Every plate had at least 3 dumplings which students excitedly asked for more of. They dipped it into the authentic vinegar-tasting sauce and marveled at the pork filling. Every person had opened their red packet and argued over who would get to eat the extra crackers.
International Student Liaison
The International Student Liaison contributed greatly to the community dinner’s success.
Firstly, as students arrived at their designated tables for the evening, they spotted a lovely small red packet on every plate. Traditionally, “红包” (hong bao), red packets are given to children and family members with money inside, a symbol of good luck. At community dinner, the contents were replaced with yummy “旺旺” (wang wang), wang wang crackers. These crackers are salty with a sugary yummy topping, an incredibly unique and tasty snack that was loved.
“It was the highlight of the meal,” Katharine O’Hearn (‘24) said. “I ate it a lot as a kid, so it was a nice reminder.”
Then, as students began to pick up their dinners, ISL members placed green containers down on every table. The inviting scent of dumplings filled the tent as students cracked open the containers.
Students poked at the dumplings, asking to get extra servings or at least one more piece. The dumplings were just that popular!
Finally, at the end of the meal, members of ISL stood up to discuss interesting stories, such as the legend of Nian, which explained why red colors, bright lights, and decorations are posted on doors and in homes during the New Year.
“A lot of work went into this since we had to get enough dumplings for everyone in the school to get some,” Teddy Meng (‘23), an ISL member said. “We had to put them into the containers prior to dinner, and hand them out during.”