On Wednesday, Feb. 12, about 30 students from Advanced Chinese 3, Chinese 2, and Chinese 1 visited 99 Ranch Market in San Gabriel, chaperoned by Teachers Minhua Gu, who teaches Chinese 1C, 1B, and Advanced Chinese 3, and Shuang Yang who teaches Chinese 1, 1A, and 2.
Many classes take field trips for various reasons, such as field work, hands-on experience, and sometimes just for fun. This trip focused on cultural enrichment. Food is an essential part of cultures worldwide, and China is no exception. Students participated in a scavenger hunt to find various foods around the store and translate each item into Chinese.
The field trip also served as a real-life interpersonal assessment, with students asked to communicate with store staff using only Chinese. They were also encouraged to speak to each other in the language.
Students enjoyed their experience and said they learned valuable skills.
“I learned to speak with native Chinese speakers and ask for help when I needed it,” Kaya Racine ’28 said.
After first period, students boarded a bus and arrived at 99 Ranch thirty miles later. The store manager gave them a guided tour before they were given free time to complete their assignment, which was a scavenger hunt focused on Chinese fruits, vegetables, and staple ingredients. Once finished, students could explore the shopping plaza, get food and boba, and received gift bags filled with Chinese snacks before returning to the middle school campus.
“A highlight of my trip was being able to practice with my friends,” Madison Shen ‘28 said. “It was really fun to encourage each other to speak fluently and learn more.”
