Some Thoughts on 2012 So Far...

The Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations have concluded, the decorations throughout Hong Kong and China have disappreared and for the first time since Halloween, the city has gone back to a simpler time and style. After Halloween 2011 hit, the city dressed up for the Christmas holidays...

The lights on the buildings all became holiday displays and everywhere you went, you found magical decor.

Then the calendar New Year 2012...

Then right into Lunar New Year 2012...The Year of the Dragon!

Alex and I met the God of Wealth, so we feel quite covered for 2012! He is a Chinese deity said to bless one with luck, wealth and financial opportunities. He is celebrated throughout the year but it is very popular to have him visit during this time of new beginnings and hope.





It has certainly been a very extended, festive time! February 6th was the end of the beginning of the Year of the Dragon! Hong Kong has settled down and looks a bit bare after all this celebrating. Winter has arrived despite my doubts that I could ever feel cold here. There is a gloom in the air a lot, with cloudy skies, low clouds, fog, and, sadly, the ever-present pollution.

I celebrated my birthday and survived the long distance that seperated me from my loved ones and birthday traditions like ladies and lunches, wine and whining, and family dinners. Across the miles, friends and family surprised me with a wealth of birthday wishes, unexpected presents, and made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I got taken out to lunch by new girlfriends and my boys took me out for a wonderful dinner.

I got the best card and letter from Alex along with a beautiful watercolor of a HK street so "you can always remember this time in our life." My boy!
I know Mel and I will do more celebrating when we reunite, so I still have that to look forward to!

I didn't get a birthday cake...sigh...NOT! We tried this deliciousness instead! Yum, yum and yum!!!

One week later, Valentines Day hit so I got to go out to dinner again! Hong Kong loves to celebrate things so flowers and gifts and set dinner menus were in abundance throughout the city. We chose to partake because this was our first Valentines Day together since 2009 and our first together in Hong Kong. It was just wonderful and I would say that 2012 is off to a great start!

I am thankful to those of you that suggested I start this blog when I moved to Hong Kong. I appreciate that you want to share this journey with me but what I also appreciate is that I find it brings me to a place of gratitude and back to what is good. I want to share the good stuff, the humor, the adventure and I try to keep it honest but more positive than not. Thus, what ends up happening is that the rough days, the sad days, the "I miss my life" days get softer and what my attention gets focused on are the gifts of this experience and the opportunities.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we took so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us”
- Helen Keller

So I say thank you every day that I have people in my life who have encouraged me to tell my story and through that I am left with nothing but gratitude and joy for the journey.

"I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is to be conscious of living."
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

We all have a story. I'd love to hear yours...

Lions and Dragons and Drums, Oh My! More Chinese New Year Traditions!

The Lion Dance is a tradition dating back over a thousand years that makes it a "must" as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Thought to scare away the bad spirits and bring luck for the coming year, I was able to see my first Lion Dance up close and in person at Joe's work on Wednesday, January 25th. It was acrobatic, exciting and filled with meaning and tradition. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think that is the best way for me to try to share this experience with you.

The Lion Dance is accompanied by the energetic sounds of drums and cheers from the crowds. The first part of the dance is filled with energetic choreography and amazing leaps from elevated poles as the lion seems to fly from riser to riser.

While high atop a pole, one of the Lions releases a couplet of Happy New Year wishes for 2012.

Turns out you have to "feed" the lion! Throughout the store, hung offerings of vegetables and also Lai See.

The lion "chews" the vegetables and then throws them back out to the crowd to spread prosperity. It is considered very lucky to catch any of the vegetables the lion has "spit" back. Many of those that have gathered to try to catch the lettuce also make sure they try to touch the top of the lions head which is also considered good luck.

Joe celebrates catching the vegetables! He is assured of good fortune for 2012!

Alex and I have an opportunity to offer Lai See to the lion and touch his head for good luck and fortune for 2012.

After his complicated and acrobatic dance, the Lion visited all three floors of the store at Sun Plaza, stopping in every department, as well as offices, to receive the gifts of vegetables and Lai See and spread prosperity and good fortune to employees and customers. The traditional dance and rituals took over two hours and each stop was greeted with tremendous enthusiam and excitement.

The Lion was accompanied throughout his dance and store tour by drums, cymbals, and gongs. I have video of The Lion Dance but have not figured out how to get that on my blog yet. It allows you to get the energy, spirit, and enthusiasm as well as the sounds that are a big part of this traditional dance. I have posted them on my facebook so if you have access to that make sure and take a peak to really get a feel for this experience.


The Saturday after seeing my first Lion Dance I was looking forward to attending the Lunar New Year Carnival where we live. It was held on the lawn at Bel-Air on the Peak and there would be another Lion Dance, a Dragon Dance, food booths, acrobatics, and crafts and games for children. Count me in!

The Dragon was quite large and spectacular taking 10 guys to operate. There is an additional guy that runs ahead of the Dragon carrying a large spinning ball. This is said to be the "Pearl of Wisdom" which the dragon chases to gain insight and knowledge but during Chinese New Year if it is red or gold it is also said to represent the sun and the hope for a good harvest.

The Lion Dance I saw performed at Bel-Air was on even higher risers and more acrobatic. I tried to capture The Lion as he "flies" through the air.

The Lion stands tall!

and has a cute booty! Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle...

Another lion stands high atop a pole silhouetted against the backdrop of Hong Kong hills and skyscrapers on a beautiful blue sky day.

More exciting, high flying lion antics! I am officially a fan of the Lion Dance and Dragon Dance and would recommend it to any and all to experience.

More Chinese New Year Traditions: Lai See

Red envelopes containing money, known as Lai See in Hong Kong, are traditional gifts for Chinese New Year. We would be participating in this tradition during New Year, so it was important to understand the meaning of this gesture in accordance with Chinese beliefs. We had already had some experience with Lai See because they are also the traditional gifts you give for special occasions like weddings or to celebrate the birth of a baby. Joe had been given a couple of different types of wedding invitations and we had learned that typically you might be given an announcement of marriage that comes with a gift certificate for a cake and then you return this gesture with Lai See for the bride and groom to put toward their wedding. We've already gotten two cakes to enjoy out of this tradition! We also received an invitation to actually attend a Chinese wedding and dinner. If you attend, you would typically give Lai See in an amount to cover the cost of your attendance at the celebration plus extra for the bride and groom. We were unable to attend this wedding, though I really hope we will have another opportunity to experience a wedding in Hong Kong during our time here. Since we did not actually attend, then we send Lai See as our gift to the bride and groom. We had also learned that you would never give someone a white envelope because the color white is associated with death and would only be used for condolences and funerals. Oopsie! Thank heaven we have good people watching out for us that tell us these things so we don't offend some poor bride who thinks we hope for her demise! Now to figure out Lai See as it applies to Chinese New Year...

Lai See envelopes must be red or gold as this signifies good luck and prosperity. Both the giver and the recipient are believed to gain good luck from Lai See so it is not only the person receiving money that is benefiting. The amount of money given varies depending on the relationship and purpose but money should be given in a single, NEW note and not coins. If you are given an old, used note it is like saying you were not really thinking ahead or of the person, they were really just forgotten. Yikes! As I've matured I've tried to NOT take things so personally in life and not read into things so much but the Chinese really pay attention to details and can take things to heart. I can respect their traditions but its a little stressful to think everything you do has such meaning. Deep breath! LOL! Needless to say, when it was time to prepare our Lai See we went to the bank and got all beautiful new bills!

You also do not give anyone money in denominations of 4 because the Cantonese word for "4" sounds like the Cantonese word for death. So $40 or $400 would not be a nice idea. This belief about 4 applies in other ways. I have yet to be in a building in Hong Kong that has a floor with the number 4. I've put a picture of the elevator buttons from one of our elevators to show that you will not be going to the fourth, fourteenth, twenty-fourth, or any floor with a 4!



The basic rule of who receives Lai See is single friends and children and it is given from a senior to a junior. At work, a boss would give to his employees, and in our building it would be good for us as residents to give to our doorman and other service people. With all this knowledge in hand and after Joe consulted people at work, we ended up stuffing over 500 envelopes of varying denominations for Joe to give out to employees in his store as well as an additional 50 or so for people in the buildings of Bel-Air and to have on hand just in case we are approached with a "Gung Hay Fat Choy" and a look of anticipation. It's a lot and we will be better at budgeting for this for next year now that we have gone through it. Luckily many of the envelopes were notes of $10HKD which really only amounts to about $1.30USD but it adds up! The first 3 days of Chinese New Year were the main days in which we gave out our Lai See. The energy and excitement that goes along with it is very fun. If you are seen giving out Lai See at work or in the building you can plan on feeling very popular and attracting a crowd of well-wishers and it can go fast! Typically, if you see someone and they wish you "Gung Hay Fat Choy" and it is an appropriate recipient you would then hand them a Lai See envelope with both hands and they would then receive it with both hands and then clasp their hands together shaking them and bowing their head and wishing you more Happy New Year Wishes and gratitude. The envelopes are not opened in front of you and it would be rude to look inside and see what you got! Alex, as both a minor and a single person, ended up receiving over 11 of his own Lai See envelopes.

I am really happy to have been a part of the experience of giving and receiving Lai See for Chinese New Year 2012. Ultimately, the generosity and spirit of giving that it represents is a great way of setting the hopes for properity into motion and I will remember the enthusiasm and happy smiles of those holders of red envelopes!

The Lunar New Year Fair and A Bit of Decorating

Sunday, the day before the start of Chinese New Year, Joe, Alex and I headed out to various parts of Hong Kong Island to find some last minute items we needed to help us participate in the festivities and traditions of this holiday. I was loving all the beautiful and abundant flowers and plants and wanted to have some in our house so we ended up in Causeway Bay and stumbled upon the Lunar New Year Fair in Victoria Park. It was an unexpected find but offered a wonderful glimpse of the toys, ornaments, foods, and plants to be found. Stalls and stalls of Chinese New Year novelty items were ready for consideration by huge crowds of visitors and we were quickly swept up into the sea of people. It was my wish to find the flowers but there were aisles and rows of any kind of decoration you would need, including and especially DRAGONS! It was difficult to take it all in while being jostled along in the mass of people but I was glad to be seeing it in person and I was fascinated!

We slowly made our way through the crowds until BINGO! The sea of people led us to a sea of flowers, plants and trees. The promises these displays were said to symbolize were plentiful as were the number of options you had to choose from. If every hope represented here came true, 2012 was going to be a remarkable, properous year! The tangerine trees that I had been seeing and admiring throughout the city, businesses, and homes were there to now become part of your own decor.

Peach blossom trees (or plum blossom) of varying sizes were also a choice. I was determined to bring home a branch of this because I love what it is said to represent. The blossoms burst forth at the end of the winter season on what seems to be a lifeless branch. These pink flowers symbolize "courage and hope" and I'm a fan of both! You could buy large trees, medium, or small but I was on the hunt for the individual branches I'd seen people carrying. I tried convincing Joe we could manage to get a smaller tree home on the bus but even I wasn't believing it. A branch it was and after I observed several purchases by locals I knew what price I should expect to pay. I've learned that often you will be charged more if you are "white" or "gweilo" because they don't think you will know any better. I am learning. My purchase was completed and even though we didn't speak the same language, charades and a smile closed the transaction.

You could also find bamboo in abundance and I later learned that these particular displays are known as "Lucky Bamboo" and it invites good fortune or "Kai Yun Zhu." Representing the natural 5 elements of water, earth, wood, metal, and fire, Lucky Bamboo is said to balance the "chi" in the house. As if all that isn't enough, the number of stalks and the layers have meaning as well! Honestly, I don't know how people remember all the symbolism and meaning tied to everything. Then again, I am sure these traditions have been passed from generation to generation and families create the depth of meaning behind these symbols. Now that I KNOW, I'm getting some bamboo to help balance my chi!!!

Yet another option to bring into your home or give if you are visiting someone during this festive time is the narcissus. It is one of the main flowers most associated with Lunar New Year because it blossoms about this time and is thought to bring good luck and fortune. You could also find chrysanthemums, gladiolus, pussy willow, orchids, and many more colorful blooms. We finished up and then got to fight our way, with purchases, through the huge crowds coming and going from the fair.

These pictures try to give you a sense of what it is like walking on the sidewalks of Hong Kong. We headed home on the Green Mini Bus and I got to put up my small but heartfelt displays to honor our first Chinese New Year in our home!

I placed my peach blossom branch on our dining room table with traditional red decor and a traditional candy dish or tray full of fruits, sweets, and foods to welcome guests who drop by (we basically ate it all on our own). Called a chuen-hop or "tray of togetherness" it traditionally consists of eight symbolic foods. The number eight is considered extremely lucky to the Chinese and each food has a significant meaning. We were lucky enough to be given some items by the parent of a friend of Alex's after he attended a traditional Chinese New Year Dinner at their house. There are many different types of food offerings but ours consisted of sweetened shaved coconut (promoting togetherness), white rabbit candies, gold (chocolate) coins, small fried dumplings with a sweet, crunchy filling that tasted almost like toffee, and fried squares of dough covered in sesame seeds. By next year I hope to know and understand more about the foods.

Fresh flowers (just cause I like them and the red goes with the holiday) and a display of firecrackers hanging. The firecrackers are thought to scare off the evil spirits as well as wake up the dragon!

The Chinese couplet that was made for us at Bel-Air. It says "wishing you prosperity" and it is my wish for all of us! May the Year of the Dragon bring us all prosperity in areas of health, love, happiness, peace, and good fortune! Tune in next time for the scoop on the lai-see and red envelopes.

Chinese New Year 2012, Year of the Dragon!

Gong Xi Fa Cai
That is the traditional Mandarin Chinese New Year greeting which means "wishing you prosperity." In Hong Kong, however, Cantonese is the main language spoken and the variation is Gong Hey Fat Choy. Then, there is the fact that there are many different ways to spell these so for a newbie like me who is trying to learn what is right, it gets a bit confusing. What I do know for sure is that it is said with such energy and excitement and hope that you get swept up in the spirit of this, the most important of all Chinese holidays!

This year is The Year of the Dragon and it is approached with much anticipation. Many people believe it is a very favorable year to be born and a lot of people have planned to have a baby during this time, since this symbol stands for power, good luck, success, and happiness. Joe and I have decided not to embrace this particular thought process but we are happy for all the pregnant women we see around the city. We are gonna stick with our "pig (or boar)" and our "rooster" cause they have the spirit of the dragon to us! :-)

The official start to this particular Chinese New Year, which is tied to the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system, was January 23,2012. The festivities and traditions will continue for 15 days,ending on February 6. The first 3 days of the New Year were official Public Holidays. Alex has the entire week off of school. Many people choose to take this whole week off and the energy of the city has definitely changed. On Monday, Joe went to work and was the only person on the shuttle bus (he chose to take two of his holidays while Melanie was here) and Alex took the city bus over to visit a friend and was also the only one on that bus. That is a very strange, creepy thing when you live in a city of 8 million people!

We are enjoying the sights and sounds of this very exciting time and there is so much to learn about this holiday that this is only the start of all I hope to share with you. I begin with some of the discoveries and decorations we've found around the city. Hong Kong is bright with colors of red, gold and pink. Everywhere you go, you will find these traditional decorations. Blooming flowers and plants are abundant as they represent growth and prosperity. Trees, especially the peach blossom, are adorned with decorations or red envelopes. The pink flowers of this tree are a custom because the peach or "tao" is a symbol for longevity, growth, and prosperity. The peach wood is also thought to be able to curb evil.

Orange and tangerine trees decorate almost every place you go and are used in homes. These are considered a sign of abundant happiness. The tangerines WITH their leaves symbolize strong family ties and bonds. All plants and flowers represent the hopes for the New Year.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle and skyscrapers of Hong Kong, plants and flowers bring you back to nature and the hope for a Happy New Year!

Street vendors and shops sell all the festive decorations for the celebrations ahead.


I have only just begun to share all the new sights and sounds and traditions I am discovering so stay tuned...

So...Now what?

It has been a bit of a whirlwind. My first trip back to my Windsor home, the holidays, returning to Hong Kong and 2012 begins, Melanie and Taylor visit HK, my sweet little family of four and one fabulous dog are all together for the first time in our new HK home, Alex survives finals and starts a new semester at HKIS, and Mel settles back into college in Oregon. If that seems like a run-on sentence it is a bit how the last month has felt! All is well and life goes on. Yet, I am feeling slightly lost. Yes, I'm sure it is because I've just been reunited with family and friends and then left again. I'm still adjusting to the hole that is left when your first child flies off from the nest. I'm coming down from a whirlwind of activiites, festivities, and plans. Now I'm left with the question, "What is next?"

I've navigated through a lot of stuff and now I realize life has settled down, I've healed from all the craziness of the past few years (filled with blessings but stressful none the less), and it is my job to plant the seeds for what I want to grow into now!

The good news is I have plenty of Hong Kong and China adventures to share with you and reflect on. I have pictures and stories and that will keep me writing and appreciating this experience. Today, however, what is speaking to me and what I share with you is the personal, human side. The reality of an International move is not just the logistics and language barriers, the cultural differences and changes to life as you've known it. With the opportunity to see a whole new world has come the unexpected work of figuring out what is next for ME. I gave myself permission to just do some reading today. Within moments I read the perfect answer for myself, for now:

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves...live everything. Live the questions now..."
Rainer Maria Rilke

Wow, so I'm going to ask "What is next?" and then WAIT and LIVE and NOTICE and I'll get back to you on that answer!

Just in case you are worried that I'm taking it all too seriously and it is all much too heavy, I leave you with some new statue pictures that I MUST share because they always make me smile and giggle:

The shape of this confident lady helps me with my self-image! Last time I looked, I had NOT developed rolls on my thighs...yet! Wink!

Such freedom of expression! Such unusual breasts!

As much as the female statues make us real women seem svelte, I do acknowledge that the male statues are NOT so great for the male ego...

Here is to always finding things to make us smile and laugh!