The Spring Festival Chronicles

Ahh, the Chinese New Year! Time when all the locals go back to see their families, and all the laowais go on vacation to some far off exotic locale, like Thailand, Xi'an or the pub. This laowai, however, is married and now has a Chinese family to go see for the holidays. Grace & I arrived in Jiangdu last night, just in time for dinner & drinking with some friends of the family. In typical style, they felt the need to teach me, the foreigner, about Chinese customs. After 5 1/2 years here, apparently I don't know jack shit.

Anyways, they re-educated me about the term "Gan Bei", which is no different than saying, "Bottoms Up!". Had they been around 3 years ago, they'd have seen that I certainly know "Gan Bei" as I out-drank two of Grace's Uncles who were trying to double-team me with Baijiu (Chinese White Wine - nasty stuff) just to see me drunk. As they staggered out of their chairs & into the next room, I popped open a beer & proudly said, Gong Xi Fa Cai! (Good fortune in the new year!)

They then educated me about language. My Chinese isn't so great, but I certainly know the chinese name of China & a few select other phrases. However, as I learned the majority of my Chinese in Jinan, near Dongbei (North East), I still have serious trouble understanding Southern Jiangsu language. What always surprises me though is that when I do respond to them in Chinese, my Jinan-hua is understood. I've no clue why I can't understand them, other than the fact that they were slurring their speech a bit.

Finally, they taught me how to use chopsticks. Considering I've probably gained a good 20 pounds in the last 5 years here, an inability to use chopsticks is certainly not the case of my weight gain. As always, a spoon is offered, and I proudly say "no! I can use chopsticks just fine!" and their faces light up. They watch as I eat, and they smile, thinking I'm one smart laowai! At which point, I raise my glass of beer & say, "Gan Bei!" (in MY chinese, meaning, stop staring & DRINK something!)

Anyways, I don't see that it'll be much different than the last 3 years here, other than the fact that Grace & I are having a small wedding ceremony. Should be interesting to say the least!