Posted 11:17 pm Monday, January 23, 2012
Brook Hill Exchange Students Celebrate Chinese New Year
By TIM MONZINGO
The first month of 2012 may be coming to a close, but it didn’t stop more than 140 people from celebrating the New Year anyway.
The Chinese New Year, that is.
The first month of 2012 may be coming to a close, but it didn’t stop more than 140 people from celebrating the New Year anyway.
The Chinese New Year, that is.
Students from Beijing No. 4 Middle School rang in the Year of the Dragon at The Brook Hill School Sunday night with a dinner of dumplings, noodles and rice. The 39 seventh- and eighth-graders arrived in Houston Jan. 14 as part of an exchange program with China.
“As big as Christmas is for us, the Chinese New Year is even bigger for them,” said Kevin Herbert, president of Opportunity Asia, a Greenville-based organization, which worked with Green Acres Baptist Church to organize the program.
“As big as Christmas is for us, the Chinese New Year is even bigger for them,” said Kevin Herbert, president of Opportunity Asia, a Greenville-based organization, which worked with Green Acres Baptist Church to organize the program.
Until Jan. 30, they will attend classes at Brook Hill or All Saints Episcopal School and live with host families to get a taste of life in America.
The program is aimed at introducing the students to the American education system, culture and Christian ideas, Ginger Bell, Brook Hill spokeswoman, said.
It’s something Jolin Zhang is different than life in the east.
The program is aimed at introducing the students to the American education system, culture and Christian ideas, Ginger Bell, Brook Hill spokeswoman, said.
It’s something Jolin Zhang is different than life in the east.
“We have many different classes (here) that we don’t have in China,” she said. “There are a lot of differences than in China.”
Zhang and Anphia Yua are under the care of Laura Cunningham, who said the experience of being a host served a dual purpose for her.
One of Mrs. Cunningham’s daughters, Karsyn, 7, is adopted from China.
Zhang and Anphia Yua are under the care of Laura Cunningham, who said the experience of being a host served a dual purpose for her.
One of Mrs. Cunningham’s daughters, Karsyn, 7, is adopted from China.
Although the family celebrates the Chinese New Year each year as a way to keep Karsyn in touch with her heritage, she said the chance to spend it with native practitioners was appreciated.
“It’s great to celebrate it with a lot more people,” she said. “I’m learning a lot about how special this is to them.”
Organizers say the program is as much about the students experiencing America as it is an opportunity for the host families to learn and experience a new culture.
Mrs. Cunningham said that could pay off in a direct way, too. The family has wanted to take Karsyn back to China to show her where she was born and her heritage and even to meet the family of their students, she said.
In fact, in an email, Jolin’s mother invited the Cunningham family to visit Beijing sometime and to eat roast duck with them, she said.
The opportunities provided by technology like email have had a significant effect on the program, Bell said.
Traditionally, the holiday is a time for family. Using the Internet, the students in Texas have been able to video chat with their families in Beijing and watch an entertainment program that’s part of the celebration for Chinese families, Bell said.
Electronics also have played a roll in how the hosts overcome challenges like the language barrier.
David and Amy McCullough, who are hosting two students, said they’ve picked up a little Chinese but aren’t getting it quite as well as their kids, Alex and Hayden, are.
Through the use of their iPhones, the students and the family are able to look up important words that provide a challenge in translation, McCullough said.
“The technology has been really awesome,” he said.
McCullough said so far, the experience has been rewarding.
“We treat them like our kids,” he said.
Mrs. McCullough said the experience provides the family two big opportunities: to make new friends in the students and their families, and to learn.
“We are so sheltered and protected here, often times we don’t have a worldly perspective,” she said. “This is a great way to experience another culture.”
“It’s great to celebrate it with a lot more people,” she said. “I’m learning a lot about how special this is to them.”
Organizers say the program is as much about the students experiencing America as it is an opportunity for the host families to learn and experience a new culture.
Mrs. Cunningham said that could pay off in a direct way, too. The family has wanted to take Karsyn back to China to show her where she was born and her heritage and even to meet the family of their students, she said.
In fact, in an email, Jolin’s mother invited the Cunningham family to visit Beijing sometime and to eat roast duck with them, she said.
The opportunities provided by technology like email have had a significant effect on the program, Bell said.
Traditionally, the holiday is a time for family. Using the Internet, the students in Texas have been able to video chat with their families in Beijing and watch an entertainment program that’s part of the celebration for Chinese families, Bell said.
Electronics also have played a roll in how the hosts overcome challenges like the language barrier.
David and Amy McCullough, who are hosting two students, said they’ve picked up a little Chinese but aren’t getting it quite as well as their kids, Alex and Hayden, are.
Through the use of their iPhones, the students and the family are able to look up important words that provide a challenge in translation, McCullough said.
“The technology has been really awesome,” he said.
McCullough said so far, the experience has been rewarding.
“We treat them like our kids,” he said.
Mrs. McCullough said the experience provides the family two big opportunities: to make new friends in the students and their families, and to learn.
“We are so sheltered and protected here, often times we don’t have a worldly perspective,” she said. “This is a great way to experience another culture.”
