A Mixed-Feeling Lunar New Year
Ethan reflects on his first Lunar New Year at Carleton but also worries about everyone that's affected by the Coronavirus.
Ethan reflects on his first Lunar New Year at Carleton but also worries about everyone that's affected by the Coronavirus.
Happy belated Lunar New Year! Wishing everyone a safe and prosperous year(祝大家新年快乐!身体健康,万事如意)!
As an international student from Beijing, China, Lunar New Year (or Spring Festival) is a very special time of the year for me and my family. It’s the time where people reunite with their families and gather for a big dinner, much like Thanksgiving for many people in the US. Having been away from home for the past three Lunar New Years at a boarding high school in New Jersey, I know this is time of the year is when I feel the most homesick. Luckily, we have each other at Carleton, our home-away-from-home, to celebrate and cherish the new year together.
Candlelight Vigil for Those Affected by the Coronavirus Outbreak
The Coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan, China, has been worrying me. The outbreak has now been declared as a global health emergency by the World Health Organization because the virus has been detected internationally. During the most festive Spring Festival holiday in China, people are anxious for what might come: family gatherings are canceled, cities are in quarantine, and lives are lost every single day. I am so grateful that the Carleton College Chapel supported students by providing this vigil last Friday. It’s gestures like this that remind me about how much I love my college. Stay strong Wuhan!
Lunar New Year Celebrations
As a widely celebrated holiday around the world, there were many celebrations at Carleton. I started my celebrations by video calling my family. Thanks to technology, I can still be around them when I am not. I then had a joyful shift working at the East Dining Hall during the Lunar New Year’s Eve, and said “Happy Lunar New Year!” to every person that visited the Asian food section where I was working. It’s all about the holiday spirit!
Saturday night, the Asian Students In America (ASIA) student organization put together a wonderful Lunar New Year celebration. See what my fellow blogger Eve, one of the organizers of the events, has to say about the celebrations! I thoroughly enjoyed all the performances, and special shout out to the incredible performance from the Tay Phuong Lions!
Sunday afternoon saw the annual Dumpling Festival held by the Carleton Chinese Club, where everyone is welcome to make and eat dumplings together. I convinced many of my friends to go, and I heard that they all had a blast there! Unfortunately, I got buried by homework and studying for the midterms **I can’t believe it’s almost 5th week ahhhh!!** and sadly couldn’t join in.
So, that was my first Lunar New Year at Carleton. I had a great time celebrating with my families here, but my sorrow and worry I feel for everyone affected by the Coronavirus outbreak cannot be ignored. Hopefully crises like this can make us put aside our differences and tighten humanity together.
Stay safe and healthy!
Ethan is a first-year international student from Beijing, China, and is exited to embrace the environment and winter in Minnesota. Ethan is a huge soccer fan as he watches and plays it as often as he listens to music, especially a cappella music by Pentatonix and other artists. Although his passions in Environmental Studies and Chemistry flow through his veins, Ethan is thrilled to explore other areas like Music and Computer Science in his time at Carleton. Meet the Other Bloggers!