This weekend, I was able to experience my first Chinese barbecue with one of my first grade classes and their families. I was picked up early Saturday morning by one of my student's parents and we began what was unbeknownst to me, an all-day excursion. The day was filled with many activities and most importantly, many food options to choose from. But before it was time to feast, we stopped at a big hill and did what is called "grass-sliding." I sat on a sled at the top of the hill and let gravity carry me down to the bottom. I definitely tapped into my 6-year old self for this activity. Next, we headed to the picnic area and the barbecue began.
Kabobs! Shrimp kabobs, hotdog-looking-thingy kabobs, chicken kabobs, cucumber kabobs, seaweed kabobs, mushroom kabobs, mystery meat kabobs, ..the list goes on. As with any barbecue, the quality of the food depends on who is cooking on the grill at the time. There were times throughout the day when I enjoyed the food and other times when I had to go off to a discreet location and toss my kabob to the wayside. Overall, between the kabobs and various fruits and snacks everyone kept sending my way, my stomach and I were left feeling very satisfied.
After lunch, the children engaged in a few parent-child competitions: jump rope competition, obstacle course, etc. It was so cute to see all the children playing with their parents. They were a lot more behaved and less off-the-chain than they are at school too (no coincidence, I'm sure).
The weather was lovely, the scenery was beautiful, and the first graders were exuding so much positive energy. I love seeing their little smiling faces. Fun day! By the time I got home that afternoon I was pooped.
- FBG