Wishes in the Sky

Hao Jiu bu jian (好久不見) Long time no see!

Hello everyone! So it really has been a while since I have last written a blog. But, that is because within these past couple weeks, it has been Chinese New Year and I have been busy traveling around the world. Literally, I went home over this past CNY to see my family and friends. It was a very spur of the moment decision and I am so glad that I did! It was amazing to catch up with my family and friends and enjoy the beautiful MN snowy winter. It was nice while it lasted, but now I am back in Taiwan and getting back into the swing of things....like work and studying!

Since it is the start of a new year and the most important year here in Taiwan, The Year of the Dragon, I there has been a lot happening here and many things to write about. Like I said, this year is the year of the Dragon. The dragon is seen to be the most special year. Dragons symbolize power and excellence, valiancy and boldness, heroism and perseverance, nobility and divinity. A dragon overcomes obstacles until success is his. People born in the year of the dragon are considered to be energetic, decisive, optimistic, intelligent and ambitious. As I stated before, this is a very special year, so many, many women are pregnant here is Taiwan. They are intentionally pregnant, because they want their child to be born "in the year of the dragon." As I found out about this, I started to notice pregnant women everywhere! It is actually quite funny! Taiwanese people are very superstitious.

In the town of Pingxi

Also, since this is such a great year, many celebrations happen and go until the middle of this month (15th). People are celebrating constantly. For example, the largest celebration that happens here in Taiwan every year is called The Lantern Festival.  The Lantern Festival is held in a different town every year and each year, thousands of people flock and congregate in this one town to light and "send off" their lantern into the night sky. There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival, however, it is thought to have had something to do with celebrating ad cultivating positive relationships between people, families, nature and the higher beings that were believed to be responsible for bringing or returning the light each year!

So of course my friends and I had to go to the largest celebration in Taiwan. So we headed down to the town of Pingsi, where it was held. As we arrived at the bus station pick up to head to Pingsi, there was a line of people waiting for the buses, that went down the road and wrapped around the corner. The buses left every 5 minutes and were running constantly for the next 6-7 hours, picking up and dropping off people in a town about and hour and a half away from Taipei City. Let me just say, I had no idea what I was in for!!!





















As we arrived into the town around dusk, people were already lighting off lanterns and sending them off into the sky! I think the whole island of Taiwan was in this one town, I have never seen so many people in one area before! Well here goes nothing.... so we all headed in and walked through the town, eating local street food and making our way to find the perfect spot to "light off our lantern." As I stood there in amazement and awe of this beautiful celebration, I couldn't believe that I was going to be able to take part in this as well. But, before that, I just just stood there, starring up into the sky, watching families light off their own lanterns and make wishes for their future. It is a tradition to write "wishes" on your lantern in hopes that it will come true after letting it go. It really was magical and so beautiful. It looked like there were little twinkle lights all over the night sky. Pictures don't do it justice.

Getting ready to let our lantern go

So then it was our time to shine!! We bought a lantern and got to work, painting on our wishes with a traditional Chinese calligraphy brush. It was so fun and many of the local people were taking pictures of us painting our wishes onto the lantern, hah, maybe because they thought it was so strange that a foreigner was taking part in this traditional Chinese celebration! When we were finally done, our lantern was then lit and 1....2....3.....we sent it off into the night sky!! Brittany and I's lantern was the best one in the sky!!

Well it was finally time to head out and catch one of the many buses back home, but.....before you could get onto one of the buses you had to stand in a line of thousands of people also wanting to get back to Taipei. GREAT! My friends and I saw the line and it went on for what seemed to be miles. We stood in line for a good hour and a half and by the time I got onto the bus, my feet were numb and my back hurt from standing for so long. I never want to do that again. But, all in all, it was an amazing experience and I will never forget how beautiful it was and what a great experience it was.

Decorating the lanterns

I hope that everyone is having a "lucky" and good start to the new year so far and don't worry, there will be more blogs on the way. I have many things planned around Taiwan and will have many stories  to write about as my sister and cousin are coming to Taiwan and we then "jet off" to Thailand next week!!!

Stay tuned.

Olivia

Lanterns in the sky