The first day of our “Tsing Yi Trade Association Primary School Sichuan Exchange Tour” has kicked off smoothly! 🎉 Today was truly a day filled with laughter, the aroma of cooking, and a great sense of achievement!

Our first stop was the culturally rich Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Our students didn’t just observe with their eyes and listen with their ears — they also got hands-on, taking on the challenge of cooking an authentic, famous Sichuan dish — #KungPaoChicken, along with adorable #PandaBuns so cute you could hardly bear to eat them! 

Donning aprons and chef hats, our usually lively students instantly switched into serious mode. From preparing the ingredients and mixing the sauces, to the sizzling sounds when the food hit the wok, the students did everything themselves. Although some were brought to the verge of tears by the chillies, they persevered and completed the task on their own — truly impressive! 

Finally, the steaming hot, aromatic Kung Pao Chicken was out of the wok. Paired with the panda buns they personally kneaded into various charmingly imperfect shapes, everyone savoured the food with extra delight. I noticed many students polished off every last bit of food on their plates, truly practising a ‘Clean Plate' approach! This experience is precisely the #ExperientialLearning we aim to bring to our students.

By stepping into the kitchen and feeling first-hand the effort behind every dish, they can truly grasp the meaning of the old saying, “who knows that every single grain on the plate is the fruit of hard labour?”Compared to any lesson from a textbook, the understanding gained through their own sweat plants the value of #CherishingFood far more deeply in their hearts. When I saw some students proactively helping to clear the tables and dishes after cooking, and sharing with their teammates, “So cooking is this much hard work — I really mustn’t waste food ever again!”— it reminds us that education is about letting children grow in authentic, real-life situations. 

After enjoying the lunch they had prepared themselves, we also stayed in the museum to learn about the history and culture of Sichuan cuisine. The students listened with rapt attention and eagerly asked questions.

The first day’s itinerary is just the beginning. Please continue to stay tuned to our updates, and let’s cheer on this adorable bunch of “Tsing Yi Trade Association Primary School Exchange Ambassadors” from afar!