Foreigners feasting on festive delights(5)

　　A time for silence and for hongbao

One of my grandfathers was from Guangdong, so our family also celebrates Spring Festival in Bangkok, but we don't make the dumplings ourselves, we buy them instead. We also go to Bangkok's Chinatown for dinner.

As in China, Spring Festival is a time for hongbao (a red envelope containing a gift of money). My parents and relatives gave them to me during Chinese New Year when I was a student in Thailand, so when I started working there, it was my turn to give something back.

When I worked in Thailand, I also got hongbao from the company. The CEO's family was from China, but some other companies (without Chinese managers) also do that. So, some Thais are given two bonuses a year - before Western New Year and at Chinese New Year. However, no bonuses are given out during Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is interesting.

Chinese New Year is not a public holiday in Bangkok, but the students with Chinese ancestry are free to stay home and celebrate the festival with their family. I took every chance to enjoy the holiday. Some of my Thai friends, who have no Chinese blood, also made full use of the chance to enjoy themselves.

During Songkran, we just splash water on each other. So from my perception, Chinese New Year is about family gatherings, shopping and money, while Thai New Year is all about having fun.

I came to study in Beijing in November 2011 and spent Chinese New Year with my Thai friends. We tried to make some dumplings but they turned out a mess. They were very salty and no one wanted to eat them. So we said "OK, just leave them there" and decided to go out.

We took the subway to Dongzhimen and a few other places. Many people had traveled to their hometowns, so there were few people on the streets and it was so silent. In normal times, Beijing is so crowded and exhausting. At that time, it just looked like a different city and was lovely.

We ran down the street and screamed - we just felt free like never before. I used to be a dancer, so I danced on the train and my friends recorded a video of me. The train was almost empty, but I didn't care, anyway.

This year, I may spend a couple of days at the homes of Chinese friends in Beijing. But I also plan to dance on the train again - it feels so cool.