Year of the Tiger

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Celebrating the Chinese New Year in China is INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had so much fun.

February 13th was New Years Eve. The school had a lunch provided for any foreign students and teachers who were around and wanted to attend. It ended up being three tables to Chinese staff and faculty and one table of foreigners. Me, Kim, and Emily were the only teachers; The school's president's daughter sat with us; three students from Mongolia, one student from Nigeria, and one student from Kyrgyzstan rounded out the table. We were provided with enough food and drinks for twenty people. During this lunch, Henry (the student from Nigeria) convinced me to try a fish eye. We each ate one and it surprisingly tasted like nothing. It was like a small little candy marble. During the lunch, some of the faculty sang songs, Kim sang a song, and Emily was forced to dance with a teacher.

(By the way, the olympics opening ceremony were on TV in the background! The Olympics, the Chinese New Year aka Spring Festival, and Valentine's Day all fell on the same weekend.)

After lunch, Kim went to a Chinese friend's parents house. Emily and I went grocery shopping then went to Chali's bar. Chali, his wife, two waiters, Emily and I ate dinner together. As is custom, we had dumplings! Emily ate 24 and I ate 30. I am still not sure how I ate so many. Another custom is to watch the New Years Gala on TV. It is either 2 or 3 hours long and showcases singers, dancers, and skits from all around China. After being shown live at night, it is then on repeat all day on New Years. We watched some of it with Chali but did not understand the skits. All over the city, people also started setting off fireworks. There have been some going off before the holiday and will be some every day. However, New Years Eve had the most fireworks. Fireworks are sold under tents on random street corners. Chali bought fireworks, sparklers, and poppers. Emily and I acted like kids lighting sparklers and throwing poppers all over the street. Then, Chali had me light one firework and we kept the rest until midnight. Eventually, more and more people showed up until it was super busy. We learned a new years song in Chinese and talked to everyone until midnight when we ran outside to see fireworks and set a bunch off. Setting off fireworks in the middle of the street is definitely NOT safe but it made for an exciting and amazing holiday.

After going to bed at 4am, I woke up at 1pm on New Years Day (February 14th, the first day of Spring Festival). My body needed to rest and relax before having another huge meal. Kim, Emily, and I were joined by our Chinese friend Charisse to go to our other friend Gina's house. Her mom cooked us a feast. Every animal possible was on a plate. I somehow ate more dumplings. It was an amazing meal with fun people. We left at night tired from the holiday festivities and I was happy with my first celebration of the Chinese New Year in China.