Hershey Park

My day at Hershey Park 

                                                                                                            By Tenzin Womatsang 

        My dream finally come true! I have persuaded my parents to visit Hershey Park during vacation, because it is a popular Theme Park and I wanted to go there. It worked. 

        On Monday, August 9th. We drove several hours and have arrived in Hershey, Pennsylvania. According to Vikepedia Hersheypark is a family theme park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, about 15 miles east of Harrisburg, and 95 miles west of Philadelphia. The park was founded in 1906 by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company. 

        My parents have booked a hotel called Quality Inn, but my mother mistaken it for Holiday Inn. From our place in Oakton, Virginia, It took about 3 hours’ drive, during which we slept most of the time, making the travel easier. When we finally reached the hotel in the afternoon, we parked on the right side, near some red and black cars, where it provides some shade. As it is a hot day, over 90F.

         My whole family (sister, karma) mom, dad and I have come for this vacation and sightseeing. Now I replay in my mind, how when we pulled up in the parking lot, that we would go in to the hotel to check in and get our room keys. Then we could grab our luggage and bags. An Inexpensive but Nice hotel. 

        When I entered the hotel room, I was amazed by how clean it was but my younger sister, karma did not like it as much as I did. The reason for that is she saw something at the reception, and in the lobby, that did not give her a good first impression of the hotel. But I shouldn’t say she is a judgmental, she is just a kid. But Later after my mom and father got our room key, and that our room number was 502, then my little sister has changed her initial perception of the hotel and started to like it.

         As my mom and father went back and forth gathering our luggage and bags, we just run around and inspect the room. While me and my sis karma was waiting up on the 5th floor in our hotel room to settle in, I have noticed the room has two queen size beds, and 1 big TV and a mini fridge. In the sparkling bathroom, I noticed there was two mini bottles of shampoo and conditioner and a big bath tub. The hotel is relatively old, but inside it is kept clean and well maintained. After we flung our bags and one midsize suitcase , in which we have all our clothes, we felt a sense of relief, that we have a comfortable and safe place to sleep for the night.

     My mother doesn’t want to waste time, she get herself into action and asked all of us to get ready to head to the Hershey Park. She thinks, it would take us two days to fully enjoy and explore the theme park site.

 Hurry makes worry: 

        I should mention here, how we left our place forgetting something important. Our departure from home, was little hurried. We didn’t think much of packing as this is a short trip, so while we are just laying around, it was my mother who put all our essentials for the road trip together. However, she almost ruined our entire vacation. While taking care of the necessities of all four of us. Our mother, forgot to take her hang bag. Do you know, what was in it? Her cash ! as well as mine and my sisters purses are all in that handbag of her. When we were on highway about 40 minutes of driving, she then recalled her handbag being left inside the house. In a frantic, she asked my dad to return back to get the hangbag, but fortunately my dad has his wallet in his pocket, in which he has credit card, debit card, and some money, so we are relieved, that what my dad has in his pocket will be for us to spend freely with little cajoling . 

Honestly, I got a little mad at my mother but you can never stay mad at your mother for long, she is the rock of the family that we all depends in good and bad. 

The Chocolate World 

        When we arrived at Hershey Park after 23 min drive from the hotel, we are awed by the number of folks visiting the place. It was swarmed by people, visiting from all over United States. I can see Car License plates from as far as Texas. It looks like all the kids and parents have swooped down to Hershey park. Fortunately, we didt have to search a space to park, it was available right when we pulled in the parking lot. It was an expansive place, and very exotic. my sister and I ran as fast as the speed of light toward the Hershey chocolate factory. The place was amazing. Inside it was filled with different types of candy like Jolly rancher, twizzle, reassess cups, kisses, KitKat, and most importantly Hershey chocolate. We went on a tour inside to see how the magnificent Hershey chocolates were made. We learn the fascinating story of how one person called Hershey build the chocolate empire. During the tour, I have come to know that Chocolate has two main ingredients, those are coco beans and milk. Hershey’s Chocolate World have the world’s best of the best ingredients for their finest product. 

        As we sit in cable car and moving from one place to another place, we saw all along the way, the heavy machinery that processes the raw materials, and unfolding all the processes it took and the various stages of chocolate making. Everything looks authentic and very high quality, it is the combination of the man and machines producing the finest world renowned chocolate known as Hershey chocolate that delights everyone. When we reach the end of the tour, an employee is handing out some delicious chocolates candy, that melt in our mouths and we irresistibly wanted to get more from the stores, that has an assorted of all kinds of Hershey chocolates and relatively cheaper than getting in the regular stores.. 

        

There is also a cafeteria that has variety of food and chocolate milk shake. We ordered shake and ate the pizzas, and then ready to head to the theme park. Since we are knew to the place, my mother had to inquire about the tickets, and she was smart enough to get the tickets that will allow us entrance for two days. From the Chocolate World we run to the fantastic theme park, that even has a rollercoaster. In my next essay, I will explain how we enjoyed the ridings in the park and all the amusements and many funny stories. But I can tell you, by the time, we get back to hotel on our first day, we are very exhausted from the play in the amusement park, we savored the chicken strips, and French fries food we got from a roadside Sheetz gas station before going to a good night’s rest. 

                                                                          The end

Our Lemondade Stand

                                                           My Lemonade Stand

                                                                                                                By Tenzin Womatsang

Today is the day, we started our lemonade stand. While my dad had an online meeting something related to his work,  I went about preparing to make the cookies that to go with the Lemonade.

You may wondering how I made my cookies, did my dad or mom help? Absolutely not, it is all by myself. Well, here is the step by step instructions on making the cookies using my own creativity and imagination.

First, I got my cake mixers out and started by pouring the vanilla cake mix into a bowl. Next I did the same thing with my chocolate cake mix. I went into the kitchen and opened my fridge and grabbed my half and half milk carton.

 Next, I took 4 eggs out of our fridge. I got two bowls from my top cupboards, and started cracking two eggs in 1 bowl. I made sure not to crack eggshells in the bowl or else it would taste yucky like eating a sticky sock dipped in dirty mud.

After I finished cracking up all my eggs, I ran as fast as a cheetah to go snatch a spoon from the kitchen. With my spoon, I mixed up in my first bowl my eggs with a gentle circular movement but with my second bowl I gave it a real hard beating like in a boxing competition.

Once my two bowls were all mixed up with no yolk left, I poured the first bowl in my vanilla cake batter, then with my second bowl I poured my eggs in to my chocolate cake batter. Can you guess what’s next? If you guessed right, I took my light green whisk out and red spatula!!!

With my whisk I started mixing in circular pattern in my vanilla and chocolate cake mix, once it was fully dissolved I took out my spatula and scooped my cake mix and threw it back down. I did it few more times.

Because I wanted to make sure, there was no left over batter down below. I added ¼ cup of milk into both cake mix. I mixed it thoroughly till it was soft and smooth. With that finally I have put it in the oven for 15 minutes, and then it was all ready,

I took one zip lock bag and filled it up with one with vanilla barter, then I did the same thing with my second zip lock bag with chocolate batter. I took out a long rectangle piece of parchment paper and put it on my baking sheet.

 I cut the end piece of the zip lock bags so I could squeeze out batter like icing. I started by squeezing out vanilla icing on to the parchment paper in a circular form, then I did this again but in different shapes like hearts or smile faces. Then I repeated the same step with my chocolate batter. After that was done, I placed the parchment paper onto the oven and closed the door and set the time to 15 mins on 350 f.

Once the timer turned off, I checked to see if the cookies were cooled off. Once I checked to see if it was cool.

 I got containers in which I started placing the cookies inside.

Meanwhile, I got some plastic cups, straws, and my poster for sales advertising, napkins, table cloth, and a table ready for the Lemonade stand.

Thankfully, my father finished his meeting and came downstairs to help me to carry the things to the venue.  One thing I like about him, is that he really allow us to do things by ourselves. He also like us to take initiative and be creative in what we do.  He thinks that letting us to do things, will make us more independent and that we learn to become more self-responsible.    But I want to be in charge, and he doesn’t interfere in that. However, my mom has her own way of handling us, she has the most healing hand. She is extremely well organized and a perfectionist. She was hesitating, if the putting up the lemonade stand was the right thing in this time of Covid-19 Delta variant surging, however she relented at the last.

But I am always thankful to my dad for doing the heavy lifting in all the things we do. He carried the table for the lemonade stand to help us set up. He poured all ice in the big jug, and then the lemonade.  

             I directed to put the table right in front of the pool.

Business Was Booming:

It was a hot day, the temperature was well over 90 F, and there are a quite number of people including kids in the swimming pool. Our main target customers for the lemonade stand is for those people coming and leaving the swimming pool.  

Once we set up the table, and laid out the cookies, I have my younger sister Karma , who is extremely energetic and the perfect sale person, started to draw customers to our table, by calling out and explaining to people, there is a lemonade stand.

She is joined by two young little brothers, they are our friends and neighbors. They are the cutest and unabashed and unreserved in directing customers to the stand. And very good sale person too.

So I was standing at the table and collecting money and handing out cookies and lemonade they make the sales pitch to whoever passes by.

  Our first customer was a very kind person in a car. Seeing us running a brisk business and so with so much excitement, he gave us 20$, and said it is a donation for our stand, even though we didn’t ask for it.  We want to shout out to him, and say thank you for that encouragement.

Our salesperson walked around our neighborhood and doing door dash and knocking the doors. They take order and then deliver the items.  

Each time, we managed to make a sale, we are so excited and felt elated. People are coming to our table nonstop and our business was booming.   My cash box is overflowing with money!!!

 Meanwhile, my dad was having his own time. He was swimming in the pool without paying any attention to us. But the dad of our little sales person was kind enough to sit by the side and looking after us. So having an adult around us was reassuring.

Thus we had a successful lemonade stand sale, and we sold our freshly made lemonade like a hotcake and our cookies was in high demand too.

After several hours of running the business, we finally wrapped up and closed our business. My dad then stopped by after swimming to his heart’s content. and along with the dad of our little children, helped to clean up, and carrying few things back to the house.

I was overwhelmed by everyone’s support and by the success of the stand, so I wanted share the profit, the kind Dad asked me to keep the lion’s share, so anyway I happily  gave away 20$ to my two little employees and I earned 50$ in total and the kid and the dad all was happy.  

This is the story of my lemonade stand.

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Slime for Sale

                                                             Slime for Sale 

                                                                                                       By Tenzin Womatsang 

Today, me and my father, as well as my  sister went to Walmart, to get some supplies for my lemonade stand and slime business. 

When we first went inside Walmart, I dashed to end of the aisles where the beverages are located. My dad is trailing us pushing a big shopping cart in front of him. 

While I went forward passing the rows of shelves till to the end, my chubby little sister dashed to another direction of store. She is literally galloping in excitement of what she want to get. It was little concerning that she couldn’t control herself and that she might run into someone by knocking them off by her sheer weight or get herself knocked off. 

My sister was after the baking aisle, where she grabbed a vanilla and chocolate cake mix. I already knew what she had in mind then. I was at the beverage section, where I grabbed a bottle of lemonade and I pack of lemonade mixer. Because for the lemonade stand, we want to have both fresh and the powder, depending on the demand.

 My dad, he always freak out with soda as too sugary and junk food as unhealthy to consume, but he surprised us this time, by pulling out a pack of coke and quietly put it in the cart, wishing that we wouldn’t see it. If any of us kids, go for it, I am sure he will not allow us so today was my lucky day!

 I was filling the empty carter that my dad was pulling with other eatables and drinks. When we reached the aisle where they have slime for sale. We bought the ingredients for making the slime, such as 1 blue glitter glue, 1 clear glue and 1 Elmers’s magical liquid. We father also reminded that mommy wanted to buy some eggs and milk too. 

We circled around to the fresh produce, where we bought fruits. My father insists Fuji apple is sweet and we looked for it. In each bag, there are around 10 apples, which looks crispy and fresh. Also a pack of cherries that my dad thought will be good to have. We also bought four piece of lemonades. We almost mistake it with a lime. 

Having packed the cart with all the things we needed, next we headed to check out. The cash register was self-serving. My dad scanned some of the items twice, and we had to call a customer reps to cancel the duplicity. 

Over all, we had itemized bill for $55.00 We walked out of the store, feeling relieved and ready for our business venture sell slime and lemonade.

 The author of this article, Miss Tenzin Womatsang  wins Presidential Award for Academic Excellency from her Elementary school

Is Learning French Easy-It Depends.

                                   Is Learning French a Piece of Cake? 

                                                                                                      By  Tenzin Womatsang

 

French is fun, because it is a unique language on its own. It is not plain but sophisticated . If all the world languages were the same, it would be  boring, nothing special. But French is one of the oldest languages in the world, and I always wanted to learn how to speak French. 

Finally, when I turned 11 years old, I had the opportunity to learn French.

For the past months, during my summer vacation, we learned numbers in French from 0-100 and the French alphabet. Then we also studied vowels, past tense, animal names, people and more.

These days, we are watching and listening to the French songs and short videos in which people are having conversations in French. I have some friends in French class, namely Chonzeom and Dazae.

As of now, I have turned 12 years old, and I am still taking French. My younger sister started learning French too.

France is known to be a romantic and peaceful place. The world renowned Eiffel Tower is a major landmark in the city of Paris, where the people mostly speak French.

Now let me tell you, what the hardest hard part of studying French is. Getting the accent right is very hard. But once you get over the French pronunciation correctly, then everything else will be a piece of cake.

In the beginning, I struggled with French accent or pronunciation. It was so difficult to say it in the French way that I almost felt like giving up. But I hung in there and kept on with some grit. Now thanks to my patience and perseverance, my French accent is much better.

Our French teacher is Ms Kelly. She is a volunteer through the OPIL, a Church based organization that provides free tuition to encourage the kids of the local community to get extra help in their studies. The OPIL creates a good environment for learning and their methods of teaching and tutoring work fantastically well. 

Finally, I do insist that if you have children and you need some help from tutors. Then go to OPIL.com. They do more than teaching languages, they teach math, reading and other fun activities and hobbies that no one will regret.

 

                                                                                The End