THERE was no food on the menu but plenty of language and culture at Anglia-Ruskin University when a group of Y9 students of Ormiston Park Academy joined other students from Essex schools for a day out. The aim of the day was to discover more of the rich tapestry that makes up Chinese culture to celebrate the start of the Year of the Snake which begins on February 10th.
The day was organised by Routes into Languages and started with an umbrella view of this massive country with its varied geography, peoples and customs. The students were then treated to the Lion Dance – always used to commemorate the New Year – before going on to workshops which introduced them to Mandarin, Calligraphy and Tai Chi- which involved a lot of elegant balance swiftly followed by very inelegant falling over!
Currently, Ormiston Park does not teach Mandarin, but the day served to do more than introduce them to the language. Some pupils later spoke with aspiration of which University they were planning on applying to, as they soaked up the atmosphere of the Chelmsford Campus. But all in all, ‘China and all things Chinese’ was the dominant message of the day:
“The whole day was really fun and enjoyable – a good experience learning about China”, said Emily.
Abby agreed saying she thought the day very enjoyable and added, “We learnt about a different culture, as well as learning Mandarin and Tai Chi, which, by far was the most enjoyable.
So, as we learnt on the day,” Xin Nián Kuàn Lè” – Happy New Year to all our Chinese community.
