Happy Chinese New Year...

Happy Chinese New Year! One of the truly great things about living back at home and working where I work is that there is a ton of diversity! Last week, in an interest conversation about celebrations with a student who moved to the states from India several years ago, it came out that I have, in the past, celebrated Diwali. She celebrates Diwali every year and was totally shocked that someone (I assume who looks) like me could possibly celebrate Diwali. After that, I had students approaching me to ask if I celebrated Christmas, Hanukah, and a host of other holidays. I told them that if someone asks me to celebrate something with them or teaches me about a holiday that they celebrate, there's a pretty good chance that I'll do it!

I got the perfect chance to continue celebrating today! Before classes this morning, we had a school-wide Chinese New Year celebration, complete with flutes (errr... recorders), drums, and Chinese dragons! I got festive with my beautiful new handmade lamp work earrings from entre2et7 and a kimono. The earrings were the perfect pop of color against my monochromatic outfit and since some of the beads have Asian writing (I'll admit, I don't know what they say or what language the characters are written in), I thought they'd be a fun touch!

If you celebrate, I wish you a happy, peaceful, and prosperous new year!