Mango Languages

Travel Tuesday: Ringing In The New Year Right

Sawat dee pee mai! For those of you who don’t speak Thai (myself included), Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and joyful celebration, full of good people, good times, and good food (and drink)! I write to you from 32,000 feet in the air, a mere 2 hours into my 12 hour flight from Bangkok to Paris, where I will have an 8 hour layover, followed by another 7 hour flight back to Detroit. A small price to pay for the absolute trip of a lifetime I just experienced during my two weeks in Thailand. My cousins and I traveled to Bangkok, Petchaburi, Chiang Mai, and Mae Hong Son, doing virtually everything from riding elephants, to kayaking, to shopping, to visiting temples, to playing with tigers, to shopping, to eating amazing food, to shopping again. Needless to say, we had our fair share of awe-inspiring activities to keep us occupied.

It was a little weird to be away for the holidays. I must admit, hanging out in 90 degree weather on Christmas day is not something I am accustomed to (but something I could definitely deal with). Additionally, on New Year’s Eve, rather than the usual gathering of friends and family with fancy clothes and classy drinks, my cousins and I experienced something quite different in Chiang Mai. I had seen pictures of the lighting of the lanterns, but thought I had missed my chance to see it in person, seeing as Yi Peng (Floating Lantern Festival) occurs in November. I was thrilled to see lanterns being sold on nearly every street corner as we made our way to dinner. We learned that these lanterns are also a New Year’s Eve tradition. Each person that sends a lantern off into the sky is supposed to make a wish for the year to come. My cousins and I all took turns lighting our lanterns and sending them on their way, watching as they joined thousands of other glowing masses carrying the wishes of everyone on the ground below. It truly was a sight to be seen, and nothing I could capture with my personal camera. Though these professionals seemed to do a pretty good job.

Rather than listening to everyone’s New Year’s resolutions revolving around hitting the gym more, spending more time with friends, or learning a foreign language (a resolution I fully support, by the way), the Thai people are much more reserved, silently sending off their wishes for the new year into the sky.

At midnight, the lanterns were joined by a seemingly constant stream of fireworks ringing in the new year. Unfortunately, some of these lanterns quickly became casualties and fell into the river below (that can’t bode well for those New Year’s wishes, could it?), but for the most part, they floated out of harm’s way into that black abyss. We didn’t stick around Chiang Mai long enough to catch the after math of the lanterns making their way back to Thailand (as Sir Isaac Newtown said, what goes up must come down), but I have heard that it is a sight to see, as well.

I know that lighting the lanterns was a really special moment on the trip for my cousins and I, and I am so happy that we were able to be a part of something so different than from we were used to, especially because the tradition is laden with cultural relevance. It is something truly unique to have experienced and something I will never forget!

What is the most interesting New Year’s Eve tradition you have heard of around the world? Have you ever been able to participate?

Travel Tuesday: Traditions, Old & New

Another year has passed and the holidays are upon us yet again. Decorations, family, and food (lots and lots and lots of food) abound. It feels like we were just here, doesn’t it? It’s time for gatherings and reflecting on the past year. Despite our country of origin (or language we speak), one thing about the holidays remains the same: TRADITION (I think they say it better than I ever could). Whether you celebrate by going to a parade, watching “Elf”, or traveling to see family, it’s these traditions that we look forward to every year around this time. Coming from a large family, we always spend Christmas Eve with my dad’s family and Christmas day house hopping to visit all of my mom’s sisters and their families. Each Christmas night ends at our close family friends’ home, which is opened to everyone (literally everyone) looking to celebrate the holiday.  Besides my near comatose state after being force fed at six houses each Christmas (no complaining here, trust me. Nothing beats homemade Chaldean food), the feeling I remember most is looking forward to the traditions within the tradition. For instance, the day always begins with Auntie Samira’s pacha (a Chaldean dish made of tripe… breakfast of champions! Check out one of my favorite Facebook groups to learn more). As the day progresses, we always eat dessert at Auntie Ferial’s (cousin Jeanie’s famous sugar cookies) and see friends we probably haven’t seen since last Christmas at the end of the night at Auntie Lamia’s house. That night we head home, full, tired, and happy, thinking how far away next Christmas seems.

This year, however, things are going to be a little different. When my cousin Anthony’s job was transferred from Houston, Texas to Bangkok, Thailand for the year, my cousins and I knew this was an opportunity for the ultimate vacation. Figuring we would have the most time off around the holidays, we decided around May that we would be spending Christmas in Thailand, no matter what. Now mere days away from our trip, I’ve only just begun to think about how different the holidays are going to be this year. No Christmas mass (shh..don’t tell my mom!), no opening presents by the tree on Christmas morning, and no family visiting on Christmas Day. However, because of the traditions that have been instilled in us throughout the years, we are going to create our own makeshift Christmas. I made sure to get some small gifts for my cousins so we will still have presents to open and my cousin Jeff is even braving making a pot of harissa. This classic Chaldean porridge is as close to comfort food as it gets and we eat it every Christmas Eve at grandma’s. Though this Christmas will be anything but ordinary (with 90 degree weather, a trip to Tiger Kingdom, and massages… rough life, I know), we will still have a little piece of home halfway around the world, due to the traditions instilled in us our entire lives.

Here’s to creating new traditions! Happy Holidays to you and yours!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? If you have ever been away during the holidays, were you able to hold on to them in some way?