Meet Maya, a first-year student at the University of Waterloo pursuing a degree in East Asian Studies. Having grown up in a multicultural neighborhood, she developed a passion for exploring different cuisines and their histories. Maya often engages in lively discussions about food culture on campus, and her recent study abroad experience in Japan sparked her interest in the linguistic connections between ramen and Lanzhou noodles. With her love for both language and culinary arts, she frequently shares her discoveries with her peers, hoping to expand their palates as well as their knowledge.