Festivities support student trip

Doors opened, and a gong sounded for each guest Saturday at the Lodge at Black Butte Ranch as Mandarin students welcomed nearly 100 people with a "nin hao," Mandarin for "hello."

The Chinese New Year celebration and dinner was an opportunity to raise funds for the Mandarin students' upcoming trip to China.

The traditions of the New Year were honored with red envelopes, something sweet for the trip home, and a dragon dance.

A wall of the reception area was lined with silent auction contributions. In a corner, Hui Juan Tan demonstrated the steps to make identical-looking dumplings, making their creation look easy. People lined up for a taste of the delicacies and their special sauce.

Hong Chi Zhang, on loan from SOJI Noodle & Rice in Sisters, created frameable calligraphy. Both Zhang and his wife have lived in Sisters for five years, and do not speak English. One guest, Dr. May Fan, was able to speak to Zhang in his native language.

"I'm taking private lessons from David (Perkins)," Fan said. "I grew up with parents who wanted us to speak Chinese, but we (children) never wanted to."

Asked if it was more difficult to learn the language as an adult, Fan replied, "The language is simple, but the tones make it difficult. Yes, learning earlier is better."

Fan's daughter, Amity, along with Sabrina Dolson, entertained the crowd playing a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, the erhu.

Four members of a weekly mahjong group, some of whom learned at a class at COCC, played the popular game at a corner table.

Mandarin language teacher David Perkins introduced himself as "the guy who's taking these kids to China." Nine of the 14 second-year students will make this year's trip along with instructor Perkins, his wife Paula, and five parents.

The students will visit a shoe factory, where they can learn about work and production in China. They will also gain exposure to rural life in China. Only second-year students were chosen for the trip, as they must be able to converse in Mandarin.

Second-year student Erin Dow says they still have one more trimester to prepare for the trip.

"The exciting part of speaking Mandarin, is just the thought that I can actually speak it," Dow said. "I knew it was good for my college and my career. Mandarin Chinese is the number-one spoken language in the world."

Dow plans to take a third year of Mandarin next year and continue her language studies in college.

"It's possible I would want to live in China," she said.

Savannah Spear, also a second-year student, said the challenge of learning Mandarin is that it is spoken so fast. Sentence structure is hardest, Spear said, "and actually, the strokes to make the characters are hard, too. You have to make a routine of study. We have Chinese homework every single night."

Donations may be made for the trip. Make donations payable to Sisters School District, memo China Trip.