With the passing holiday, I had the chance to talk with a few Parkland students who celebrate Lunar New Year and how they have been celebrating it this year.
The Students:
Wei Ting Yang is a freshman student at Parkland studying Computer Science with a focus on Information Systems. She is from Taiwan and celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Zheng Yi Lai is a sophomore student at Parkland majoring in Computer Science. Lai hails from Malaysia and is of Chinese Malaysian descent. He celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Uyen “Alice” Do is a sophomore student studying Art & Design at Parkland. Do comes from Vietnam. She is of Vietnamese descent and celebrates the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, also known as Tết.
Our Conversation:
How has it been celebrating Lunar New Year in the United States since your arrival compared to your home country?
Yang: The vibe for Chinese Lunar New Year is more obvious in Taiwan than in America. More activities can be done in Taiwan. For example, giving out red envelopes, hanging up spring couplets, and burning Chinese firecrackers are festivities that I had done while living in Taiwan. Since arriving to the United States. I have yet had the opportunity to see fellow students and community members do these festivities (yet). However, fortunately, I have friends to celebrate Lunar New Year with me by having a reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Lai: For Chinese Malaysians, Lunar New Year is just as important [as it is] to any Chinese-speaking country. We would visit friends and family [and] gather to enjoy the delicious Lunar New Year cuisine. We treat Lunar New Year as an opportunity for reunion with your loved ones no matter their circumstances. In America, I try to recreate moments like in Malaysia by being surrounded by the family I have here right now and Chinese friends, [in an] attempt to recreate our Lunar New Year cuisine, and celebrate the new year.
Do: There is a major difference between celebrating Lunar New Year in Vietnam and in America. For the Vietnamese, Tết is the most important holiday for us. We do not have to work or study, and we usually celebrate for about 2 weeks. There are plenty of activities that you can do during Tết: giving and receiving lucky money in red envelopes, cooking Bánh chưng and Bánh tét (sticky rice cakes), going to the temples, sightseeing the yellow and peach blossoms, and so on. Since arriving to America, it is personally quite difficult for me to fully celebrate because in America it is not considered a national holiday, so I still must work and go to school. But I do try to at least celebrate it here with my extended family that lives here and Vietnamese American friends, wearing our traditional Áo dài dresses, decorate our houses, and partying together.
What does Lunar New Year mean to you?
All: We all believe that Lunar New Year presents the opportunity to reunite with family and friends. It’s all about reunion with your loved ones and the ones you care for.
Yang: Also, to move on from the “bad luck” from last year and to prosper for this new year!
What does this year, the Year of the Rabbit / Cat (for Vietnamese) mean to you?
Lai: This year presents a challenging but important year for me. I will witness my 2 years of work at Parkland celebrated. I only look forward to what’s in store for me after transferring. A bitter goodbye but a sweet beginning to something new.
Do: For me, this year is special because like you (Buis), we were born in 1999 which is also the Year of the Cat. This year is our year!
What does the Cat symbolize in your opinion compared to the Rabbit, as a Vietnamese person?
Do: For me, [the] 12 animals representing each year have their own meaning. 12 animals divide into 6 pairs; each pair represents its strengths and weaknesses. For example, our pair is the Tiger and the Cat. When you think about the Tiger, it presents bravery and strength, however, it also represents being hot-tempered. In return, the Cat doesn’t have the strength like the Tiger, but it presents patience. I think in Vietnamese culture, the cat symbolizes prosperity, or luck in Feng Shui.
What do you look forward to this year for yourself and/or others?
Yang: I hope I can discover my passions for my future career and life. I also want to get fit. For others, I hope everyone stays healthy and makes a lot of money!
Lai: I look forward to my new life at university after graduating Parkland. I hope everyone has a good and goal-granting semester here at Parkland and can experience the fun I had here!
Do: I hope this year I can achieve my goals and go back home to Vietnam next year to reunite with my family. I wish everyone to do their best this year and wish them lots of luck!
