"Gong Xi Fa Cai!"

"A Wish for Prosperity!" The Lunar New Year of the tiger will be welcomed with love on Valentine's Day, February 14. It is a highly celebrated occasion here in Singapore. Serious Spring cleaning is done at home. Business', grocery stores, malls and schools will be closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Families will gather for their reunion dinners. Auspicious foods will be served. Fish represents prosperity, noodles for long life, mushrooms with their good wishes, meat and fish balls signify completeness, yam pudding symbolizes the counting of blessings in the year ahead. Alona came back from the wet market today with mandarins from the vendors who told her "give to your m'am." Their shape and color imply good luck.

Just like food must be served in abundance, so are the decorations. Pussy willows, potted kumquats, red lanterns, red paper cut-outs and red clothing. Red, as you may know, representing luck. There will be parades, fireworks, music and lion dances.

My favorite is the yu sheng get together, observed as Everybody's Birthday. It is the tossing and eating yu sheng (raw fish salad) with sweet sauce and condiments while shouting "Loi hei" ("raise up wealth"). Chopsticks are used, and the higher the toss the more abundance is hoped for. It is a bit messy, and it is delicious. Fortunately, I will get to participate in a salad toss with Jed at Wellington when he comes the end of the month. The yu sheng is observed on the seventh day, and can continue until the 15th day. Last year our book group was adventurous enough to toss this salad, maybe we will do it again this year too.

This is our last CNY in Asia. I have a huge container of pussy willows (a childhood favorite of mine), pineapple tarts in my cabinet, mandarins on my table and a red shirt ready to be worn on Sunday. I will, however, avoid the crowds and noise and heat of Chinatown. Been there, done that.

CNY is truly about taking time off from work to visit with relatives and extended family while eating delicious food. I miss you all, and look forward to spending time with my family this summer, and CNY's celebrated in the States.

XO~
Lauren

Cambodia College Student

Hey everyone,
I've been keeping in touch with the college student, Seky, Claire and I got a scholarship for. She has recently gone to a temple in Cambodia called Ta Prom temple for a school trip. She sent me some photos and I thought you guys might want to see them. She is the one in the orange shirt and red bag!
Missing you all,
Leah

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a religious festival celebrated by Tamil speaking Hindus. During the festival, devotees gather to make an offering of milk to Lord Murukan. They fulfill their vow by carrying a kavadi along a 4 km journey. A kavadi can be a simple milk pot or an intricate metal structure pierced into the body. Skewers often pierce the tongue and cheeks. The devotees have prepared their bodies and minds for the previous 40 days by fasting, abstaining from sex, prayers and meditations. Many appear to be in a trance.
Jane and I, and Alona, woke very early (yes, there was a whole lot of sputtering; no, not from Alona) last Saturday morning to join the Americans Woman's Association for this exciting tour led by a local guide. Fortunately, one drink stall was open at the Newton Hawker Centre so we could enjoy our local ginger tea for me, and a milo for Jane. A van took us to a temple in Little India where the devotees were being pierced. Although there was no blood, we turned our heads away often. We followed along the procession for awhile then boarded our van to the temple where the offering was made and the kavadi removed. It was very loud and crowded. Lots of chanting, music, eating and celebrating.
The first thing we did when we returned home was wash our feet. We could not enter the temples with foot wear on, and we didn't want to miss any of that body piercing. Leah had an early morning softball game and Evan was at ESPN, so they missed out. Jane still wasn't happy to be out of the house so early on a weekend, but she will admit this was a religious and cultural event unlike any other.
Love to all~
Lauren

Thaipusam

If pure water could melt the Witch, then I think she would evaporate in Singapore...

Today, Mom and I decided to go to a Farmer's Market (if you could call it that - wine from New Zealand, root vegetables from Peru, olives from Greece - not exactly local goods...). We were smart enough to go right in the middle of the day - 1:00. Just now, at 6:30, we had to walk to pick something up. Both times we were sweatin' like dogs. So, at 6:30 pm, I googled Singapore's CURRENT weather conditions. It is only 88 degrees F. But with the 89% humidity (not fun!), it makes the "comfort level" (a terrible misnomer - this is the temp. combined with the humidity to give the temperature it FEELS like outside) as 98 degrees F!!! If that is at 6:30, I don't even want to know what the temperature was when we were admiring Italian pasta and gluten-free cupcakes!

Needless to say, I don't think Evan or I are complaining as we leave for below freezing temperatures. And although I know it is wicked cold there, I would be more than happy to trade weather!

Miss you all!

Enjoy your crisp air, wind chill, and icy sidewalks! Be thankful your clothes aren't glued to you with a layer of sweat!

xoxo

Jane