Once again, we have made it through to Friday without reverting to NAVSE. 3 more teaching days to go, so fingers crossed!
It feels like every week is unusual at the moment and thinking things are returning to ‘normal’ isn’t helping so I am going to once again suspend expectation and instead take every day as it comes.
I like to think that I am someone who is able to see the bigger picture and keep perspective, however that doesn’t mean to say that I always manage it. I think it is only human to get wrapped up in your own self and your own experiences, so I am definitely trying to be more conscious of what is happening in the lives of others.
I am continuing in my quest to connect with others and so far it is a really pleasurable experience (for me at least, so I can only hope it is for those with whom I am connecting J). I had a really lovely time today when I spent some time with a group of staff over their lunch time. We were talking about their CNY celebration plans and also reminiscing about the ‘good old days’ when there were fireworks everywhere in China.
As you know, my dad rather likes his fireworks, so the first time my parents came to visit they came over CNY. I took them to Beijing for a few days to see the sites and still remember one evening walking back to our hotel when a group of people set off a line of fire crackers in the street just in front of us. My dad thought it was brilliant and proceeded to tell me about the days when he was a lad and those sorts of things were commonplace in the UK before ‘all this health and safety nonsense’ (Not sure if I ever said, but he was the designated H&S officer for the firework company he worked for...). We were back in Shanghai for CNY Eve, so we booked into the Renaissance Hotel in Zhongshan Park on a high floor so that we had a good view of the skyline. Again, my dad’s favourite bit was watching people scurry in and out of the mall doorways setting fireworks off everywhere. However, possibly the highlight of his trip was the rather large cake we bought from one of the street stalls near Longhua Temple. It was approximately 40cm in diameter and would have been a Category 4 (professional use only) in the UK. We had much fun setting it off on our compound, and our neighbours thought it most exciting! We did also take a trip to the Great Wall at Mutianyu where we had a father-daughter ‘moment’. Our way of operating is quite banter-rich, preferring to take the mickey out of each other to being serious, so when my dad says soppy things like he hadn’t ever dreamed of standing on the Great Wall of China in his lifetime, it’s really special.
Over lunch, we also chatted about the traditional food people are planning and just how much preparation goes into the NYE meal. Did you know that you are supposed to eat dumplings every day for every meal? Well, that’s what I read anyway. There are so many other cultural traditions surrounding Chinese New Year and one which is definitely new to me is that you shouldn’t shower on New Year’s Day. Not sure what I think of that one, hopefully a bath doesn’t count?!
If you are interested in finding out some other fascinating facts, have a look at this site, it’s quite informative:
Want to know more about food? Oprah can help:
That’s all from me for this week, except to wonder how on earth we have got to February… I am choosing not to honour the tradition of becoming one year older at CNY. It’s my birthday later this month so I will stick with that thank you!
I have decided to branch out on Spotify, so I have been listening to London Grammar. I’m quite liking it as chilled background music, however I have been catapulted back into the past with their cover of Bittersweet Symphony. An interesting alternative. I think I prefer the original though.
Happy last Friday of this lunar year!
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