Week 19: Happy Chinese New Year!
It’s a busy busy week celebrating the Year of the Rooster! Happy Chinese New Year! This is the first time that my family is not celebrating together but with the help of technology, it feels like I never left (as seen in the photos below!). Thankfully, my Chinese Jamaican friend Brandon brought me out with his family to several events this week because he knew I missed Asian food. On Monday, I went to Macau Gaming Lounge and Bar where they were holding a celebration of thanks for their customers. I was able to eat such yummy delicious food like crispy pork. I hung out with his parents- his dad mostly and he told me how his wife was the one who asked him- when are you going to marry me. He told me how he lived in Canada, working as a structural engineer and moved to Jamaica for his business and family. We discussed interracial marriage as Brandon is dating my peacecorp friend who is American. Lots of stories that I love listening to their stories!
On Thursday, I went to the documentary opening about Chinese Jamaicans called “Bonds of the Promised Land” where I talk about the story more here: http://blog.icad-cisd.com/?p=1668 . During the day and Friday, I went to a conference called Beyond Homophobia where my recap can be read if you click download here.
On Saturday, I went to Wave Beach which is beside the Board Walk Beach and Fort Clarence (really easy to get there- take bus 1A from HWT!). Entrance fee was 200 JMD and we got chairs! Wahoo! We ordered curry conch, fried crab and roasted fish. My fish cost me $1360 as it was by pound but the festivals were amazing. While we were waiting, we chatted up a local girl – named Chantelle. I saw her a bunch of times after and she was inviting us to join her family as they had rum and drinks! She was a hair dresser in Kingston and her cousins were students at UWI. Although I wished I could stay in contact with them as we hung out in the water and I played with her little cousins, we had to run to catch the bus as we did not realize the schedule left every 2 hours. I had plans in the evening to attend Zoe’s family’s celebration for Chinese New Year. It was a beautiful set-up in the hills. Her aunt’s house is just simply breathtaking and we thought it was a small dinner but it turned out to be a large celebration with over 200 individuals. Her family was so welcoming and I met people that knew Taiwan, and they were the owners of the Brick Oven, right beside TGIF on Hope Road. Her family sent me home with delicious take-out leftovers. I facetimed my family when I went back to send my holiday greetings but after all the celebrations- my body gave out to me and I ended up with the Jamaican Flu.
I was so sick that my boss sent me home through the phone because she was already home sick. It was not a great way to start off February and Reggae Month!
Hoping I will get better with more rest!
Tara