Elementary Schoolers Can Cook Better Than I Ever Will

I first heard about a mysterious picnic last Friday because my last two classes were canceled. I was told that the kids were going to work together to cook a meal; 1st grade with 6th grade, 2nd with 5th, and 3rd with 4th. That day they met to figure out what dishes to make, who would cook what, who would bring the knives, chopsticks, bowls, etc. I worked the crowd seeing this a prime time to review our recently-learned food vocab. 

I approached a group of sixth grade boys who ran up to me yelling, "Miss K will you please eat with us?" 

I was a little taken off guard. What were teachers doing during this time? Were we going to different places? 

"Sure!" I replied. I saw it as a nice opportunity to bond with these typically withdrawn students— they all sit at the back and rarely participate.

"But you guys know I don't eat meat right?"

"It's no problem teacher, we'll make potato! And tofu!" Said in English with TPR <3.

I then got assaulted by 6th grade girls who asked me to eat with them as well.  I visited every group as they were planning, and they all asked the same thing. I was really confused as to where they were going and how this would work.

On Wednesday after lunch, everyone started preparing their things to go. This is when I learned that we were all going to the same place, apparently very beautiful. I noticed that kids had packed copious amounts firewood, as well as metal stands.

Everyone lined up behind two red flags and we trekked out into the fields past water buffalo, over bridges, and through mud. We arrived at a rocky river bank where the kids began building stoves with stones and firewood. Brilliance ensued. 

Chopping beef

Cabbage simmering

Green beans, 欧笋, and pork

Washing vegetables in the river

Zack cookin' with fire

Olivia tending to the wok

Banquet fit for kings

高黎贡山 and the moon hanging out being beautiful

I wandered around taking pictures, receiving apples and tangerines from every student I came across, but I made it back to those sixth grade boys just in time to skip some stones before dinner. They made potato and tofu as promised, but also cabbage, green peppers, and bean sprouts.

Stone serving rice

View of my school on the way home

I'm still amazed by everything my students did that day. Taking turns carrying firewood on the trek there, building fires, washing vegetables, chopping meat, frying tofu, boiling cabbage, serving the dishes on beautiful stone tables, and all as a team. I'm pretty sure I never turned on a stove before I was in high school, let alone build a fire to do it. I am consistently stunned by what kids are expected to do here, and how adept they prove themselves to be.