Woke up early as I wanted to join some chinese people who were going to the Lamma Island. But the weather was bad so the trip got cancelled. I had my regular saturday morning lecture but I didn't feel like going there. Instead I went to have breakfast with the chinese. After breakfast we went downstairs to play some table tennis... BAD IDEA!!! If chinese people ask you to go play some table tennis with them you shouldn't go unless you have like a black belt in table tennis. I got slaughtered;)
The halls are very quiet now. Next week we won't have any lessons because it's the chinese new year holiday. So lot of local people and people from the mainland china go back home and most of the exchange students go on a holiday somewhere warm. I didn't want to go as I wanted to see everything on chinese new year and I think 6 days is too short time to go to Thailand or Philippeenes. Anyways, the halls are now very quiet and I like it. There's no rush in the gym or game rooms and the internet is faster.
Chinese New Year celebrations start with flower markets. These New Year Fair Markets are not just about flowers, you can find lot of nice stuff to celebrate the upcoming year of the rat. These fair markets started on february 1st and continue until the 6th of february. This year the first day of the Lunar New Year is the 7th of february. Then there will be a New Year's night parade. On the 8th day everyone gathers to see the fireworks. The day after there is the Chinese New Year Raceday and from 7th to 10th of february there is the Lunar New Year Cup, which is a soccer tournament. So there's a lot to see this week.
I've been talking with my local friends and they have told me all these fascinating Chinese traditions regarding to the Lunar New Year. For instance, you're not allowed to wash your hair on the first day of the Lunar New Year as it brings bad luck. You shouldn't either buy any shoes during the first month. The chinese word for shoe sounds almost like some bad words so buying shoes would bring bad luck. You should pay all your debts before the Lunar New Year or else you will be in debt the whole year. You shouldn't also loan anybody any money as it means you will be loaning stuff the whole year. Chinese people tend to visit their relatives on the first days of the Lunar New Year, but on the 3rd day you shouldn't visit anybody as it's a good day for arguing:) The Chinese New Year is full of all these superstitions and those above are just few examples.
Charlie's buddy and her room mate had invited us to join them for the Fair Market this evening so we decided to go there. The market was crazy! We have that kind of fairs in Finland every year but this one was so much bigger, hectic and crowded. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my video camera. But no worries! The girl's told us that it gets even busier on the last night of the fair markets so I will go back there then with my video camera so you'll get an idea of the market.
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