideas, feelings, memories and our share experience.  Here’s the list (to the best of our memory). We took turns with the responsibility of the nightly topic and the “rules” for the chat and we went by age around the family (and Ryan)… which meant Mom went first 🙁 and Brooke went last :). We are trying to keep the pattern up upon our return home, to keep being mindful and connected.

Topics filled us with laughter, sadness, emotions or just reflection on past times in our lives or experiences we had those very days.

Here’s the list of table topics:

• If you could have a super power, what would it be?
• If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?
• Favorite family ritual?
• Would you rather give or receive?
• What do you miss the most from home?
• Favorite subject in school and favorite teacher, and why?
• If you could live anywhere in the world for one year, where would you live and why?
• Your favorite friend and why?
• Favorite meal we have had on this trip?
• Describe your perfect day?
• Where is somewhere that you would like to go, but have never been?
• If you could design your own dream house, what would it be like? Where would it be?
• Favorite hotel so far and least favorite hotel so far?
• Favorite activity we have done on the trip? Favorite day on this trip?
• Favorite book you have read and why?
• Act out your favorite mythical character.
• What animal describes the other people in our family’s personality?
• What emotional needs do you think other people in our family have?
• Best parts of yourself.  What are you most proud of about yourself? When are you at your best?
• Act out your favorite type of clothing.
• Act out your favorite meal.
• What is one thing that you observed about China that was surprising or interesting.
• If your house was on fire and you could only grab one thing, what would it be and why?
• What is something you have lost or given up over your life and how do you feel about not having it?
• What were your goals for the trip and how are you doing on those goals? Is there anything you want to consciously change or modify to meet those goals?
• Favorite outfit you’ve worn from another country?
• Favorite hobby?
• Hypothetical – if you had $1 million to donate, what would you do with it in each country we’ve been to (9/26)?
• If you came back in 30 years and took this same trip, what would the places we visited be like and how do you think they would have changed?
• If you were reincarnated, what would you like to come back as and why (in Tibet)?
• What is the quality in yourself you know you need work on and why?
• What was your favorite building, monument or temple we’ve seen?
• If you want to be any statue, what would it be?
• What was your favorite experience?
• How are the ballet and opera similar and different as an art form?
• What qualities do you most appreciate in one another and would like to have more of in yourself?
• If you invent something that would help the world, what would it be?
• What is your favorite car?
• If you could be king or ruler anywhere and at any time in history, where would it be and why? If you could be a peasant during a particular time in history, where would it be and why?
• What countries do you think Nania and Bob would like the best of our travels?
• If you were kids Brooke and Brayden’s age, where would you live, how many kids would you have, what would you do for work?
• If you had $10 million dollars, what would you do with it – would you buy something, donate, travel or what?
• Give three adjectives that describe Turkey.
• Name times you were proud of the kids, kids were proud of themselves and kids were proud of one another.
• Times and experiences when you were most peaceful.
• Describe a mosaic you would build.
• Across the countries we have visited, which cultures are most giving and which are most focused on their own selfish needs (me, family, community, state, country, man, universe)?
• What are three things you would do to change Israel if you were elected leader?  Palestinians?
• What are you looking forward to doing on the rest of this trip (other than Antarctica)?
• If you could be any animal in Africa , what would I be and why?
• What would you plan for your best birthday party?
• What are your best scars?
• What’s the greatest invention the world has ever seen?
• What are you most thankful for in life?
• How has religion improved humans’ lives and how was religion caused harm?
• If you could write a book, what would it be about and what would the title be?
• If you could design a Lego set? Favorite animal? If you were going to invent something?
• What will you miss most about this experience once you get home?
• What are the similarities and differences between how animals and humans behave?
• What are some causes that you would like to help and support to make the world a better place (general themes and ideas) over the course of your life?
• Create a plan to positively impact a cause you are interested in. (Give the kids $1,000/year – $100/month to contribute or save).
• What are the parts about the trip you would like to continue into our everyday lives?
• What makes you different from other people in the world?
• If you could relive one year in your life, excluding last year, what year would it be and why? What are the pros and cons?