Xin Nian Kuai Le

Happy New Year! What, you thought that was a month ago? Well, it was, but now it is the Chinese New Year, which is based on the lunar calendar.  We have just completed the last day of the year of the dragon, and are welcoming the year of the snake.  Like many people who are unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Chinese zodiac, I assumed that celebrating 'my' animal year would be a sign of good luck, but the opposite is true of my horoscope, snakes are supposed to have an unfortunate year.  I can't worry too much about it though, I do live in Taiwan, which means things can't get too bad.
Overall, while I am thrilled that it is Chinese New Year, I am finding it to be complete different from my pre-existing expectations.  For starters, am I the only one that pictures fireworks, temples, fancy outfits, and dancing dragons when they think of Chinese New Year? Those aren't traditions here in Taiwan.  The New Year is celebrated quietly with family, and there is very little for a foreigner to do (unless they have been invited to join a family's celebration (which, I was invited to two family dinners, but I had already committed to my lasagna dinner plans with my "Taiwan [teacher] family" by that point)).
Most of my week was spent in intense anticipation for next week, because I (and the rest of the teachers) have the week off of work for the holidays.  You're initial thought might be "You get a week off for Chinese New Year?! That's a long time", but when you think about it, students in western countries get a week off for Christmas and New Years that Chinese students still are in classes for, so this is just a different timing on the same concept.
My home-life accomplishment is that I made myself a real dinner for the first time since arriving in Taiwan.  It just occurred to me how sad it is that in almost 6 months I haven't really prepared a single meal, but that's just the nature of Taiwan.  I wouldn't say it was a culinary masterpiece by the traditional definition, but I made a crab-meat alfredo which certainly hit the spot for me.
If I had to pick one regret from the week, I would say it was eating what I will now describe as a 'jellied omelet'.  I could not explain exactly what happened to these omelets, but the combination of oysters and something else in the ingredients gives the omelet a very slimy (and relatively flavorless) casing.  It is definitely not one of my favorite food items here.
My random thought on Taiwan this week is about something that makes me laugh a bit.  In Taiwan a lot of stores use sticker cards to encourage business, or have a lot of sales promotions where an item is buy-one-get-one-free (which, since I don't speak much Chinese usually seems like store clerks just giving things away), and literal give-aways.  The give-away that entertains me the most is that sometimes when I gas-up my scooter they give me a free pack of toilet paper.  I fail to see the connection which makes this a logical promotion, and I'm not convinced it is advertised anywhere, it just happens randomly.

Gong xi fa cai,

hong bao na lai.