To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, more than 20 students from Tina Lee’s Mandarin classes visited Sichuan Folk, a Chinese restaurant, last Friday, where they got the opportunity to test their language skills by ordering exclusively in Mandarin. The excursion aimed to reinforce classroom lessons and introduce students to authentic Chinese cuisine while celebrating Lunar New Year traditions.
“I believe most of our students actually haven’t been to an authentic Chinese restaurant,” Lee said. “Even if they went, they still ordered in English. So, I forced them to order in Chinese, and that gave them the opportunity to practice the language in a real setting.”
Lee said students ventured beyond standard takeout staples, such as fried rice, by trying lesser-known dishes, which they shared around the table.
“Each person ordered a different, very fancy dish,” Lee said. “They got to try something new and broaden their perspectives on Chinese cuisine.”
Freshman Prathamesh Deshmuk said the combination of cultural immersion and hands-on language practice enhanced the overall experience.
“The purpose of the outing was to learn about the Chinese New Year and Chinese food,” Deshmuk said. “It was a good exercise to say the names of dishes in Chinese, and it was also fun to taste the food and hang out with friends.”
In observance of Lunar New Year traditions, many of the students wore red, regarded as a symbol of good luck in Chinese culture.
“We tried wearing red because it represents good fortune,” Deshmuk said. “Even something as simple as a color made us feel more connected to the celebration.”
Lee said that she intends to continue these yearly outings to provide real-life opportunities for students to apply their language skills. In the future, she plans to bring students to 99 Ranch Market in Frisco, where students will practice asking for specific items in Chinese before bringing them back for a classroom celebration.
“They’ll have a shopping list and be on a mission,” Lee said. “They’ll ask where to find ingredients in Chinese, then we’ll use them to celebrate the Lunar New Year at school.”
According to Lee, student feedback from this year’s celebration was extremely positive, with many saying the outing helped them gain confidence speaking Mandarin.
“Some of them told me it was their first time really practicing Chinese outside of class,” Lee said. “They enjoyed the experience and felt it made everything they’ve learned more real.”
