Gong Xi Fa Cai! (Happy Chinese New Year!)

How could I have lived my last 24 years without celebrating CNY? There is something really magical about everyone's gladittude approaching the Lunar New Year...I woke up on Chinese New Year's Eve and skipped down the street (literally) and hugged the first person who told me "Gong Xi Fa Cai!" 

Out with the year of the Dragon (my year) and in with the year of the Snake. When it's your year, it is supposed to be the hardest on you as much is expected from you so hel-lo year of the snake! 

Here's a little peak into some of the festivities-

The Lion dancers at the temple next door:

Different lion dancing groups came throughout the day and played drums coming down the street (starting at 8am...) so I had my shoes ready and when I heard them drop the beat, I would run over!

Welcoming the New Year in Chinatown with firecrackers/fireworks:

The static-y noise you hear are millions of firecrackers (imagine mega-sized Black Cats from Wacky Waynes) lit on the ground

Pictures of CNY in Singapore (click here) 

Here's a guide for how to "fit in" at your next Chinese New Year (haha who are we kidding, "fitting in" might be a reach, at least for me): 

1. Red envelopes ("angbaus"): Basically when all your married friends give you money (in a red envelope) for being single. wooooo wooooo! Fist bump, high five, cue the Taylor Swift song. Red envelopes are given the first time you see the intended recipient after it has turned the New Year. There are some rules to keep in mind: The amount of money inside should always be an even number, and should never include a "4" in the digits of the amount (because the pronunciation of "4" resembles death...)

 1b. So, as a counter offer, you need some Mandarin Oranges: This is the return gift for someone giving you an angbau. They also must be given in even numbers (again, never giving 4 or anything with 4 in the amount). Also, don't try to get fancy and spring for a pear-that will be extra insulting as that would mean you wishing separation for that person and his/her loved ones. Irre-PEAR-able faux pas. 

2. No sweeping, no problem: You don't have to tell me twice...It is traditional to do Spring cleaning on the days leading up to the Chinese New Year b/c after it reaches midnight on the beginning of the New Year, you should not sweep your house for at least the next 2 days. Otherwise, you will be sweeping all the blessings and good luck out. If you're feeling a bit resentful to someone, you could take a very crumbly dish when visiting family and friends because it would be bad luck for them to sweep after.

3. Lo Hei: A Singaporean tradition of tossing a salad symbolizing all prosperous things for the new year, because Who doesn't like a good group toss?

The higher you toss the salad, the more prosperous you will be for the next year.

So HAPPY NEW YEAR, welcome the year of the water snake. So far, I've had some very lucky and unlucky occurrences (e.g. I found $10 in my jeans pocket but also there is a monkey in MacRitchie now wearing my Raybans so the verdict is still out on what kind of year the snake has brought)

But one thing I do know, the promise of a new year brings the hope for something great! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

I'm SINGing: "This is the New Year" -Glee cast

Singapore 101

How long have you been in Singapore, lah*?
(*"lah" at the end of a phrase is used by Singaporeans to soften or lighten the tone of a phrase. #endearing)

Here is a first entry (of many) into an ongoing glossary/reference of sorts as an intro to Singapore. If you come visit (which I hope you will) you will be ahead of the curve if you know these first things it has taken me a month to acquire:

"Have you had your lunch yet" means, "Are you doing alright?/How's it going?" Until this was explained to me a few days ago, when people would ask me this at work circa 4:30pm, I would think "I see what's going on, you are looking for someone to eat lunch with" and I would tell them I would go with them if they were looking for someone to eat with only to be met with a confusing look and a polite decline :) Now, I'm #intheloop.

"Ministry of Manpower" commonly referred to as "MOM" (Ministry of Magic anyone?) This is the Sing version of an American DMV...but bigger and with more "queues," and you must go through them for all your employment needs.

Community cats. No such thing as "stray" cats in Singapore...instead we (and the government) call them "community cats" #euphemism 

Doors. You MUST push the release button beside any door on NUS campus and also use the actual doorknob to exit and to avoid locked-in panic (advice from experience). It's easy to forget! Oh, and beware, sometimes there is also a light switch lurking (see below the red box) so you must choose carefully.

Elevator doors. The elevator doors wait for no one. I didn't understand in the first few weeks why no one ever holds elevator doors but then the first time I pressed "door close" when someone was clearly coming towards the elevator a little distance away, I realized, it's just too hot to wait in an elevator. It's an understood rule, if you aren't stepping in, it leaves without you.

Take away (translation) "I want this [insert food/drink] to go"

"Cannot." Literal translation: "not a chance" You may never be sure of the reasoning but the throwdown of a "cannot" means end of story, no ifs ands or buts about it. Sarah, use it in a sentence you may ask...sure, example: "Will you fan me while I'm waiting for the train in Sing's mid-day sun?" "Cannot." at which point you may wonder, a) can you but you don't want to? b) is it that you don't have a fan? or c) are you late to a meeting and you just don't have time? You may never know but bottom line: aint happening.

Alight: "This is your stop" (e.g. alight at 42nd Street in Times Square)

Durians. Explosives, drinks, and durians...all things not allowed on the MRT (subway) system in Sing. Although I have not given them a go yet, this fruit smells like...something dead, which it why it is not allowed on MRT. The smell is considered "offensive" 

Editing of TV shows/movies. Many shows/movies seen in Sing are edited for...well...we're not really sure the rules. When you're least expecting, you may realize, how did that guy get that gun? And then you get the sneaking suspicion you may have missed something...well you have just experienced a little TV/movie selective removal, Sing style. 

• Singing: "Carry On" -Kansas

A slice of life

The last few days in a nutshell:

TODAY WAS MY FIRST DAY AT WORK! eeeek! After my 3 hour commute into National University of Singapore campus (a bit turned around without a phone...but hey, no better way to learn a city right?), I finally made it there-only 1 hour late for my first day of work. Silver lining: I have discovered 2 secret weapons to deflecting a possible meltdown/pressing of the panic button:                     

1. "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" NPR podcast-more specifically Carl Castle's voice on my iPod. A little piece of home and my connection back to the States. 

2. Hailing a taxi at anytime/anywhere (which I did unashamedly on campus... to take me somewhere else on campus)

...worked like a charm :)

NUS Campus on the walk from the correct bus stop!    

My boss (Dr. Dutta) is wonderful and the people in my department have been so good to me already! The campus is BEAUTIFUL even though I don't think this picture does it justice.I'm meeting the rest of my CARE (Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation) team on Wednesday which I am so excited and thrilled about! 

In other news...

 Chinatown in Singapore is a bit different than the Chinatown of NYC we know and love for sunglasses and handbags. Sing's Chinatown is rich with cultural history and tradition. We visited the "Tooth Relic" Buddhist temple in the heart of Chinatown. It is truly an incredible place. The emphasis to "just be" and to meditate on things that are good, lovely, and pleasing is such a treasure to remember and an honor to see carried out. There is nothing like a Chinese pagoda to really give you an Asian awe. 

It was also festival of the lanterns in Chinatown while we were there so it was especiallycolorful and decorated!

I have had the sweetest hosts, Kathryn (pictured to the right) and Ed (photographer), who have adventured around the city with me, shown me the sites, and have gone to the Singaporean equivalent of the DMV...twice #truelove. I'm so lucky to be with them here in Sing! 

• Singing: "Keep Your Eyes Open"                                         -Needtobreathe