McDermott in China: Spring Festival Eve

Xinnian Hao (Happy New Year)
As you should already know the Chinese invented fire works/// well if you don't know that, the Chinese sure do, and they apply this memory to the lunar new year. My poast will not do the true celebration justice, but I hope you get a picture of what the real celebration is like.

Fire works are illeagal in most (possibly all) of China; which means that you can find fireworks on almost any corner..

I wouldn't be a Chinese holiday without a banquet...

and Beijing Duck always makes for a better banquet.

We were clearly unhappy with our meal...

I wanted you to be able to truly understand the atmosphere here. It sounds like an all out war is underway. I tried to get the who picture in this short video, enjoy...

My first attempt at getting a picture of Fire works in China... that's just a street light...

GOT'EM!!!... next time maybe they will be going off...

Here is the mess that some of them can make afterwords...

Got it!...

Meh...

Another tradition in China is the paper lantern.

The lantern is supposed to represent good fortune afor the person or group that sets it free... (Mr. Bai, Li, and Han, are trying their best)

The lantern's impact is supposed to be based on the distance it flies...

The small square fuel is self contained and, when fully ignited, fills the paper bag with hot air (INSERT POLITICAL JOKE HERE)

It's a lot harder htan it looks when you need four people to get these babies off the ground.

But the do sail away

Good fortune is supposed to come to those who witness the launching of these lanterns.

The closer you are to the lantern at launch, the more luck you should receive.

But like all lucky tokens, the lanterns last for a very short time...

All good fortune will eventually float away...

Behind an apartment complex... huh... well I'm sure it's something like that...

On a separate, it is important to remember the human side of any celebration.

Fireworks only represent part of the new year...

Ladders are also very important

doubly so when you have locked yourself out of your apartment...

Before you start making assumptions, no I didn't lock my self out (and I won't name names)...

But the climb was entertaining for me(mainly because of the grief I've received for doing the same thing in my own apartment...

But despite the dirt, Li was still in a festive mood.

Leadership is a difficult thing to define. But it becomes easier when you stumble upon the entire administration at the guard house with home cooked food and two bottles of baijio for the guards who are forced to be away from their families on this holiday. These four men want to ensure that everyone feels appreciated, especially at such an important time of year

It's really a small thing for our school's leaders, but on the lunar new year, the biggest holiday for families in China, this small gesture nets dramatic rewards in loyalty and commitment.

Granted the leaders never miss a chance to drink with the foreigner...

I've never had a relationship with a leader where I don;t feel uncomfortable in this situation...

Part of the comfort comes from that fact that I know how much they appreciate what I do, bu tit goes far beyond that, I would do more if any of these men asked. I constantly wonder how American administrators could achieve this standard, but they would need to leave their comfort zone...

But let's get back to what really matters...

EXPLOSIONS!!!

Preferably those above ground...

These may look like normal fireworks but they have something that American fireworks don't

In these cases, you are happily surprised that they explosions are in the air... Of the 12 "flyers" that we had 9 worked correctly, the other three just exploded on the ground.. a bit of a crap-shoot really.

The

What a friggen mess...

The CCTV coverage of the New Year was very entertaining. Dancers, Singers, and Bricklayers... dancing... and spinning on their heads (I would doubt their legitimacy, but thier are so many Chinese who need any sort of work, it seems awfully likely that they actually lay bricks)...sweet