Yearning for Tradition

Hello faithful readers of my blog – Can’t believe it’s already February, almost two months since my last entry. Where did the time go? Well, I never really liked “Januaries” very much anyway because it meant having to start everything all over again and I would usually still be recovering from my holiday mood and dragging my feet into the new year.

Nevertheless, I got through it yet again, this time with a visit from my brother and a memorable trip to Fraser Island. We took heaps of photos which I’ll post up really soon. Loong Loong went back to Singapore on Monday, leaving a tearful sister behind. :*( It is amazing what a few weeks can do to bond a relationship. We took him to the Australia Zoo, Sirromet Winery and the Gold Coast over the weekends while he roamed the city streets by himself during the weekdays. Poor thing must have got really sick of the city, South Bank, Cultural Centre and the Valley by the end of his trip! I was really glad he came – it was good to catch up and have some brother-sister time. At least I’ll get to see him again in March when I visit Singapore and before he goes for his National Service!

Today is the eve of Chinese New Year! I’m still in disbelief that I’m actually not spending it with my family back home, not having our traditional spread of Hakka cuisine and not eating mandarins with my mum! Most of you would already have heard that my leave wasn’t approved for February and I wasn’t able to go back home to celebrate Chinese New Year. I’m still nursing my disappointment as this would be my first ever year that I won’t be celebrating one of my favourite festive seasons. If you don’t already know, I’m a traditional girl who hates changes so this is really hard for me.

My only consolation is that my mum has promised to cook up a feast when Pen and I visit next month. But it’s not the same!!! My grandma (Nei Nei) has also “announced” to the family that she will not be cooking my favourite “Wu Dad Bun” (A Hakka dish – circular-sliced yam fried with mushrooms, cuttlefish, pork and dried shrimps) this year for their reunion dinner because she will be saving it for March when I return! Awww, she is so lovely.

On a happier note, the Thie family will attempt to have their first reunion dinner tonight with the likes of roast duck, steamed chicken and abalone on the menu. The Thie daughters-in-law are quite determined to bring the Chinese tradition into the family but I think it might prove to be a rather challenging journey. See below for my conversion with Pen this afternoon.

ME: We have to go buy some mandarins for tomorrow!
PEN: Okaaay...
ME: Maybe a box because we have to hand quite a few out.
PEN: Huh? How many people are you giving it to?
ME: Your parents, the pastors and all them!
PEN: But my parents won’t know what to do with them!
ME: Huh? Just eat them lah! And we can eat the extra mandarins too. We have to eat mandarins during Chinese New Year ok??
PEN: Okaay... Can we give rock melons too?

And another...

ME: Yay! We’re having a reunion dinner tonight! I can’t wait! It’s Chinese New Year!
PEN: Yeah...
ME: So exciting. We have to make sure we get to your mum’s on time tonight. We must be early, we have to eat together!
PEN: Huh? Eat together? That would be a bit hard, so many people.
ME: But that’s the whole point! It’s a REUNION dinner, you have to eat together as a family.
PEN: But it’s a reunion at my mum’s house every night!
ME: *thinks – this is quite true seeing all the Thie brothers and their wives eat there almost every night* YAH! But it’s Chinese New Year ok? CHINESE NEW YEAARRRR!!!
Pen: Uhh.

I hope you guys have a wonderful Chinese New Year with your family and friends, and for those of you who are not married yet – hope you get lots of ang baos too! I’ll be thinking of you guys (especially you Singapore people). Can’t wait to see you all in March.