Coming to the StarCraft to Be a Kindergarten Teacher: Perfect Transformation

"Hey kids, you've all seen how I make zongzi, right? Now try making one yourself," I said with a smile, gently clapping my hands to get the children's attention. Then, I walked to the front of the classroom and deftly operated the computer. Following my instructions, a clear and vivid image appeared on the large screen at the front of the room—it was the zongzi-making instructional video I had carefully prepared. To prevent the children from watching me but failing to learn how to make them, I immediately downloaded and prepared the video tutorials as soon as I got home last night. When the class officially began today, I first demonstrated it myself, then played the downloaded video on loop. This way, if any child had trouble remembering the steps or methods I'd just taught, they could watch the video again and again to deepen their memory and understanding. After all, video explanations are often more detailed and specific than in-person instruction!

The children stared at the screen with wide eyes, afraid to miss a single detail. Every step in the video was meticulously demonstrated: choosing the leaves, preparing the glutinous rice filling, the technique for wrapping the zongzi, and finally, how to tie the string. They watched with rapt interest, occasionally exclaiming in amazement and laughter.

When the video finished playing, I encouraged again: "Okay, babies, now it's time for you to show your skills! Let's try to make our own delicious rice dumplings together!" The children were very excited and couldn't wait to start this interesting challenge.

The children immediately took action, picking up the leaves and carefully folding them, following the instructions in the video. Some children were clumsy and the leaves were unruly in their hands, while others were more skilled and quickly made dumplings of various shapes.

I walked around the classroom, offering guidance and encouragement. Yuyun's dumplings were particularly beautiful, drawing praise from the other children.

"Teacher, look at the rice dumplings I made!" He held up his work with a proud smile on his face.

I walked closer and gave him a thumbs-up: "Great, Yuhan! The dumplings you made are really good."

Then, more and more children finished their works, and the classroom was filled with laughter. Although some of the dumplings were not perfectly shaped, the children all put in the effort and had a lot of fun.

"Okay, kids, let's take the dumplings to the kitchen for Auntie Aura to cook," the teacher said, and the children all got to work. They carefully placed the dumplings they had made onto plates, then happily walked towards the dining hall.

As soon as they entered the restaurant, the children eagerly handed their plates to Auntie Aola, who was busy preparing the dumplings. They all said in unison, "Auntie Aola, our dumplings are ready. Please help us cook them. Thank you!" Yaheng was the most active among them. He held up his enormous dumplings and proudly said to Auntie Lisa, "These are my super delicious dumplings! I have to be the first to try them!"

Despite his mischievous nature, Yaheng's manners were impeccable. Even when he made a mistake, he always managed to win people over with his sweet talk. Seeing his adorable and confident demeanor, Auntie Aola couldn't help but smile. She took the zongzi and promised, "Okay, little ones, don't worry. Auntie will make sure your zongzi are delicious!" Then, she turned and walked into the kitchen.

After seeing Aunt Aola put the rice dumplings in a pot and cook them for a while, and then put eggs and whole garlic into another pot to cook, Yu Han couldn't help but move forward curiously, looking at the ingredients in the pot, his heart full of doubts.

"Teacher, why do you have to cook the eggs with that unpalatable thing? It smells stinky and my mouth will also stink after eating it!" Yu Han pinched his nose and asked with a frown.

After listening to Yu Han's words, I smiled and patiently explained: "That's because boiling eggs and garlic on the Dragon Boat Festival is to enhance immunity, resist toxins and replenish qi, and ward off evil spirits and avoid poisons.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of China's traditional festivals, rich in cultural connotations and folk customs. During this festival, boiling eggs and garlic is a common practice, which contains profound health implications and cultural traditions.

Immunity Boosting: Garlic is believed to have anti-toxic and antibacterial properties, helping to fight bacterial infections and prevent intestinal diseases. Garlic is rich in allicin, which stimulates the gastric mucosa, promoting gastric secretion and making food easier to digest. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that garlic's pungency activates the spleen and stomach, while its warmth provides energy and stamina, aiding digestion and absorption, thereby boosting immunity.12

Anti-toxicity and Qi-boosting: During the Dragon Boat Festival, fresh garlic is available. Cooking it with eggs not only helps fight toxicity and replenish Qi, but also boosts immunity. Eggs themselves have Qi-boosting properties, and the anti-toxicity properties of garlic further enhance this effect. This practice not only aligns with Traditional Chinese Medicine theory but also meets the practical needs of ordinary people to strengthen their constitution and prevent disease.

Exorcism: In ancient times, people believed that the Dragon Boat Festival was the month when the "five poisons" emerged, leading to various customs to ward off evil spirits and poisons. Boiled eggs and garlic also stem from this cultural context, hoping to protect health and ward off disease and evil spirits by consuming foods with specific benefits.

In summary, boiling eggs and garlic during the Dragon Boat Festival is not only a traditional dietary custom but also embodies a wish for health and safety. This dietary therapy is hoped to enhance the body's immunity and prevent disease, while also carrying the cultural connotation of warding off evil and poison. Soon, the enticing aroma of zongzi wafted from the kitchen. The children gathered around the table, eagerly anticipating the delicious dumplings. Yaheng, on the other hand, licked his lips repeatedly, seemingly eager to savor the fruits of his labor.

"Okay, my dear little ones! It'll take quite a while for these delicious rice dumplings to be fully cooked. So, we can't stay here and bother Auntie Ola. Let's go back to the classroom. I've got another big surprise for you all!" As soon as the words fell, the other children, upon hearing there was an extra surprise in the classroom, happily left. However, only little Belle stared at the rice dumplings cooking in the pot, as if her feet were nailed to the ground, refusing to move an inch. Seeing Bailey still standing there, motionless and clueless, I had no choice but to walk over, gently take her hand, and say to her gently, "Bailey, these dumplings will take at least another half hour to cook. Even if you stand there like an idiot now, you won't be able to eat them. Listen to the teacher and let's go back to the classroom. We can come back later when the time is up." "But, teacher... I'm worried they'll take the one I made with the most filling..." Bailey looked at me pitifully, her eyes filled with reluctance and worry. "Don't worry, Bailey, your giant dumpling, 'wearing so many layers of clothing,' is so unique. No one will touch it." Hearing my reassurance, Bailey finally breathed a sigh of relief and obediently followed me back to the classroom.