University of the South Pacific volunteer teacher Shipeng Cui, or Harvey, as known as to his friends, is looking forward to the Chinese New Year celebrations this week.

“I am in Fiji now, so I think I will celebrate the Chinese New Year with my colleagues and friends here,” he said.

“I believe it will be an unforgettable experience of my life.”

Mr Shipeng teaches at the Confucius Institute where he will be celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Rooster on Saturday, January 28.

The 26-year-old hails from Hei Long Jiang Province in China and expressed his excitement as the Chinese New Year celebration looms.

The Year of the Rooster lasts until February 15th, 2018.

What is your Chinese New Year wish?

I wish my family, my friends and everybody I know a good health. I hope to make some new friends and I wish my work goes smoothly.

What does Chinese New Year mean to you?

The Chinese New Year is the most important festival in China. Chinese people regard this festival as the symbol of family reunion and happiness and also this is a new start for everything.

What are your goals for the Year of the Rooster?

I wish I can be a professional Chinese teacher this year and I hope I can improve my teaching skills.

What’s the most interesting thing about you and your culture?

Most interesting thing is to stay together with my family, making dumplings and eat a lot of delicious foods.

We have antithetical couplet, lamps, paper cutting and set off fireworks. We also wear new clothes and keep awake during the whole night until next day.

How did you celebrate the festival as a child?

When I was a child, I played snow and fireworks with my friends. We made snowman which was so vivid.

We say “Happy New Year” to neighbours and elders when we meet them, and I could get red envelopes from my parents. Also I could eat many candies and delicious foods.

What traditions do you still keep, and how do you celebrate Chinese New Year today?

Traditions which I still keep is saying “Happy New Year” to my relatives, wearing new clothes, making dumplings and celebrating with my friends.

Along with the boom of technology we have many new ways of celebrating Chinese New Year, such as some companies will send red packets online during this period of time and you can snatch red envelopes.

What animal zodiac sign were you born under, and do you think there are similarities between you and your animal sign?

My animal zodiac sign is a horse.

I believe there are some similarities between me and my animal sign, for example I am hard-working and honest.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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