It is officially and finally here: the Year of the Dragon. Happy Chinese New Year to all our friends and family!

This year, our third and last in China, we did something different and stayed in Shanghai for Chinese New Year. (The last two years we went to Thailand and Indonesia). Two things happen during Chinese New Year (CNY): Shanghai gets very quiet and Shanghai gets very loud.
Shanghai gets very quiet for two reasons. First, the majority of the expat community with whom we interact much of the time leaves town for a new adventure, warmer climates, or eye-opening experience. Travel among we expats is not a luxury so much as a given. So even though we just returned from a 2-3 week hiatus over the Christmas break, we are burdened with yet another full week off school and decisions about where to travel next. The ludicrous nature of this gold-plated 'problem' is not lost on me. I fear, however, that it is lost on my children who think I am kidding when I tell them I got my first passport at the age of 34.
Second, and most significant, is that a huge proportion of migrant workers leave Shanghai to head home for Chinese New Year. To understand the full impact of this mass movement of people rent the DVD "Last Train Home" - a 2011 documentary, both fascinating and heartbreaking, about the annual phenomenon when 130 million migrant workers travel back to their rural homes to see their families. Let me tell you about Kelly, my favorite foot masseuse here in Shanghai. Kelly has worked at Head-to-Toe, a family-friendly salon, during the entire time we have lived in Shanghai. Kelly has a son who is Max's age (now 8 years old). Kelly's son lives with her parents in Hunan Province. She sees her son one week a year. To get there, she takes a bus (18 hours) because the train is too expensive. At the end of the week, she leaves her son - knowing he will be another year older and smarter and a couple inches taller the next time she sees him - and returns to Shanghai where she works 12-14 hour days to make money to send home to her parents and son. Kelly always smiles. She is incredibly kind to me and my children. She adores Max, asking about him whenever I show up sans Max. Whenever I see her, I remember this story and I know how lucky I am to have my kids tugging at me constantly. Kelly's story is the same for the many millions of workers who return home for their one week of family time.
So, Shanghai is quiet from the standpoint that there are less people bustling around, less traffic, less congestion. To offset the quiet is the another Chinese phenomenon: Fireworks. Whoo hoo, do the Chinese love their fireworks! And unlike the Fourth of July where we Americans flock to a nearby golf course or downriver to watch the 30-minute display of color, here in Shanghai all you need to do is walk out your front door or glance out your window to see the show - the non-stop show.
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Let's start with the firecrackers. This is just for noise - really, really loud noise - and lots of smoke. The noise is thought to scare away the evil spirits and misfortune. Fireworks are always lit at weddings and funerals. Always as in: as predictable as the groom kissing the bride at the close of a western wedding. The fireworks come in these long sheets (10 feet or so) - the end is lit and for the next minute or so one extremely loud bang after another is heard. I am grateful during these times that guns are outlawed in Shanghai as the urge to take cover is strong. The sound of fireworks is a common experience in China. Then comes Chinese New Year which officially ran from January 20-February 6. Yes, this is a long time with several high points. January 22nd was New Year, January 26th was the Celebration of the Money God (this may have won the loudest of evenings), and February 6th was the finale and official ushering in of spring (yes, they think its spring here in Shanghai even though its 40 degrees outside and there were snowflakes in the air yesterday). During the entirely of the 17+ day period, you can hear firecrackers booming - sometimes in the distance, sometimes right next door (literally, right next door - ouch). On the afore-mentioned evenings there was all-out fireworks lighting up the sky in every direction. Neighbors on either side of us set off displays equal to those you would see at the neighborhood 4th of July party. We could stand outside rotating our view 360 degrees and see beautiful lights in every direction. And it goes on and on and on...
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Another belief about fireworks is that the noise wakes up a dragon who will fly across the sky to bring spring rain for the crops. If this is true, 2012 will produce an abundant harvest!