Harmony Day

Harmony Day is celebrated on 21 March each year. Harmony Day celebrates the cohesive and inclusive nature of our nation and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity.

We celebrated Harmony day in our school--St. George College on 24 March. On that day all of the students from AMEP gethered in one hall. All the students were given the badges and stickers for Harmony day. We were a little bit later, so it was almost full when we entered the hall. At the back of the hall, there were some table which were already fully placed with plates of food--which were brought by the students from different countries. They looked so delicious.

At the beginning, we had 4 student representives to give us a speech how they were feeling and what had they experienced since they came to Australia. They all very happy to live in Australia now and they were very satisfied at what they had got, and they all do their best for a better life. Yes, the representives told the feelings of all the new migrants.

Next came the entertainment. First a Chinese young man was to sing a very popular Chinese song---Olive Tree. The song tells a person roamed far away, searching for his dreamland--the rivers, the birds and also the olive trees. We Chinese students could strongly feel the song.

Then some students from other countries sang us sings too. they all got big applause form our audience.

Since time limits, we had to stop the entertainment soom. Then we had food and drinds that placed on the tables.

This was really a fantastic day, all the students from different countries became so closer to each other, as if we were in one big family.

Chinese pan-fried dumplings

Ingredients：Chinese chive, dried small shrimps, 2-3eggs, plain flour



Seasoning：salt, sesame oil, chicken powder, umami seasoning(monosodium glutamate)

You can buy all of the above seasonings in Chinese grocery. And also the dried small shrimps which is very good supplement of calcium.

Steps：
1. Mix the plain flour with water (maybe 60 degree) in a pot to make a dough. Leave the dough aside and cover the pot in case the surface of the dough going dry.

2. Rinse the Chinese chive, and leave them dry for a little while. Then chop the chive into small pieces.
3. Scrambled the egg in oil.
4. Same as above
5. Chop the scrambled egg into smaller pieces if you want.
6. Put the chopped chive, scrambled egg and a small handful of dried small shrimps.(If you like the flavour you can put in more, if you don’t, just put few of them. You can also do without the shrimps. You can put in chopped fresh shrimps if you like. You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste). (I like to put more kinds of vegies in it, like cabbage, tofu stuff). The dried shrimps are salty, if you put more of this, please put less salt.
7. Add in few drops of sesame oil, salt, a little bit chicken powder(if you don’t have it, you do not need to use it), a little bit umami seasoning, add a little bit more oil(maybe two scoops. I use sunflower oil, usually I cook the oil and leave it cold, then pour it in to the fillings, or you can put more oil in the scrambled eggs for your convenience).
8. Divided the dough into small ones (as small as a ping-pong ball), and roll it into a flat round sheet with a rolling pin.
9. Put in the mixed fillings on half side and then fold over another half side,
10. Nip the edges together with your finger and thumb, then give it a pat, so the fillings can be flat and even.
11. Heat the pan on the stove, add in little bit oil. And shallow –fried the dumplings in mid-heat. .
12. After one side is golden brown, turn over to fry the other side.
13. When both side done, you can start eating. When it is just cooked, the skin(pastry) is crispy. But when it is cold, it will become soft.















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The difficulties that a new imgrate might encounter

When you come to a totally new country, more or less, you must have encountered different kinds of difficulties, Some are long-term and some are short-term. Like Language and culture are long term difficulties, while jobs, resident places are short term, for you can find a job and a place to live sooner or later.

Take our family for example:

I should say we are lucky ones, we didn't have big difficulties. Before we landed Australia, my husband's friend helped us to rent a unit in Roselands. After we got off the plane, we took a taxi direct to the unit.

At that night, we have to sleep on the ground, because there was no furniture, luckily we got heavy blankets as matress. The next day my husband's ex-boss and his son brought us some furniture, a bed and bedding stuff, a tv and other stuff. Now we were almost settled.

The next day we walked out, wondered in the street, even didn't know how to across the street, where to buy food. Lucky our neighbour was a Chinese couple with a little boy. They offered us their chairs, and let us to call back China telling our parents that we had safely arrived, and the next day they helped us to connect the phone. They helped us to choose a car. Before we had a car of our own, When they went shopping they would take my husband with them. After we had our own car, they led us to some places, shopping centre, beaches and even Canberra. They told us everything to need to know and to do.

Now we have been parted for 2 years, for they have already settled in Perth, we miss each other and always have phone calls or emails.

We call them brothers and sisters, we are really like brothers and sisters. Our Chinese people believes in fate, I always thought, it is the fate let us to get to know each other and became brothers and sisters.

At that time, when we went shopping, everything seemed so expensive for us. We had no earnings. After most things settled, my husband began to search jobs, but before he got a chance for an interview, the ex-boss invited to a dinner and announced my husband as his companys’ group accountant. Then the day after the next day, my husband started to work.

After five years, we bought our own unit, no need to worry about being told that we needed to move out for the owner wanted to decorating the rented unit.

Not too much big difficulties for us, but still English is the problems for us, especially for me. We watch TV programmes to improve our English everyday. I learn English with my kids. And now I go to AMEP to learn English.

I said we are lucky dogs. Some are more lucky than us, some are not. But no matter difficulties are, you can overcome them at last. And we have government to help. For Chinese, there are also Chinese websites to help new migrants, to make friends. You can get or exchange any information. And on festivals you can have big get-togethers with the friends from internet.

So for the new migrants who are in difficulties, please don’t feel miserable, helps are always around you.

Difficulties

How did I spend 9 March,2010

On 9 March, my classmates all went on a excursion to celebrate the International Women's Day. They would start early in the morning. I couln't make it because I needed to put my two daughters to school. So I stayed at home, and decided to celebrate the International Women's Day by myself.

What I wanted to do most was enjoying the songs that I loved so much in a tidy and clean room without kids kept interrupting me. So after I came back from my daughter's school, I started to do cleaning. I thought to myself: after cleaning, I would lie down in the comfortable couch enjoying the songs heart and soul. A relaxing day was ahead. Thought of this, the household chores looked not as bored as usual. But When I cleaned my bedtalbe, I found some books I borrowed from library were nearly due. Oh, my god, I needed to return the books today. So I packed the books in a bag and ready to go. I thought I would be back soon and continued my plan of my day. Just then the phone rang, I picked it up, it was my friend who lives across the same street to me. She asked me if I was going out. "Yes, I am just wearing my shoes." I said. So she said:" That is good. If you are going out, please buy me a chinese cabbage, and if not, would you please take care of my kid while I am shopping."

After I returned the books from the Library, I wnet to the Chinese groceries. I thought to myself:" Since I am in the groceries, better buy more. For I am in the English class 3 days a week, I can't go shopping for the fresh vegies and fruits as often as usual."

At the entrance of woolworths, I met another friend whose daughter are in the same grade and same school with my daughter. We talked about the coming ICAS and NAPLAN test. And I told her I have the last year's test papers for the ICAS. So she told me she would come to my home to have a look.

I came back home with my hands full of bags. It is nearly 11:30. I packed the goods quickly and waited for my friend. I waited the whole noon, but she didn't come. At school we met when we both picked our girls, I asked her why she didn't come. She said:" I did go to your house, I pressed no 8, but no one answer. I thought you are out again." Oh, my God. I said,"I am in no 7. No worries, we can go to my home together right now." (This friend is also living across the same street)

We spent the afternoon talking about the kids' study, homework, and also what a headache it is to kept pushing them to study. We talked and complained till the time I had to cook dinner for the very hungry man who would come back from work soon.

That was part of my day, not the whole, houseworks never has endings.

Dragon Boat Festival

Yesterday was the last day of Chinese New Year which lasts for 15 days. My family went to Darling Harbour to see the Dragon Boat racing.

On the roadsinde by the water where the racing took place, there are 12 cartoon aminals that representing the zodiac year. They are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

The peddles were all in high spiration. Before the start of their race, they did some warming-up excercises to get more energy.

Look at this team, can you see what did they wear on their heads? Can you see the two tiger ears and a tail? Oh, how cute they are.


This was the racing dragon boat with the little dragon head in the front and tail in the end. And there was a drum in the front of the boat, one person will beat the drum the guide their team to peddle in the same step and the sound of the drum can encourage their spirits high.

Look at this picture, how hot the racing was!


And there were some other activities like face painting, you can even got a free snack. Everybody loved that.

At last, look at the picture what I found in the water?