When I was a kid, Chinese New Year means a lot to me. I’ll wait 358 days for that one week of holidays, I’ll make sure that I’m well and strong before the Chinese New Year, just to enjoy the feast, the food, the angpows, and the firecrackers, in the biggest festivities of the Chinese calendar.

I missed the time when I can join my group of friends on angpow-hunting row.

I missed the time when I could still receive angpows like a kid.

I missed the time when I can place small bets on a poker game and doesn’t have to worry of my wallet leaking holes.

I missed the time when I can have reunion dinner with my family, even though it’s a simple one.

I missed the smell of the firecrackers, and the noise of it going off.

I missed the time when I could still light them off fearlessly despite the fact that I almost blinded by them (“Chai Lei” exploded in front of me at point blank range!).
Chai Lei
Photo courtesy of Sixthseal.com

What Chinese New Year? This is just another day of my life abroad in Australia.

This is my year! The Dog Year
She must have watched too much kung fu movies last year :/. Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year!