Beijing Summer Camp 2007

Report No. 4: My Dumpling Experience

by Leah Medin, August 19



I just got back from my trip to the local family with Emma! It was sooo much fun. We left the hotel this morning at around 9:00am. Emma and I got Chai Mei’s family. Chai Mei is working in the Department of Foreign Affairs. She’s really nice. When she came to pick us up she brought along her son, Dou Dou, and her niece, Carma. They are both in college! The first place we drove was to the supermarket. Dou Dou drives really fast.

At the supermarket we shopped for ingredients for homemade dumplings! Mmmm. We also got some candies and snacks. When we finished we went straight to their house. The whole entire drive to their house was an hour long! They live somewhat far from the center of Beijing, because they wanted to get away from lots of pollution. The ride there was tough…a little awkward. I was kinda quiet…I warmed up by the end though.

When we got to their house it was very hot and sunny outside. They live in an enclosed area where there are houses like their own in it. There house was beige/yellow with an orange tiled roof. It was very nice!

First, Dou Dou, Carma, Emma, and I ate snacks and watched some Chinese TV. We had nuts, chips, cookies, and lots and lots of watermelon! While we ate, Mrs. Chai and Mr. Chai were getting the dumpling stuff together. Mrs. Chai was making the meat for the inside of the dumplings, while Mr. Chai was cutting up the pasta pancakes to hold the dumplings together.

We made the dumplings in the living room, watching TV. I was really bad at it. By the end, I still wasn't that good, but I did invent new kinds of dumpling shapes. Haha. When we were making them, Dou Dou was telling us about how his big family usually comes together on Chinese New Years to make many, many dumplings together. That sounds like a lot of fun.

In the end, we made over sixty dumplings! After they were cooked we ate at their dining room table. Aside from the dumplings, they added other different kinds of dishes, like broccoli. The idea of homemade cooking was even more satisfying. In America, I usually don’t make dumplings and I usually don’t eat their insides either. This time though, knowing that the insides were fresh and knowing what they were, made them reallllyyyy good. I ate about twelve dumplings (maybe even more)…inside and out. They were delicious. The best dumplings I’ve ever had in my life. No joke.

The Chai family were SOOOO NICEEEEE!

I had a WONDERFUL DAY with them.

Sincerely,
Leah Medin

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Editor's Note

Leah Medin of Massachusetts is one of the campers. Leah has graciously taken the time to write about one of her experiences.

On Sunday, August 19, each camper spent the day with one of twenty local Chinese families. They exchanged gifts, sang songs, danced, and cooked. This is Leah's account. Enjoy.

The photos below were provided by CCAA, whom we thank. We also borrowed some of their photos of the activities from Saturday, August 18, when the children visited the Summer Palace, including Wanshou Mountain and Kumming Lake.