Despite the snow, sleet, and rain, my teacher and several classmates from my Chinese 2 class made the trip to the Chinese Flower Garden in Portland this Sunday. As driver of a school van, it wasn’t the most pleasant experience, however Portland greeted us with sun and a bright Lunar New Year celebration.

Learning Mandarin has been a significant part of my personal journey, as well as my educational one. And language is often a key to culture, so Chinese 2 has opened me up to a world of experiences I never expected to walk into.

Our itinerary began with a stomach full of family-style Chinese food.

We continued by touring the Lan Su Garden, which was a fun and cathartic experience for me. Not only were there beautiful elemental highlights: the water, the rocks, the flowers, and the buildings; but I also discovered emotional landmarks as I uncovered more about my heritage and the history of my family. Being 4th generation and multiethnic, I’ve found a lot of importance in learning more about my ancestors and the cultures that have been passed down through blood, if not by practice.

There were several different rooms set up with different activities, including calligraphy-writing and ornament-making. The pathways were styled with lush plants and looming stones with holes naturally carved out by water. The walkways surrounded a large pond that was home to many koi fish. There was also a traditional Tea House and a gift shop.

With the start of Lunar New Year on Friday, this was a special time to attend the Garden. Paintings and trinkets were a constant reminder that it’s the Year of the Dog. And our day was highlighted with traditional Chinese song and dance, followed by a celebratory dragon and lion dance performed by the Viet-Hung group.

Our evening came to close after a visit to a local tea shop. And even though the morning began with a challenging drive through harsh weather, at the end of the day, the trip was completely worth it.