They Year of The Rat

Happy Chinese New Year! This marks the beginning of the year of the rat, the quick-thinking, optimistic, and adaptable creature. The years on the Chinese calendar are divided into 12-year cycles, meaning that the next Year of the Rat will occur in 12 years’ time.  According to the myth, the Jade Emperor organised a race for a group of animals on his birthday, the results of which determined the order of the Chinese zodiac. Legend goes that the rat was able to hitch a ride at the back of the ox, jumping off at the finish line in order to win first place and be named the first animal in the cycle.

The whole school Chinese New Year celebration was livened up with dragon dances, mandarin songs, wushu performance, and the orchestra playing to a repertoire of songs.  Some of the performers were our very own staff. From their outstanding performance, the students were very generous and so excited to give them some Hong Bao.  The PSG held a bazaar prior to the Chinese celebration, where mandarin oranges, fortune cookies, and Chinese cakes and pastries were on sale.  All festivities were a success through the concerted effort of the students, parents, teachers, and the Mandarin Department.

Every year we all look forward to the celebration of the Chinese New Year.  This will always be embedded in the Indonesian culture and in the School’s.