Year of the Cat

Happy Vietnamese Lunar New Year!

Sitting and watching, observing, taking it all in and hopefully coming out with a bigger picture of the world and more understanding of how we can all fit together. I love festivals, cultural events, rodeos, farmers markets...anything where a subculture exists and invites others to observe and even join in if they so desire. Last night I went to the Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival at the local National Guard Armory...haha! This festival, affectionately called Tet is a very important celebration for the Vietnamese culture. They prepare for and welcome in the new year, by cleaning the house, gathering with family and giving the children lucky money for the year ahead.

The expected: food that I couldn't pronounce or recognize was being served. The women walked around in high heels and beautiful cultural dresses next to men that I could look in the eye. I felt almost tall (at 5'4") and my blond hair didn't really help me blend into the crowds. I saw an umbrella dance by the cutest four-year-olds ever. The fan dance was cool too. Oh...and the dragons made their dancing debut by teenage boys in furry pants!

Che - I felt like I was eating eyeballs in coconut milk

The dresses were SO cool.

The unexpected: The almost suggestive hip-hop dance by two twelve-year-olds was an eyebrow raiser. The plethora of Justin Bieber hair...asian version.

Overall thoughts on the evening...glad I went. I wish I would have remembered my camera though! Then I could have shown you some of those beautiful dresses! They were my focus for most of the evening! They were all the same general form, but all so unique and different...all really beautiful. That is what I love about tasting the uniqueness of other cultures through food or experiences. You come away seeing first hand the beauty that their subculture brings to your world even though that beauty takes a different form from what you are used to viewing.

And to all my dear friends born in 1987...this is your year! The year of the cat!

According to the program last night:

The Vietnamese year of the Cat symbolizes sensitivity, gentleness, and kindness. People born in the year of the cat are naturally attentive and hospitable because they do not like unpredictable situations; they have the tendency to feel contrived in promoting a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere. Cats pay great attention to detail. They always get anxious when everything is in chaos. They gravitate towards safe and conservative decisions, thus missing good opportunities in life. Sentimental and compassionate, Cats wear their hearts on their sleeves. As a result of being empathetic, Cats make great friends.

I would have to agree...you all make great friends, even if this only describes some of you! haha. (How could everyone born in the same year be the exact same personality? That is my question.) The program went on to describe Cats in a career and a love life...google it if you are curious. This blog is in no way encouraging Vietnamese Zodiac usage, but the blog author did find it an interesting read while she was waiting for the program to start....fyi.