And Yet Again, The Blind Lead the Blind

I spoke with my brilliant daughter today because she is a guru of spreadsheets and data collection.  She helped me to understand the sad little data collection sites we have here and how fragile the spreadsheets are because of how our techies here have developed them.  After a few laughs I packed up and went to work.  But before I did, I received an e-mail from someone in our organization who was 'annointed' to assist many of us who cannot figure out what the heck they want us to so.  Here is the message he sent to all of us. And please keep in mind, this person was hired as a mentor to ESL people, so take a look at the grammar.

My responses to TIP help is a it slow at the moment because my own TIP account has serious problems which the office still haven't been able to fix for me. So until then it is a case of the blind leading the blind.


I replied to "all" because I felt others needed a laugh too.  My response only addressed the word it and suggested it really meant bit.  I did not have the heart to address subject verb agreements.

His response to that was:

My B key is also having problems


I had to reply to that one. Asked if he had one of the famous HP laptops.  

And now I hit the keyboard, completing the data entry for all the assessments I have done, and fling them off to BP office to gather dust.  I am sending them electronically - that way, the dust should not be able to gather quite as readily as the paper copies we have sent for the past two years. This will likely be met with a curled lip and hit print before you can blink.  

Oh yes, my work today?  Kiboshed again.  I was all ready with my video camera and recorder to work with a mentee to make a video for our Canuck pen pals. She was absent. She neglected to tell me. Home now doing the data entry instead.

Red Light Green Light

I think this one wins the award for the most dysfunctional traffic light issue here.  Travelling to work, I was passing through a taman that has an intersection on the highway.  Everyone drives like they are being chased by a pack of hyenas, so one has to watch the rear view mirror as well as ahead.  I had to take a picture - it was the oddest thing I have seen. This one was a poser.  I had a red light - that was very clear. But at the same time that the red light was shining at me, the green also was glowing. Cars were beginning to come through the intersection from the left, so I was sure I really had a red light. Oops, coming up my rear end was a semi, because he seemed to only register the green light in his cranium, and he was not stopping. I could not proceed - there were cars coming across my path because they had the legitimate green light.  Lucky for me, big truck man did slow down, but came to rest right against my bumper.  That was enough to clear my digestive system.

You will have to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can see both red and green lights on the centre post are lit. 

So, coming home today, I was aggravated by some clown who was trying to also see what I had for breakfast because he was almost attached to my rear bumper. I was travelling at 100 kmh, passing a semi trailer. Mr. rocket scientist was following me so closely, that he tapped my rear bumper when I was mid way past the semi.  I pulled over as soon as I could, and when the moron passed me I gave him the wave.  I am sure you know what I mean.  

Mr. personality did not like my gesture, and kept speeding up and slowing down in the passing lane beside me.  Then, when he thought that was not enough of a moronic act, he would keep the same speed as me and then start inching over to my lane. I had no where to go. There is no shoulder. And there is a string of vehicles racing down the road behind us. I guess I learned that morons over here may not be able to string a logical sentence together in any language, but they certainly know the universal sign when another is not impressed. 

Navigating my Online University

I saw a new notice near the end of the opening page. Here is what I read:

                                           Staff Directory & Key Contact @ AeU [NEW!]

How wonderful. Now I can find the right person to contact because I have had no contact at all from fellow students or professors. I have written to the professors on a number of occasions, then, resent my messages, and still nothing back to me.  I have contacted the tech support who has advised that all e-mails are being sent and received.  

Now, back to that staff directory message.  I clicked on the bar, and it flashed to a new page.

Wow, I thought, I can get some answers.

Then, I was directed to this.

the more information line did not do anything. But it was nice they suggested that there could have been more information, right?

I am Teaching a Mentee How to Write a Blog

We finally got past a gmail account and now she is watching me write a post because the internet is filtered at the school which means she does not have access to finish creating her post.

I Wanted a Cultural Experience.........

And that is what I seem to be experiencing. There has been no communications at all between professors and students in any of my courses.  There are a couple of posts by two professors who posed a question to the last group of learners in 2012.  Nothing since. I have been writing like a crazed person, hoping to get attention from someone. Clearly, I am Canadian.

I poke, I ask questions, I ask for feedback. I get nada.  I wonder what it is like to be comfortable behind the cloak of a collective society and have no need to express myself to others or want to learn about others?  Now I wonder what other aspect than speaking English, makes ESL so widespread. As a teacher in this medium, I can assure you that if the learner does not learn the culture as well as the language, they lose.

Can you imagine everyone in the world clammoring to learn Bahasa Malayu? Let's see, the job opportunities would be listed under MSL.  Might get confused with the multiple listing website for homes for sale.  So, why does everyone want to learn English if they are not willing to step out of their comfort zone and learn about the culture that goes with it?  Remember, my cohort are locals preparing to be TESL teachers! I wonder if they will actually understand what they have taken on.  I, in reverse, am doing my best to learn about their culture, but they also need to realize that they will need to have some understanding of the western culture if they become TESL teachers.  They will have an advantage in their home country doing this, but better not stray too far from the border. They would be bear bait in that arena.  I think a more fitting program for them would be EFL - that way they can stay home, and teach the locals a foreign language at the level that everyone would appreciate and master.  Maybe I should suggest this on the forum.

How Some Celebrated Gong Xi Fa Cai

I have a very good friend that I met soon after I moved here. While I stayed here in Malaysia for Gong Xi Fa Cai, she took a trip to England.  I wished her well and took her a bottle of red wine to celebrate with her family before her departure. She arrived at my door today, and like all my friends here, came bearing gifts herself. A replacement bottle of wine and of course the token oranges in her hands. I assured her that she must return to drink this with me soon.

Asking how she enjoyed her British vacation,I quickly learned that it was the first time she saw snow. Poor thing. Four days of  blizzards, freezing cold, and then what followed was her cooking for the entire vacation. Whoever she visited missed the Malaysian food they had left behind, and wanted a taste of home. Cynthia was the catalyst of that dream.  She showed me her hands. They were dry, chapped, and weary from wielding a cleaver and all else to produce the foods.  And the funniest thing is she never cooks at home here. Always after the business closes for the day, you can see Cynthia and her husband driving up the road to dinner at the market and food stalls.

How Chinese New Year is celebrated in Canada

Not really celebrated, but acknowledged perhaps.  My granddaughter likes her new red silk pj's.  For some event at her play school, she chose to wear them. Probably because of that lovely silk feeling she gets to touch all day long. But whatever the reason, she also decided that wearing them backwards was in order.

I am still waiting for the Pirate Treasure Hunt Birthday pictures. Once received, you too can see what transpired. Ahar!

Know Your Audience and Other Fine Things

I survived. This weekend conference was enough to kill a horse. Such tension. Such stress, Such disorganization. My parting message.  Know your audience, and then know how to engage them, by actually getting their attention in the first place.  Probably fell on deaf ears; after all, I am the bright lady who is a bit difficult, right?

After all that, it was a treat to stop in at Cold Storage. In our minds it compares with any of the specialty shops you know - like Capers, Meinhardt's, Choices. Urban Fare - you get the picture. The ultimate shopping experience in the 'hood.  it is not anything at all like those I mentioned, but believe me, when I can pick up black beans and tapinade, I do feel like I have found nirvana.  A loaf of some fairly western style multigrain bread and the tapinade became the h'ors d'ouvres for a dinner pick up from Nado's for myself and a colleague who spent the night before she headed back further up north. It is fun watching her eyes bug out with the big city offerings; much like I did myself when I first realized I did not have to nosh on the local small town fare where I live.  She filled her cart at two different shops with what she cannot get at home, and beamed all the way to my place. We settled in and talked our faces off in order to debrief ourselves from the weekend event. It was a good idea. It is now gone and hopefully out of my mind. If not, I will be OUT OF MY MIND.

I am actually trying to eat the foods in my pantry and trying hard to not bring in much more. If the contract ends this year I certainly do not want to be trying to figure out what to do with anything more than basic items. And western foods will probably not be high on the wish list of my neighbours that I would give them to.

Technology over this way

I love my Mac, but sometimes I get a bit annoyed when who I work for creates websites and pages for uploading files that fight with my computer.  I end up spending far more time than I should just trying to do the task and never get it done. I finally took the time to call Apple.My.   Big mistake, they know what goes on here, so they defended the problem with it becoming my problem. Said that I need to change my firewall settings if I want to upload to that site. My firewall settings apparently are too good, and will not allow upload/download with certain sites in order to protect my computer.  I thanked them kindly and disconnected. I then called Apple.ca.  Same message, but with more support as to why I should not try to use this site. The reason a mac does not get the viruses that pc's face daily is because of the technology they use. They told me that yes, I could change my firewall settings, but once I do, I am open to all sorts of problems. Not a good idea.  They asked me further regarding what I was trying to do, and for the url. I gave this information to them. They chuckled and said that sort of program is like an endangered species.  They asked me if I made it myself.  No, I did not make it. Well, the reply was for me to suggest that they take up a fund and hire a professional to build what is needed in that area and make it usable by everyone and something that works.

Mirroring this message, I received a message from an old colleague who is pretty savvy in this area. I had told him the same thing, and his reply was with a lot of chuckles. Said that what was used was 1990's standard Internet protocol.  I have no idea what that means, but in a nutshell; that is why my perfectly functioning mac does not want to talk to it.

I guess the resolution to this issue is as the tech support people told me. Take up a collection, and hire a professional to do the work. It will save a lot of headaches and give you some tools to use that actually work.  We are not going to see that any time soon. Even the government offices use the same kind of programs. In fact, it is more likely you will find a FaceBook page for a government official here before you find a contact page with an official e-mail address.

How do I resolve this?  Well, the HP wonder machine is back from the repair shop yet again. It appears to be working, for now. So why not give it a test drive and let it do the work.  Does it really matter if it gets filled with viruses and whatnot? I don't think so. The viruses might just give it the oomph to keep working. You know, like building a strong immune system.

Awas Jalan Rosak.....already?

the title means - caution, damaged road.
During my absence, the roads to and from JB were repaired with new topcoats and LINES painted too.  All in the preparation for the election. All countries are the same. The government in power woos the voters with whatever they think will entice them to vote for them. Unlike what I know, this country has been playing that game since I arrived. I am now into my third year of living here. I know the government in my country would not play that hand out game for that long. Sadly, these guys do a pitch patch job of roads, which results in decay before you can blink. Those smooth new surfaces have quickly become the familiar pot holes of the past.  Today I saw a sign Awas Jalan Rosak - after I fell into the pot hole which was filled with rain, giving me no opportunity to know if its existence.

But the best was coming home and seeing a few pylons and three men waving us around the event, while a little man crouched on the highway, chinking away at the surface with a chisel and hammer. I am guessing that the three flag wavers will have a job for the rest of the week at least, while that little guy chinks away at the pavement to prepare it for a new rake job to the surface.  Not even a mallet - a hammer!

work and rain

there is not much else to say.

Well, I could snivel about trying to send money home. But that is getting old.  Let's just say that after about 10 days of trying, somehow the system in the bank allowed it to happen.  Do you feel sorry for me yet? You should. You would never accept that sort of banking to be the norm where you are. I know that.  Sadly, I don't even get in a rage about it any longer. It is not worth it. And no one seems to care anyway.  Maybe all this rain is softening me.

Because I had a very long day I think that popcorn is on the menu for dinner. Maybe even some of that beer that is still in my fridge compliments of Ry. That is if there is any tomato juice to lace it with. Can't get clamato, so tomato will do.  Now to go and fire up the popcorn popper - maybe it will drown out the noise of the rain pelting on my patio roof.

Bon soir

A Bit of Data Collection

If I give it a title like I did, I might be able to find the bits and pieces I gather when it is time to put it all together.  Anyway, yesterday I went to the infamous internet providers because I have had the service for a month, and I have not received a bill.  I do not want a nightmare of being disconnected, so was proactive and asked.

I get in the car and drive downtown and go into the business, and EVERYONE knows the white lady, and everything stops when I arrive. There is a doorman, who greets and normally sends patrons to a machine like the one at the deli counter to give a ticket for waiting in line. When he sees me, he gets a ticket for me and offers it to me.  Of course.  It takes a great deal of time to issue a receipt for a cash payment for a service provided. It actually does, it seems to take about 30 - 40 minutes per transaction.  I don't know why.  But, I took a seat in the gallery and waited for my numer tiket to be called.  Ahead of me a numer was called, and a very pregnant woman waddled to the counter. There was a chair in front, so she took a seat. Well, bad choice.  Some old fella came muttering to the chair and kind of gave her a shove.  She jumped up, and he took the seat while she stood beside.  I watched this for a while, after giving a rather loud ha ha ha.  All eyes on the white lady again.  What had just happened? Well, hubby took a bit longer to get to the counter because he was chin wagging with some cronies. Wifey went dutifully to do the payment, but he carries the dough, so he gets the chair.  Next time your husband does something that you feel is a bit unchivalrous remember this story.  I am sure your husband would not knock you out of a chair when you were 9 months pregnant, in order to take the seat himself.  I was disgusted.  What did I do?  I got her attention and offered her my chair - through gestures and sign language.  What did she do? She looked at  me like I had three heads and curled her lip and remained standing. Poor thing. She probably thought I had eyes on her husband. Not a chance, dear lady, not a chance.

Finally, when they completed this transaction, my numer tiket was called and I stood up, walked to the counter and took the chair.  What proceeded was just as corny.  I explained I had no bill and gave them the information they needed. It was like fighting a wild animal to get them to accept a PRE PAYMENT for something that really in my mind is not a prepayment at all, since I have had the service for a month. Someone, somewhere in the organization will eventually know I owe this and then want it. Why not take it and be happy?  Well, I eventually wore them down and explained how they could account for this extra moolah.  They did, and I left, exhausted once again.

Now that the sweat rivers have evaporated from my face, because I have been washing the floors, I can return to that duty and finish up the cleaning.  At least on the main floor.

Ahar Me 5 year old Matey!

Happy Birthday little pirate boy.  I know you are having a great time on your treasure hunt today. Sorry Nana only sent presents that did not include another hot wheels car. I foolishly thought that the million little cars in your house were enough. I will definitely look here to see if I can add to the collection.

Roti Kok Fingers ........are you laughing yet?

I came back here armed with a small satchel of biscotti. Four, in fact.  So, no one else got their fingers on these. Selfishly, I did not even share them with Ryan. I think I would have, had he stayed longer, but too bad, so sad, he didn't get any.  I finished the last one recently and really wanted another.  Today, in Kota Tinggi I browsed the bakery (a stretch to call it this) section of the local food shop.  I found some sticks that looked much like a breadstick style version of perhaps a biscotti.  They were sprinked with something that looked like coarse sugar, so I attempted to read the ingredients. Gula,  what is sugar, was a prime ingredient, so I was sure I had found the coveted Asian version of a biscotti. The name amused me. Roti Kok Fingers.  I know what roti is - bread.  I know what a finger is, as do you.  But the kok part had me stumped. I know that kek is cake, so thought, like many things here, a mispelling in the packaging, and they were really bread-cake fingers, or like home  -  biscotti.

I came back to my hovel and made some roiboos tea to have with the new treat while I worked on another paper for school.  I dipped the treasure into my roiboos tea and took a bite. Yuck, phooey, and arghhhh.  It was awful. It was a sugary breadlike stick of something that went limp in the tea.  So, back to giggling over the name, that clearly was not a misspelling of kek.  

Roti Kok Fingers. I think there was a misspelling after all. I figured out that kok is coke. And you can be sure there was no coke in this breadlike stuff. So, whatever they meant to write on the package did not get written properly. And I came home with something that is now in the trash. I had an Asian pear instead. Far better for me.

Maybe I will invite my new friend over for popcorn and roiboos. She is from Zimbabwe, so I am sure she is familiar with roiboos tea, and we have already discussed the merits of popcorn. She just might come, if I invite her.

But now back to writing papers.

I'd Love to Share With You the Sounds I Hear Daily, but...

Looking at options to add a video clip here are not worth the time. Just trust me, I am getting weary listening to the daily assault to my ear drums from the every two hour blast of firecrackers.

I actually applaud when I hear a monsoon attacking us. It makes me think that the firecrackers will not light and I will be spared that blast for the next segment.  Somehow, they get them lit. They must be using the butane from their cooking canisters to keep the fire going.

I live in a predominantly Muslim community. Does this noise tell me that everyone is Chinese when they have the opportunity to light firecrackers?  Not sure.

What I do know, is that I am suffering from sleep deprivation.  I have had friends call me and laugh while they hear the background noise that I hear regularly.  Do these people really believe that they will actually scare away evil spirits with this clamour? Or do they just enjoy the noise?  Whatever the case, I need quiet.

I wont be sharing the file I saved on my phone. Too much bother to upload it here for something you can easily imagine. Just think of a world war front line scene.  Machine guns and whatever else they used to attack is the sound I hear this month.  Glad it is just firecrackers, I guess.

this could be me

Regrets?

I read today that a survey of people in a retirement centre were asked the question if they had any regrets.  The number one answer to the question was "I regret not living the life I wanted to live and only lived the life others expected me to live".

My own life followed that path for too many years.  When I finally took the rudder to steer my life independently, I soon learned that I could do whatever I wanted to do.  I just had to figure out how.  This was an odd lesson to apply to my own life so late when I was the one who kept telling my off springs that the world was at their feet waiting for them to explore.  Well, although I am not far from that survey group, I have been exploring.  I also have the support and pride (so I have been told) that I am exploring very well.  That means the world to me. I also know now that I will not have the number one regret according to the survey.

My advice to anyone reading this is to keep exploring, keep learning and you can be sure you will keep young for as long as you do.

Take a Test Without a Door

Because I am spending a great deal of time online researching information for my next degree, regarding learning and cognition, I came across a topic regarding researchers who figured out what doors do.  Jumping straight to the resolution, I have posted here, my solution to that problem before you even know the hypothesis. I could not help myself The answer was so obvious.

REMOVE THE DOORS

What follows, is some information I found when I was checking on various concepts regarding learning and cognition and how we process information.  After reading this I realized that the scenario fits nicely into my own research, because it speaks to the issue of how people learn, and how they process that information.  I decided that I would just cut straight to the resolution, as I figured it out quickly once I understood the problem.  Read on.

Ever walk into a room with some purpose in mind, only to completely forget what that purpose was?
Turns out, doors themselves are to blame for these strange memory lapses.
Psychologists at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that passing through a doorway triggers what's known as an "event boundary" in the mind, separating one set of thoughts and memories from the next.  Your brain files away the thoughts you had in the previous room and prepares a blank slate for the new locale.
Thank goodness for studies like this. It's not our age, it's that stupid door! 

Just imagine the application of this new knowledge when it is time for test, exams, and asssessment of students.  Make sure there are no doors in the learning arena, and I think the students are home free as far as recall of past knowledge is required.  If the door is the problem, remove it. Live in a structure that has no doors and the problem is solved, right?  

ps  It is still raining here constantly. And the firecrackers blast every couple of hours.  I think I will soon need some ativan in order survive this. My family needn't worry about my getting any of that substance - our fine company does not provide any mental health assistance for us.

Rat A Tat Tat go the firecrackers

Ok, I did some searching. There is nothing at all attractive about the firecrackers blasting at all times of the day and night.  Just now, as I was repairing my internet connection, I almost flew into the wall from the sudden blast of machine gun like rat a tat tat.

Once a connection was established, I found this.  Does not comfort me in the least, but, I guess I can assume we have warded off all evil spirits in our taman.  May not publish this one - internet keeps disappearing.

Fireworks

Evil spirits are driven away by loud noise, so Chinese New Year is a very loud celebration. Long strings of firecrackers are set off throughout the holiday, and there are many displays of fireworks lighting up the evening skies.

A second night of fireworks! and MY OWN FIREWORKS WITH H.P.

I forgot, they don't quit with the noise for quite a while. I need to get a night of sleep very soon, or will become rather agitated.  It is 8 am here and they are furiously blasting off fireworks as I type.  Do they not realize that there is no visual application for this?  Just a lot of banging and crashing.  I can honestly say that I hope for rain - that might put a damper on the activities.

I dutifully shopped around and found an H.P. cord to connect this repaired computer.  Took it home, plugged it into the bloody thing.  Turned it on.  Yes, the computer now does turn on. Nice.  Does it still overheat? Yes.  Is there any sound emitted from the machine? No.

I have browsed several forums regarding H P sound issues and found enough to read that should qualify me for a PhD in forum reading.  When you see that many complaints it makes one realize that throwing the machine out the second floor window might be the resolution that gives me some peace. I tried every way to resolve it. H P has a lovely find and repair program. Trouble is, it finds, but does not repair anything. This particular issue advises me to go back and turn off the MUTE button. For God sake, of course the MUTE button is not on. I am not a moron!  No sound.  Great way to watch a movie huh? One without subtitles.  I guess I can learn now to read lips and add that to my resume.

I bet they were counting on my not finding a cord and running out my warranty before I could find a replacement cord that was needed because the bloody computer fried the original one. Bloody losers! They could compete with my own corporation where I work for the award for the most devious company - not sure who would win that one. Remember - my company was the ray of sunshine that had me purchase this rock and chisel in the first place. You can be sure, with the lack of sleep I have had for the past two nights, I am not going to be a ray of sunshine when I go back to that service centre. Oh, Miss Siti will not be happy to see my face when they open for business again after Chinese New Year.

And, the award goes to ...

Tom Yum is a State of Mind. so are Brownies

The rain keeps raining and my books keep calling.  The result is that I find what is in the fridge or Kip Mart for sustenance and make do.  Today's menu is another version of Tom Yum a la Campbell's.  It appears that mushroom soup is used worldwide in order to create carnivore meals.  I can always count on Campbell soup being available, so that is an ingredient for today.  With chicken bits, red bell peppers, okra, kaffir limes, and garlic, my magic pot took form when the lemongrass joined the brew. Now bubbling away with brown basmati rice nicely burning onto the base of the pot, this concoction shall be the evening repas.  Yes, I could have used long beans, but I love okra and it is always available here.

I likely will not get the brownies made today.  That would mean creating two events in the kitchen!  Tomorrow is another day.  The brownies?  They are made with a dash of flour  - which I will substitute with arrowroot, and a few cups of black beans! I can hardly wait to build that treat.  I am thinking that an indulgent chocolate treat turned into a healthy snack might just be worth my effort to find black beans here.

No Snow Storms - but Hazards Just the Same

Just as we get in our cars and travel home for the holidays, the Malaysians get in their cars and go home for Chinese New Year. No snow storms occur. But the merciless rain persists, and when you couple that with roads and drivers that you encounter here, a snow storm would be a gift.

I am so glad that I am staying home and not venturing into that foray.  Remember the visualization of 'look at that car and how close it is driving in front of me' and you get the gist.

A New Year Begins!

Nice to have all these events that mark a new year behind us. I forgot that although it is not a raucous event here in Malaysia, Chinese New Year does take its toll.  I probably had about 2 hours sleep last night.  They politely popped fireworks all night long - sounding much like a popcorn popper in a giant way.  On occasion, just when you think you can cope with that, massive explosions, much like a war zone erupt outside your home, and the sky lights up with brilliant colours. Other than that, it was a quiet night. I would have been better off doing as many of my colleagues did.  They treated the night as it if were NYE in North America, and now are sawing logs for the day.  I, on the other hand, will wander around in a blur today, and try to catch forty winks here and there, because I did not party hardy last night.

I think this garfield cartoon expresses how I feel today. 

Why I am Here - The Latest Literacy Wall Chart for Children

I will have to see if I can round up one of these wall charts again, and take a better photo.  I was pressed for time, and wanted a quick copy of what I was horrified to see.  The lucky mentee only paid RM1 for the chart. I can understand why.  What is the concern, is she used it in the classroom as a tool to aid the students in learning English.

There are sentences below each picture and word description of what the picture is.  However, the sentences are usually not sentences at all, and when they are close to a sentence, the words are spelled incorrectly.  Feast your eyes on the chart and see if you can see anything wrong with any of them with the limited view that you have.

So, here is the wall chart, but unfortunately, you cannot see all the spelling and grammar errors for yourself.

Here is a closeup of some of the pictures and words to describe.  Look at the rocking horse. The word above is spelled cocdlhorse.  What?  Then, below is a picture of students playing with plasticine. This one was better - but spelled plasticene.  Oops again.  But probably the best is the last picture. The word above it is peashooter. You know those straw things that kids blow a pea through? Does that machine gun picture describe a peashooter? I don't think so.  

So, now coming into the homestretch of the contract, I am wondering just how much learning was accomplished with my presence.  What I do know, is I am needed.

Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭禧發財

So, what does this greeting mean?

Gong Xi means congratulations

Fa Cai means sudden and huge increase in your property

It really means - May prosperity be with you.

I like that

When I arrived here a few years ago, and moved into my abode, I was sleeping my first night on the floor of the dining area on the main floor.  I thought I was in the middle of a war zone.  Bright flashes of light and explosions ripped through the night sky and neighbourhood as I laid my weary head on the pillow (of sorts).  Not sure what to do, or where to run, I lay there and watched the flashes of light and thought now what?

Turns out, what I witnessed was the final hurrah of Chinese New Year in Malaysia.  I have to admit, the Chinese are a bit more civilized than some of the other cultures here. They set aside a special occasion for fireworks, and, yes, you will get a blast of them on that day.  I would not define this as a religious event - more of a cultural display.  For others, who stand behind a religious facade, I am afraid I cannot understand the significance of fireworks demonstrating their belief.  My perspective coming from a western culture, uses fireworks to celebrate a non religious event such as a country's annual celebration of union, the beginning or ending of an international event, or something that everyone in the country acknowledges as a special day.  I am looking forward to the Chinese New Year demonstration of fireworks tonight - It has not disappointed me in the past. 

How the Chinese prepare for this special day is quite a ritual. Following, is what I know about the preparation. I am sure I have left out some valuable information, but what I wrote encapsulates the gist of the day.

New Years' Eve is carefully observed, with all members of a family dining together. Supper is a joyous feast, with jiaozi served-- dumplings boiled in water. (The word literally means 'sleep together and have sons,' a traditional good wish greeting for a family.) Fish is also traditionally served (the Chinese character for fish sounds the same as that for 'abundance'.) There is also served a vegetarian dish with a special seaweed called fat choi, a word similar in sound to that for prosperity. Noodles accent the wish for long life.

Every light in the house is supposed to stay lit for the whole night. At midnight, the sky erupts in a colorful display of fireworks and firecrackers. The New Year has arrived!

Early in the morning, after sunrise, the children receive their hong bao (red packets, often containing money) from their parents. Then the family visits door-to-door to exchange New Years greetings-- first to relatives, then to neighbors. In some Chinese neighborhoods, mandarin oranges are also exchanged as offerings of good will and good fortune.

The New Year is a time of reconciliation. Old grudges are set aside, and the atmosphere is marked by warmth and friendliness. The visits continue for several days, marked by a great deal of gift giving. Passersby greet one another in various dialects: Sun Nean Fai Lok and Xin Nain Kuai Le (Happy New Year) or Kung Hey Fat Choi and Gong Xi Fa Cai (May Prosperity Be With You).

Fifteen days after New Years' Day, the celebration's end is marked by the Festival of Lanterns. It is a time for lantern shows and folk dances ... and another reason to feast. Another kind of dumpling is traditionally served-- tang yuan-- sweet rice balls that are stuffed with sweet or spicy fillings.

Well, now I understand the blazing fireworks and noise when I moved into my house a few years ago. It was the 15 day after the fact celebration!  Oh yes, I have many oranges from all the Chinese people I know. In fact, the Chinese school where I visit gave me a whole box of them. I tried very hard to decline, but 'no' was not an option. So, today, I must wander the streets and familiar shops and try to offer some of these juicy treats to my Chinese friends. I cannot possibly consume all of them myself. 

恭禧發財

Best of all - the POLIS (police) checks ended on Thursday. The drive home was much more civilized because of that.