Yeah, um, I've been meaning to post on this, but I kinda forgot to! Well, I'm here, typing this up, just for you guys. I bet you feel special, don't you :D! Anyways, I'm going to talk about Christmas, the past few days, and the upcoming Chinese New Year! Also, I'm kind of wanting to start my vlog again, but with a new camera. I might get a good video camera, or try to configure the my nikon, or just mess with my voice, so I don't sound so bloody mono-tone. I still don't have a new webcam hahaha! I did bring a big headset (Turtle Beaches ha) and it makes my voice reasonable, and not so boring. Well, enough about that, let me fill you in!
Back in December, around the 20th I was sitting in school wondering what I was going to do for Christmas, and later that day I figured out I was invited to go to a German's host family's house on the 24th! People in Europe mostly celebrate Christmas on the 24th, so it was kind of like Christmas. We had a bunch of fun, we tried to watch a movie, but we just ended up having fun and dancing. That was about it for that day. The 25th I didn't really do much, I stayed home to talk to my family on Christmas eve for them, then I talked to them Christmas morning again. I was glad I got to talk to them! I got a care package from my Aunt/Grandmother and my Father. Next is New Years!
Man, oh man. That day was really hectic. I woke up rather late, and met with a few friends a few hours later. We then met up with more people, but our groups separated for some stupid reason, but it was nice with the group of 4 others I was with. We saw the fireworks at Taipei 101, and met some awesome exchange students from another district! We missed the MRT going back, but we had a fun time walking around Taipei in the middle of the night. It was rather creepy I thought. It was a nice time. We went home at around 5 am, I got to my Tamsui at 6 am and I waited around to see the New Years Sunrise, but it was foggy where I was so I didn't see it. It was dawn when I finally went home, just no sun xD. I also talked to my direct family that morning too.
Nothing really happened the next few weeks, I attended school until Jan. 10 and started my winter break! Last week I went biking with a few exchange students but I got really homesick and decided to leave early. Yesterday (Thursday 1/24) I met up with one of my good friends that I took the airplane with and we hung around all day! It was really fun :D. Next, Chinese New Year
Alright, so Chinese New Years, it's rather complicated to explain, and I still don't know how to explain it to you all. I'll use the help of wiki(Sorry about that) and give you little tid-bits of information from it!
It starts earlier than you think, but not the festivities.
"On the eighth day of the lunar month prior to Chinese New Year, a traditional porridge known as làbāzhōu (臘八粥) is served in remembrance "of an ancient festival, called Là, that occurred shortly after the winter solstice". That day was January 8th, or some days near that. I really didn't like the porridge too much, it was REALLY sweet. It also gave me a gruesome stomach ache. So in the upcoming days, were going to be cleaning our house, and here's some tidbit:
"On the days immediately before the New Year celebration, Chinese
families give their home a thorough cleaning. There is a Cantonese
saying "Wash away the dirt on ninyabaat" (年廿八，洗邋遢), but the practice is not restricted to nin'ya'baat
(年廿八, the 28th day of month 12). It is believed the cleaning sweeps
away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for
good luck." My host mother and I are going to be buying me some new clothes too hahahaha, so I will have a few new shirts. That's another way of cleaning up! It's a fifteen day holiday, so there is something everyday that we'll maybe do. We most likely will. Man I'm freaking excited. So much food to be eaten and just Aggghhh, I can't wait.
Near the end of Feburary, I'm going on a trip to Hualien for about 4 days, I think I'll make videos on those days too, just what we do, and all the fun things ^_^; That's really about it, I can't think of anything else. I hope to keep you all updated over the festivities, I will try to make videos of cool things, maybe one just to wrap it all up. Anyways, sorry for the long update. Take it easy and enjoy life to the fullest!
