We are back again with Yary. She is 14 years old. She studies grade eight at Pheam Ek Primary School and would love to tell you about her Chinese New Year.
Many people from other countries come to live in Cambodia, including people from China. We usually see people celebrate Chinese New Year in the second week of February but sometimes it changes depending on the year.
A lot of families in Battambang are half Chinese and they always celebrate Chinese New Year with their friends and family because they believe that after offering the food to their ancestors they will be wealthier in the next year.
In the morning, from village to village we always hear the sound of firecrackers that people use to kick out all the bad luck from previous years and welcome the luck from the new year. Also, people never forget Angkea Sel flowers (ផ្កាអង្គាសីល) to put in their house because they believe that the more flowering flower they get the more wealthy they will be in the next year.
In my community, when Chinese New Year comes, they prepare food for their parents and offer to ancestors. They give hong pao (money) to their relatives as a gift and ask back for good luck for the new year. Some family has trips to outside the province because of all the family members come together on the day.
For me on the Chinese New Year, I went to school regularly in the morning but some of my friends asked for permission to go on a trip with their family. In the afternoon, I came to CFI to study as usual but I also receive hong pao from my relative too. That makes my Chinese New Year better.
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