Yr. 9 Mandarin Chinatown

Our Year 9 Mandarin class had the wonderful opportunity to go on a visit to Chinatown on the 15th of June. We met at Glen Waverley Station in the early morning, where the entire class gathered with anticipation and enthusiasm. Each group of students assumed specific leadership roles, including guiding the class through the city. 

Our first destination was the Museum of Chinese Australian History. We were guided by a knowledgeable tour guide who led us through the museum's exhibits. Delving into the past, we journeyed 200 years back in time to the era when Chinese immigrants arrived in Australia, primarily drawn by the prospects of mining. The challenges faced by these pioneers were profound, enduring voyages lasting several months aboard small ships. However, despite these hardships, a notable number of miners successfully

 reached the shores of Australia. Their dedication to hard work left a lasting impression on us. During our museum tour, we were also privileged to learn about Chinese medicine, the cultural significance of jade suits worn by emperors, and were given the unique opportunity to immerse ourselves in the richness of Chinese culture by trying on traditional Chinese attire. Furthermore, the interactive fortune-telling activity, involving the shaking of a tub and the selection of fortune sticks, added an element of excitement, evoking mixed emotions among us, depending on what fortune we got. As a memorable conclusion to our museum exploration, we saw the inspiring Millennium Dragon, a mythical creature renowned as the largest dragon in the Southern Hemisphere. 

After our enriching museum visit, we divided into three groups to partake in a Scavenger Hunt throughout the vibrant streets of Chinatown. The objective was to gain as many points as possible to win. Correctly identifying each character contributed one point to our tally, while engaging with shop owners and deciphering their signage in Chinese rewarded us with three points. Our experience was marked by a sense of delight and exhilaration as we immersed ourselves in the Chinese language. 

Upon the successful completion of the Scavenger Hunt, we had a delicious lunch at Din Tai Fung. The restaurant had cool automated robots that served our dishes. Our culinary experience was exceptional, as we savoured a diverse array of mouth-watering dumplings, baos, fried rice, and noodle soups. Additionally, we had the opportunity to see some skilled chefs hand make baos and dumplings right in front of us, it was amazing!  

Our excursion to Chinatown was an incredible experience that helped us appreciate Chinese culture and language in a whole new way. 

Written by: Year 9 Mandarin class