80 high school students from USA came to attend American High School Students Summer Camp in Nanjing No.1 Middle School, organized by the Office of Chinese Language Council International. Activity of Day 3 was to make dumplings, which made many of them feel exciting. 

On the morning of 3rd, American students sat around a big table and learnt to roll dumpling wrappers and fill in stuffing following the chef of the canteen. They got many questions such as ‘Why isn’t my wrapper round?”, “Why the stuffing come out?” The chef taught them one by one busily.

Clive, a high school student from New York said in Chinese, “I’ve eaten dumplings before. They are delicious. But I never made them. I tried today but it’s really difficult. I just cannot fill in the stuffing.””

Seeing the journalist was surprised at his Chinese level, Clive said, “My school has a good atmosphere of Chinese learning. 120 students out of 2000 choose Chinese as their second foreign language. Chinese lessons are available from Grade 9 to Grade 12, one session for each week. I have studied Chinese for 3 years and have no difficulty in simple dialogues.”

The 80 American students will stay at the Summer Camp for 9 days. Besides Chinese, they will also learn calligraphy, paper-cut, Chinese painting, Chinese songs, fan dance, make dumplings and bargaining during shopping. They will also experience lives of common Chinese families by home-stay. (Nanjing Daily)