by Taylor Timinskas

With the variety of language clubs offered at Cary Academy, the Chinese Club introduces a perspective on the different influences, cultures, and lifestyles in China. Kayla Haeussler, a leader of the club, describes it as “a unique and fun approach to learning about Chinese culture through music, food, and crafts.” Chinese club has conducted a variety of different activities. For example, participants made fried rice. This activity was done to show an example of an authentic Chinese cuisine, and all participants got to observe the proper way to make the dish, and, of course, taste it too! Chinese music was also introduced to club members through a karaoke party. During this party, multiple popular songs from China were played, and members as well as leaders learned a lot of new vocabulary. Through crafts, club members learn how to distinguish classic Chinese art from what is common in the United States and learn how to create their own. In addition, the Chinese exchange students that visited Cary Academy shared their insights to cultural differences and their favorite monuments.

For the future of Chinese Club, there is a lot to look forward to. On February 1st, the club will celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the rooster, which occurred on January 28th. For this event, the club will learn about the Chinese zodiac and what this means for the year 2017. In addition to diving into the Chinese culture, the club also participates in volunteer activities. For example, in December, the members participated in the Barnes and Nobles gift wrapping event. Overall, from learning how to use Chinese yo-yos to practicing the moves to a Chinese pop culture music video, the Chinese Club offers an amusing and interactive way to dive into a cultural experience.