Archive: The IBA Students celebrated Chinese New Year of the Monkey with a feast

29. februar 201605. september 2024

This is an older article. The people mentioned in it are now referred to only by their first names. As a result, you can no longer see the portrait images that were previously included in the article.

Red paper lanterns with yellow tassles hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, brightly-coloured Chinese newspapers were laid out on the tables, and a three-metre-high screen showed the huge international TV program ‘Spring Festival Gala’.

Yes, every IBA student got a taste of the Chinese festivities when they headed to the canteen for lunch, Monday the 8th of February 2016.

And that was exactly the idea, since the IBA Kolding maintains a close collaboration with China through the Confucius Institute project.

Director of the Confucius Institute, University Professor Gail, along with Ildikó, director of the IBA’s International Department, oversaw the celebration of Chinese New Year at the IBA.

Gail and her husband headed to the kitchen, where they showed canteen chef Brian how to make so-called ‘dumplings’, which are China’s answer to Ravioli. The delicious ‘pasta’, with various meat fillings, was then served out to the tables for everyone to try.

The traditional chinese dishes were served in small bowls around at the tabels in the canteen.

Chinese courses

There was also a whole counter of Chinese courses as part of the regular buffet at the IBA for the three days of the festival. As with Danish Christmas and New Year, the Chinese celebrate their New Year with good food, friends and family – but for fifteen days in a row.

The celebration of Chinese New Year in Kolding helped raise awareness of the IBA’s collaboration with China – not least for the forthcoming course of ‘Chinese for beginners’.

Hui misses her family

For this event, Gail and Ildikó were helped by 24-year-old Chinese student Hui. She is studying for a Bachelor in International Sales and Marketing in English, and will soon have been at the IBA for the best part of two years.

Although she loves living in Kolding, which is very different from hectic China, she of course misses her family back home, especially at such times of festival and celebration.

Learn Chinese at IBA

The collaboration Confusius Institute is all about fostering better understanding and friendship between China and Denmark.

As well as bringing knowledge of Chinese language and culture to a greater number of Danes, thereby building healthy cooperation and business relations between the two countries.