HUNDREDS OF AREA GIRL SCOUTS RECEIVE TASTE OF CHINESE CULTURE

From chop sticks to Chinese numbers, about 500 area Girl Scouts were treated to Chinese culture Saturday at the Festival of International Sharing at Southeast Missouri State University.

About 250 scouts, in the primary grade levels, attended the morning session, while a similar number of scouts, from fourth grade to high school, attended the afternoon session.

Members of the Malaysian Student Association and the Chinese Student Association at Southeast provided the girls with a glimpse at Chinese culture.

The students told Chinese stories, showed the scouts how to count in Chinese, make paper boats and other items, and eat with chop sticks.

A highlight of the event was a lion dance, involving the use of a brightly colored costume with a giant, ornamental lion's head.

"We like to promote Chinese culture, Malaysian culture," said Poh Lim Foo, president of the Malaysian Student Association.

Foo said Chinese traditions and language are a big part of Malaysian heritage.

About 70 Malaysian students attend Southeast, with about 85 percent of them ethnic Chinese, said Jean Benton, assistant professor of education at the university.

In recent years, a sizable percentage of the university's international students have come from Malaysia.

So much so, that the university even has an alumni association in the Southeast Asian nation, Benton said.

The university this year also has three students from the People's Republic of China, including Zhang Qiyu, whom Benton met in 1988 while attending a university in Shanghai, as part of a cultural exchange program with Southeast. Benton spent a year living in China.

This is Zhang's second year at Southeast, where she is a graduate assistant in English. Accompanied by her 3-year-old daughter, Zhou Eyi, Zhang participated in Saturday's festival, telling Chinese children's stories to the Girl Scouts.

The crushing of the pro-democracy movement in China has led to cooler relations between the U.S. and China in recent years.

But said Zhang, "I think that relationships between our two governments will be getting better."

Zhang said the Girl Scouts Saturday seemed very interested in Chinese culture.

Eating with chop sticks proved a tough chore for some of the girls.

Heather Spooler, 11, of Jackson was able to manage it. But she said, "It was sort of hard. If you don't hold it right, you can't pick up much."

Spooler said she was amazed by the numerous Chinese holidays. "It seems like they have so many more holidays."

As to Chinese food, she said, "The rice is good, but I don't like the tea."

Sarah Elizabeth Dodson, 9, of Cape Girardeau said she enjoyed tasting Chinese food. "It tastes different than American food. The tea kind of tasted weird. It's too hot," she said.

Ashley Nelson, 8, of Cape Girardeau said she liked learning how to use chop sticks.

Both Dodson and Nelson took note of Chinese dresses. "They wear big floppy dresses," said Nelson.

When asked if they would like to wear such dresses, both girls emphatically said no.

Millie Turner, public relations director for the Otahki Girl Scout Council, said, "Every year we do something on international understanding. That is a part of Girl Scouting."

In January, Girl Scouts will have an opportunity to see a Chinese theatrical show at Rose Theatre on the university campus, Turner said.