Voting from Abroad and Chinese New Year

I could have sworn that I posted this news article up days ago, and here I find on my page that it isn't up. Anyway, I voted for the US democratic primaries a couple days ago...in Hong Kong! That's a first for me, and expats the world over: In an Internet First, Americans Abroad Cast E-Votes in Democratic Primary

We are basically adding another "state" to the primaries, electing 22 delegates, weighing in as much as states like Montana or South Dakota.

Anyway, Chinese New Year was last week. It's hard to really understand the significance of this holiday without being in the heart of the action. When I was young, Chinese New Year usually amounted to the question of whether to take the day off or not from school, and a dinner on the weekend when relatives would give me the lai si (red packets of money given by those who are already married - this really points to the nuclear and economic qualities of a Chinese family I think...the idea that once you're married, you become an economic unit that is producing wealth, so that wealth should be shared with those in the family who aren't at the head of an economic unit yet). Here in Hong Kong though, for the past month they've been playing Chinese New Year music in the subway stations, in supermarkets, on TV, everywhere, it's ubiquitous. The week leading up to New Year day there are flower markets all around Hong Kong where you can buy flowers right for the festive occassion. And then a rare thing happens in Hong Kong on New Year day 1, and day 2, and to some extent day 3 and 4. Everything is closed! I hear things are even more deserted in the Mainland. Traditionally, Hong Kongers visit all their relatives door to door, bringing some gifts, accepting the lai si money, and chatting for a bit. My relatives every year do it much more efficient here, and just have one big gathering to take care of it all at once. Most lai si givers prepare a huge stack that they carry around with them for about a week, to give out to relatives.

There was a parade on New Year day 1, and then Fireworks New Year day 2. As this New Year is the year of the rat, a lot of things have had rat themes, including fireworks in the shape of the Chinese character for rat, swarms of children in rat costume at the parade, rats everywhere!

Pictures in order below:

1 - The flowers (and gourds) most associated with Chinese New Year.
2 - New Year Flower Markets are also the grounds upon which business students try their hand at selling stuff. These wind-wheels (is that what they're called?) are shaped as Mickey, who must be getting a boost in business 'cause its his lunar year.
3 - One of the many rats enjoying advertising fame these past few weeks.