Expat celebrates year of the Rabbit

If there is one time when an expatriate really misses home, it's when a major festival, which is usually celebrated with pomp and fervour back home, comes around.

For the Chinese in Dubai, its the New Year that makes them all nostalgic.

With over 1.3 billion Chinese people celebrating the New Year on Thursday in their homeland, the Chinese community in Dubai, estimated to be 150,000-strong, is not going to be left behind.

"The best part of the New Year is that all the families head home," says Minfeng Wang, a 50-year-old businesswoman who has been in Dubai for 19 years. "Everybody who is travelling or working outside China goes back home to celebrate and spend New Year's Eve together with their loved ones."

While her husband is travelling this year, prior commitments mean that Minfeng also cannot go back to China. She now plans on spending the day before New Year with friends, and celebrating at a party over the weekend.

For a group of young 20-something forex traders Eliyar Aterken, Ada Li Hui, Lana and Sophia, "It's not the traditional New Year, but we all get together with our friends and have a special dinner in a restaurant here," says Eliyar, "or we'll go over to a friend's house and make dumplings."

Li Hui chips in: "We all also watch the CCTV New Year Gala programme on the day before the New Year."

The New Year Gala is a variety show that does a countdown on the Chinese New Year, that's broadcast live in China and worldwide on New Year's Eve. "It's a very popular programme, every family always watches it together on the day before the New Year," says Minfeng.

However, the biggest part of New Year's Eve is a lavish dinner featuring all kinds of chicken, fish and vegetables (especially the traditional Buddha's Delight or Lo Han Jai) dishes, followed by the New Year pudding, Nian Gao, enjoyed by the entire family.

While traditionally these dishes must be prepared in advance to avoid using any cutting implements on the auspicious day and ‘cutting into' good luck for the New Year, today's fast-paced life means that most people get their food ready-made from a supermarket.

"It's only in agricultural towns really that people still prepare all their food," explains Eliyar. But for Minfeng, the family cooking together is "a way for everybody who comes back home to spend time together, we make dumplings and other dishes. But we still buy some things from supermarkets like decorations. It's such a big event in China that the supermarkets sell so many of them!"

However, one tradition that is adhered to even now is the thorough cleaning of the house in the days leading up to the New Year. If any sweeping has to be done on New Year's Day, "you shouldn't sweep anything outside," says Lana, who is excited to be going back to Hong Kong to celebrate. The belief is that if you sweep outwards, "you're pushing good luck away from your house."

Another big part of the New Year is fireworks. "It's illegal here," rues Eliyar, "but back in China there are always lots of fireworks."

Minfeng's favourite memories of New Year in China are also of fireworks. "Every city, every province, every family will have fireworks for half an hour starting at midnight!" she says.

Sophia, on the other hand, always loved the new clothes. "Every New Year all the children always got new clothes. That was my favourite part!" she remembers, laughing. Another tradition is An Pao, a gift of money the older generation would give the younger and unmarried members of the family. "And we would give the elders healthy food and things like ginseng," explains Lana. However, after leaving home to work in Dubai, Li says she's now become one of the older generation giving "the kids back home An Pao!"

The writer is an intern at XPRESS