Mandarin Students Organize Dumpling Festival to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

 

Leading up to the event, students studied the Chinese New Year and decorated the Millbrook Campus. “Dumplings have a special meaning in China and it is customary to make them on the lunar New Year’s Eve,” says Susan Beattie, Mandarin teacher at Millbrook. The dumpling shape is similar to an ingot, "yuán bǎo," which was used as currency in China's ancient times. Because of the resemblance, it is considered good luck to eat dumplings during this time of year.

 

Ms. Beattie and her students prepared the dumpling dough and fillings the evening prior to the event, and vegetarian, pork, and gluten free options were offered. The Harris Kenan Language Center was alive with conversation in many languages throughout the day as students, faculty, and staff visited to participate in the making and consumption of the delicious dumplings.

 

Mandarin is one of four languages offered at Millbrook School. “Students are often both curious about and intimidated by Mandarin. They soon learn that while the language may have unfamiliar symbols and tones, the grammar in the Chinese language is less complex than that of the English language,” says Ms. Beattie. Millbrook offers four Mandarin classes to accommodate students at multiple levels of fluency.

 

“I really enjoy feeling like I am closer to being able to communicate in China. It excites me to go to class because the language almost feels like a puzzle, it is a fun challenge,” says Isabella Buccellati ’16 who studies both Mandarin and French.

 

“This event was not only a celebration of the Chinese New Year, but also of our World Language Program here at Millbrook School,” says World Language Department Chair Eve Whitehouse. “Our immersive approach results in many students earning fluency by their VI form year, and some even discover such a passion for foreign language that they pursue multiple languages during their time here.”

The dumpling festival created a fun opportunity for all Millbrook community members to learn more about the history of dumplings and the Chinese New Year and the Mandarin program.  

See photographs from the even in our photo gallery.