They do celebrate the western New Year here in China, but it is apparently nothing like the Chinese New Year (which this year falls on Feb.19). There were some fireworks (seems like there always is, though) but otherwise relatively quiet here in Xián. Not the case in Shanghai, apparently, where the crowds were overwhelming and 36+ people got crushed to death (caused by a mad scramble for some fake US one dollar bills). When things like that happen here, people freak out, and then avoid all crowds afraid that it will happen again. So we were out over the weekend and the buses and malls were as quiet as I've ever seen them...
On New Year's Eve, the school stops classes after lunch and each classroom hosts its own New Years Party where they play games, music and eat lots of food. They invite the teachers to join in on the games, and so good-naturedly I agreed to a game of musical chairs. I was down to the last 3 when I slipped going for a chair and hit my back right against the seat of the chair. Ouch! I struggled up and shook it off (the students were all worried I was hurt) and actually got one more round in before losing. I've got a bruise the size of a softball on my back and it's still sore. No more musical chairs for me...
The principal invited a bunch of us over to his apartment New Year's Eve for pasta. His wife cooked up a bunch of spaghetti noodles with red sauce or white sauce.Nice western meal! It was an early evening for everyone - I was home in bed by 10:30 (not unusual for me, actually).
School started back up on Sunday (I still don't understand the rationale for it), but I came down with something and spent the entire day in bed. Ditto Monday. Today I felt better except for a sore throat so I went in and did my duty. You feel bad missing a day here because the other teachers have to cover for you (no such thing as a substitute).
The weather here is pretty monotonous. 20's in the morning, 40's in the afternoon, usually cloudy with the sun peeking through occasionally (or something that resembles a yellow orb), and the pollution varying between good and moderately polluted. No rain in a long time and no wind either. The air is super dry which does help my clothes dry a bit faster than in the warmer weather.
Not much in the way of excitement over Xmas, it was kind of a nonevent... A couple of us here are trying to figure out a way to possibly catch a quarter or two of the Oregon football game - go Ducks!
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