On 12 June, the Food Technology room buzzed with excitement as Year 7 Mandarin students took part in a Chinese food experience. The aroma of fresh ingredients filled the air, and the laughter and chatter of students learning to make traditional Chinese dumplings created an atmosphere of cultural immersion. This hands-on activity, part of the Modern Languages and Cultural Studies Programme, offered a deliciously engaging way for students to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture.

‘Understanding the culture behind the languages they are learning is crucial,’ emphasised Mrs Yao, who led the activity.

For many of the students, this was their first time making Chinese dumplings, also known as Jiaozi. The experience proved both challenging and rewarding. Nathan shared, ‘It’s a very nice experience.’ Nazar, who had previously made Ukrainian dumplings, observed the differences: ‘These are much smaller, and you need lots of water to get them to stick.’

Another student found the dough tricky to handle, noting, ‘It's really hard to roll them because of the consistency of the dough.’

Despite the challenges, the students had their favourite moments. Nazar enjoyed the creative aspect: ‘My favourite part is coming up with the designs.’ Zayna found joy in the traditional way of eating them: ‘They're so much fun to eat with chopsticks.’ Aaron appreciated the process: ‘My favourite part is how satisfying it is getting them to close.’ For Mayuri, the best part was simple: ‘Eating them!’