Scavenger Hunt

Today, Marian, Nicole, David and I worked as a group to practice Scacenger Hunt. It was a complete new experience to ask people on campus to help us fulfill the tasks Jeasmine asked us to do in the cross-culture class.

First, we asked "yes/no" questions to figure out Jasmine and Traci's office is room 730 in HHH building.

Then a kind lady told us the place Obama visited. It is Brewer Hall, just opposite the HHH building.

The Center for International Education is in Schofield Hall 111.

Actually, the school motto can be found in many places. The main one is in David Center. And we found it in book store and in banners on campus.

The guy who works in book store sung a part of the "Wisconsin Fight Song" for us. He was really helpful.

The place we can send an international postcard is also in David center, service center.

The girl who can speak German is Jen Klekamp. She reciteed the alphabet in German for us.

The lady is happy to show us her Herman Shepherd dog named Jilly.

The Academic Skills Center is in the old libary 2112.The Academic Skills Center is a resource for students needing individual tutoring to enhance learning strategies and skills in mathematics, reading, study skills, and writing. Group tutoring is also available for selected entry-level foreign language and science courses. An English as a second language program is available for permanent resident students.

We are luck to find a guy who has an experience studying in Chile. But he is not the student of UWEC.

All the people we interviewed or asked questions are very kind and helpful. If they didn't know, they would go for others to get the anwers for us. what impressed us most is the people who guided us all the way to find the places we wanted to go. Thank all people who helped us. Thank UWEC, too.

Hmong's story cloth

The story cloth was given yesterday tells about some Hmong's daily activities.
At the top, a man is cooking food. Next to him, a man and woman are grinding rice. The man moves an aluminum rod back and forth over a stone while the woman puts the rice through a hole in the stone above.
The next part shows a family. The couple is pounding rice in the chopper. The husband pounds the rice with a long log, pushing up and down with one foot, and carries his baby on his back. besides them, a man is going to take water with a large basket. Below him, another man is feeding pigs.
The bottom part shows a woman is weaving cotton cloth and a man is pounding some seasonings for the bird just steam done.



Actually, the Hmong (Miao) Minority is one of the largest minority groups in China, and has a long history. Traditionally the Miao live in mountainous regions in the south China, and build simple, single-story houses out of wood or thatch with forestry. The Miao people believe that everything in nature has a spirit, which incombination are mighty enough to control their lives. They worship their ancestors so much that memorial ceremonies are very grand.
The staple food of the Miao ethnic minority is rice. You can find a lot of pictures on their story cloths about grinding rice. And home-made rice wine are common at the table. Glutinous rice becomes a must during festivals and celebrations.
When I was showed a story cloth in class, I think there is something in common with Chinese Miao's craftworks. The batik paintings are characteristic folk craftworks created by waxing, painting, dyeing, dewaxing and rinsing treatment on cloths. And their painting describes some old traditions and activities. We like their unique art, and often use them as a beautiful decoration in our room.

Beautiful Campus in Madison

On July 18, we went to visit Madison. The first stop was UW-Madison. The tour guide, Hannah was a sweet girl. The two hours she spent with us was a good memory for me to know a lot of attrations on campus: Red Gym, the start point of our tour, state historical society and memorial libray, Chazen Muazen Museum art, botanical garden-one of the most beautiful places students like on campus, a student dormtory buliding (I forgot the name),

and the most impressive building-the school of business. I was told it is the best part in the University and also the most expensive to attend. And I know The school of business UW_Madison has the most graduates who are top chief executive officers in the USA valued as the graduates from Harvard. So I think the money spent here can not be wasted. After I visited the classroom, lecture halls and other places with advanced facilities, I am sure it is a top school for students to try their best.

Lincoln Statue is the place we felt a little excited about because we were told if we touched Lincoln's left shoe, we will find our life direction. So everyone of us hoped to get that omen for our personal legends. We took a lot of pictures there.

We ended our tour at the lakeshore close to the student union building at UW. We were told there would be a concert that night. I can imagine that students gather together with beer from the nearby pub and enjoy their summer evening in an intensely pleasant way. And we were counting the minutes to join in.

I love UW-Madison.

My Father's Pancake

My Father's Pancake

Every time when I miss my father, one kind of pancake my father was really skillful comes into my mind. My father can not make his pancake anymore for us for he has been sick for nearly eight years and almost lose his ability to move and think. So when I go to visit him every year, I make pancake for him even he can not eat no more. That is my way to recall all sweet old days my father cooked good food and played with us.

Pancake Recipe:

You will need:

10 oz flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup boiling water

6 tsp sesame oil

2 green onions

1 wooden spoon
1 rolling pin
1 tea towel
1 frying pan
1 brush
1 knife

Directions:

1. Make the dough
Put the flour, egg and the salt into a bowl. Combine them together with your wooden spoon. Then make a well in the center and add the boiling water, stirring rapidly with spoon.
add the boiling water. Mix together, until it forms a dough. Next, knead the dough well on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until the dough takes on a smooth, non sticky, elastic consistency. Finally, cover it with a clean tea towel and set it aside for 30 minutes, to rest.

2. Roll the dough
Uncover the dough, rub the rolling pin with flour and roll it into a thin sheet of about 1/2 cm in thickness. Now brush the sheet with a little bit of oil and cast smashed green onion. Then roll it up with your hands like a sausage 4 cm in diameter. Cut it into several 4 same sized pieces. Lightly oil the fingers and palms of your hands and twist the piece in to a round ball and flatten each ball until it is 5 mm thick with your rolling pin.

3. Fry the pancakes
Heat the frying pan on a medium-high heat and brush the bottom with sesame oil. When the pan is hot enough, add a pancake. Let it cook for about 1.5 minutes, until it begins to look char-grilled and slightly inflated. Then turn it over and cook other side the same way. Remove it from the pan and can be eaten immediately.

Usually we have it as a light supper with rice porridge, and spicy salty cabbage.

I love it, tasty but light.

I lLove Beads!!!

Anything new today?

Let me tell you something gorgeous.

The Chippewa Valley Museum is an exciting place to visit. It sits in beautiful Carson Park not far from campus. We went there on July 10. A very kind old man tells us a lot of stories about American people's life, near and far, old and new. They are enriching and authentic. The one I can't keep my eyes away is Indian beadwork. I love its designs, styles and stitches. I know it will tell me a lot about native American beading traditions and their life style with this art.

So the other day when I was shopping in Mall of America, The first thing attracted me was a small shop selling jewellery made by all kinds of beads. I stayed there for almost an hour to enjoy every one. Then I had got an idea: Why not make my own necklace with the beads I like?

I felt excited about it.

I don't know what my handmade necklace will look like, but I am full of expections for it.

Every Day Is A New Day!

Hi! Guys.
Every day is a new day for me here in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA.
Eau Claire is a place I know nothing about before I came to America. Actually I just know a little about American culture and some big cities from textbooks or movies. This small green peaceful town really gives me a new view to know more about Amrican people and their life.
I would like to share my exciting experience here everyday with you. you will find every day is a new day!


July 9th, we went to the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls. The fair aims to "improve agriculture, horticulture and the mechanical and household arts." I was told the fair is a big gathering for people around to have fun together:concert, all kinds of delicious food and games. One of them attracts me to have a try: chesse curd. I know Wisconsin is famous for chesse and chesse curd is a typical snack people here are mad about it.

I find a song about chesse curd. "The New York Times in 1911 reported on an ancient Celtic song, dating from the 12th century, that mentioned cheese curd, perhaps the first musical reference to the most musical of cheeses:

Visions of MacGonlannee"
Stately and pleasantly it sat,
A compact house and strong.
Then I went in:
The door of it was hung beef,
The threshold was dry bread,
Cheese-curds the walls.

Another thing I am interested in most is the homemade goods exhibition. Self-sufficient farming families display their horticultural skills in prize pies, breads, canned goods, and their handcrafts. they are really attractive and beautiful.

It is the first time for me to go so close to cow and to touch them and see how they are milked. And the pig auction is really rare for me to know. I almost can understand nothing about what thay are talking. But it's interesting to find something new.