Language teacher and club advisor Renee Schaefer shared fun videos on the cultural traditions associated with celebrating the Lunar New Year, and then the party began! The club chose one of its members to write a special message for the new year, which was placed in a traditional red envelope (red being the color associated with happiness for the Lunar New Year). They then shared their wishes for the new year with each other. Students had a blast trying out new dance moves, guided by tutorials on Chinese dance. And lastly, the feast: students were treated to delicious Chinese treats, including “long noodles for longevity,” oranges for good luck, dumplings, and fortune cookies. The club members enjoyed the food while chatting about their reasons for participating in the club; many expressed a desire to learn more languages, or to expand their knowledge about different cultures. Some students said they appreciated diving into their own family’s cultural backgrounds and languages, with one student reporting that he was even teaching himself German! 

The club is planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with more education, cultural food, and Irish dance. #WorldLanguagesAreCool #LunarNewYear #YearoftheRabbit #longnoodles #redenvelopes #HowManyLanguagesDoYouSpeak