Foreign Interns and international exchange students gathered on 11 September to have a Mid-Autumn festival celebration put on by the International Development Office (IDO).

Interns and Exchange students gather for the Mid-Autumn Festival 

The purpose of the event was to share and educate the interns and exchange students on Chinese culture, the holiday and traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival to help them connect with the Chinese students.

The event started with the Director of IDO Katharina Yu welcoming the students and staff members. Following that, a few Chinese students told stories about mid-autumn festival and the history behind it. The event continued with the making of dumplings, eating mooncakes and playing fun games, such as solving riddles.

Learning how to make dumplings 

Second year Foreign Intern Rowan McCaffery said, “The Mid-Autumn Festival is short, which means that Chinese people can't travel back to their hometown to celebrate with their families, so they make do by celebrating with friends. We wanted to make the event feel like students were able to celebrate together by doing things like sharing stories and making dumplings.”

IDO staff members playing a riddle game with the interns and students

Laura Kisner, one of this year’s General Education Office (GEO) interns enjoyed being able to meet some of the exchange students and learn how to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival. “One of my goals when coming here was to experience and learn about different Chinese traditions and that is exactly what happened at the celebration” she continues “I especially loved being able to learn how to make dumplings and taste different types of mooncakes.”

Students and Interns take part in this event

This was the first IDO event of the semester and the goal was to show what kind of activities IDO can provide for the international students and staff. The IDO office aims to put on numerous events every year to help exchange students and interns to learn and experience more within the Chinese culture.

Reporter/Photographer: Lauren Richardson
Editors: Samuel Burgess, Deen He
(form MPRO)