Kung Hei Fat Choi

We have been hearing the phrase "Kung Hei Fat Choi" a lot over the past few days.  It seems to be the traditional greeting around the New Year holiday.  At first I thought it simply meant "Happy New Year."  But with a little research, I found out it really means "May you become prosperous."

The actual date of the Chinese new year changes each year because it is based on the lunar calendar.  Lunar New Year's day is usually the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice, and this year that is Friday January 31.  For the quantitatively-oriented, starting the New Year on the 31st is a hard concept to grasp.  The holiday extends through the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, so businesses are closed through Monday February 3 at least.

The lobby of Carolyn's office building, World-Wide House

Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday celebration in Hong Kong of the year.  In the run up to the holiday, we have seen trees decorated with "red packets" spring up everywhere.  Building entryways have become crowded with mandarin trees and large chrysanthemum plants.  Shopping (which is normally the center of the universe in Hong Kong) shuts down and people typically have a big New Year's Eve dinner with family.  One particularly amusing tradition is that on day three, you are supposed to avoid family as that is the day you are likely to quarrel.  On New Year's Day, there will be a Lion Dance outside our apartment building and a big parade in Central, followed by fireworks over Victoria Harbour in the evening. 

Red packets and crisp, new bills for giving "Lai See"

Gift giving is a big part of the New Year celebration, and the "red packets" are the key to it all.  Red packets, or "Lai See" which means "good luck," are little red envelopes, typically with Chinese characters on the front.  One puts money into them to give away.  But there is an art to that as well.  It's customary to put just a single bill into the envelope (not multiple bills or coins), and the bills should be new and crisp.  People literally line up for hours at the banks to exchange their money so that it will be just right.  The amount given should be an even number, and it should not involve a "4" since the words for "four" and "die" sound very similar in Cantonese, and that's considered bad luck.  The red packet should be presented with both hands.  And the last rule to remember is that you don't hand them out until after the New Year has started.

After a crash course on all of this from a work colleague, I went on a frantic search for some red envelopes and crispy new bills to put in them.  The housekeeper and doormen at our apartment building seemed genuinely pleased to receive the little red envelopes from us, while somewhat amused at our attempts to say Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Jeff presenting our doorman with Lai See

Home Sweet Home

Our home base in Hong Kong for now is at #2 Macdonnell Road, in an area referred to here as "the east mid-levels."  The island of Hong Kong is very hilly, and the Central district is situated right on the water, across from the Kowloon Peninsula (which is also part of Hong Kong).  The mid-levels is a residential area that sits on the side of the mountain above Central and below Victoria Peak (altitude = 1,811 feet), the top of the mountain. 

Since space is so limited in Hong Kong, most housing is in high-rise apartment buildings.  Our flat is on the 27th floor and overlooks Central.  We are in a "serviced" apartment, a pretty common form of housing here.  Serviced apartments are a hybrid between a furnished apartment and a hotel suite.  Ours is about 650 square feet, has one bedroom, one bath, a sitting/dining area and a wall containing tiny  appliances that Jeff refers to as the "Barbie kitchen." 

Despite the significant downsizing from our house in Minnesota, we are very comfortable here and love the great view from our perch.  We have already started looking for a larger, more permanent place, but aren't in a big hurry.  The building is in a great location - I have gladly traded a nasty Twin Cities commute for a one-mile walk down the hill in the morning (and yes, I have to hike back up in the evening, but I need the exercise).  A real bonus is that my daily walk to and from the office traverses the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

Our view of the Central district and Victoria Harbour from the 27th floor of 2 Macdonnell Road

The year of the Horse

A Green Wood Horse in Macau to celebrate the New Year

Jeff and I have the good fortune to celebrate New  Year's twice this year - as usual on January 1 and then again during the Chinese New Year on January 31.  We hope this means that 2014 will have twice the luck and fortune for us as we embark on a new adventure.  Carolyn has landed a new job overseeing the integration of a company her employer acquired in Hong Kong.  Jeff's company is being very supportive and has asked him to head up Asian sales.  We expect to be in Hong Kong for 18-24 months.

We arrived in Hong Kong one week ago, as the city begins its preparations for New Year's celebrations.  We have learned that 2014 will be the year of the Horse.  According to http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2014/2014Zodiac.htm, the Horse is a favorite animal of the Chinese.  They believe that the Horse is not only a symbol of traveling, but also a sign of speedy success.  We hope that this means that our adventure will not only be successful, but also give us the opportunity to explore and learn more about Asia.