Daily – Page 21 – trippingdifferently

March 13, 2014

Fasnacht 2014… Time to Go Costume-Crazy…

i just looked back on the posts i have written for this very famous and fabulous celebration of Spring’s coming. i was very surprised to note that even though i have lived here for more than 10 years and have been blogging for the last 8 years, i have only written 2 little posts about it. (Read here and here) i guess it’s cos we don’t really take part in it.

This year, again, Fasnacht falls during school term so the kids get to wear their costumes to school on March 4th. Every year the date changes because Fasnacht follows the Church calendar even though it is not a Christian celebration. It usually happens during the few days before Ash Wednesday. It’s tradition lay in the idea of scaring away winter and welcoming Spring. It is also a time of feasting before the time of Lent fasting. There are other regions of Switzerland which celebrate it on a different week, such as Basel which just ended their Fasnacht celebrations yesterday. Zürich is another region which doesn’t have this Spring celebration till some time in April – they call it Sechseläuten. They also burn the Böögg which is said to predict how warm and long a summer we would have.

Tobias decided that this year he wanted to go to the big parade. We usually don’t go cos it’s so crowded (mummy doesn’t like) and loud (boy usually doesn’t like). We went and it was actually quite fun.

Here are some pictures (i had to pick just a few from the 161 i took):

Tobias went as Robin Hood this year. He had wanted to go as Legolas but he decided too late for me to make the costume so we bought this one at the last minute. It's cute, isn't it? — Tobias went as Robin Hood this year. He had wanted to go as Legolas but he decided too late for me to make the costume so we bought this one at the last-minute. It’s cute, isn’t it?

Left: On the bus we saw a blue monster, a green monster and a red tomato ;) Right: Kids wanting impatiently for the parade to start. — Left: On the bus we saw a blue monster, a green monster and a red tomato 😉 Right: Kids wanting impatiently for the parade to start.

This poor gal got dunked into confetti - not once but TWICE! — This poor gal got dunked into confetti – not once but TWICE!

Some of our favourites... i so love the giant hats and the pin-cushion kids :) — Some of our favourites… i so love the giant hats and the pin-cushion kids 🙂

No one was left out - babies and wheelchairs - all are welcomed! — No one was left out – babies and wheelchairs – all are welcomed!

More favourites - the Marios were really very good and those kids as planes are so cute. That helicopter actually does go up and down. — More favourites – the Marios were really very good and those kids as planes were so cute. That helicopter actually did go up and down.

SHOT OF THE DAY - we got shot by a confetti cannon, right in the face! — SHOT OF THE DAY – we got shot by a confetti cannon, right in the face!

The last group was the cleaning ladies with real soap suds/bubbles.

However, the cleaning ladies didn't do a very good job - hahhaa... — However, the cleaning ladies didn’t do a very good job – hahhaa…

We met Tobias' friend on the bus home. His family comes from Basel and this is the costume they will wear at that Fasnacht parade. They take the kids out of school every year, just to enjoy the fun in their home city - that's how important this celebration is to them :) — We met Tobias’ friend on the bus home. His family comes from Basel and this is the costume they will wear at that Fasnacht parade. They take the kids out of school every year, just to enjoy the fun in their home city – that’s how important this celebration is to them 🙂

Looking forward to next year’s Fasnacht!

syc

February 10, 2014

I Did It! …

i was going to scan my actual certificate but came across this Lego Graduation Cap and Diploma which is so very appropriate to my course of study as well as topic of my post. Please click on picture to visit the website of the creator of this wearable Lego Graduation Cap and Diploma. He has lots of interesting Lego creations!

Yes i did – i finished the first module of a certificate course in childcare in German! Now i can go find work in a playgroup. Well, actually i have to go find myself an internship position so i can do the second module. BUT i DID IT!

It has taken me 10 months. However, it was a fun-filled and knowledge-gaining 10 months! i so loved being back in the classroom, even if it is only one Saturday a month. It was difficult at times to understand some parts (this is where re-reading the notes with a dictionary when i’m home helps) and of course i didn’t express myself quite as clearly as i would have liked to (but i think i did get the points across).

i also enjoyed the company of women from many different nationalities, most of whom have been here for quite some time already. They are all so nice and it has been wonderful getting to know them. They make a really supportive and relaxing group to study with. And it looks like we will all be going onto the same second module class 🙂

This course is specially setup for women with foreign background in Switzerland. They have intentionally created the syllabus with non-German speakers in mind and taken into account our differences in cultural references. Our state (Kantonal) government have been very supportive and sponsored about 80% of the course fees and will also do so for the second module as long as we can prove we are residents of this state (Solothurn).

So if you or any ladies you know are living in Switzerland and are interested in this course, here’s the link to the Eltern Schule Anders website. They have courses in several different places. (The government sponsorship is only for our state and residents of our state i think).

Looking forward to the second module!

syc

February 1, 2014

Gong Xi Fa Cai…

… i think i have never actually devoted a post to Chinese New Year!

i have looked at the archives and have not found one post on this – which is strange considering how much i like the festivities of celebrating Chinese New Year. A celebration which traditionally lasts 15 days, but of course, in these modern fast-paced times, no one stops for that long to celebrate anymore.

When i was growing up, it was a huge thing. My mum started preparing 2 weeks ahead for Reunion Dinner (the eve of Chinese New Year), where all the extended family came to us for dinner. There is this special dish she makes only for Chinese New Year – Ayam Buah Keluak (Black Nut Chicken Curry) because you need to soak the nut for 2 weeks. Then crack a tiny slot in the hard shell, remove the flesh of the fruit, mix half of that with minced meat, stuff the mixture back into the nut and use the other half of the fruit-flesh to make the curry. So much work!

Then there is all the yummy Chinese New Year goodies – pineapple tarts (i LOVE these), Bak Kwa, Love Letters, Kueh Bangkit and so many other ones, along with all the mandarin oranges i could peel and eat as well as roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds and sweets. Also Yu Sheng – Fish Salad which we toss for good luck. Not to mention the kids all got red-packets (ang baos, filled with a small amount of cash).

We would spend 2 whole days visiting family and friends, exchanging greetings and blessings for the coming year. There are some people we only get to see during this festive season so it is indeed a special time.

Now that we have moved to a “western” country which doesn’t celebrate Chinese New Year and we no longer go back to Singapore for the celebrations (logistically not practical now with the school term), i miss them.

The dishes we had for Chinese New Year Dinner.

This year i decided maybe it’s time to highlight some traditions again, now that my boy is bigger and understands more. He really only remembers collecting the Ang Baos and not much beyond that cos he was so small when we did go back to celebrate with family.

So while i didn’t make Reunion Dinner, i did make a 1st Day of Chinese New Year dinner for the 3 of us. Cooking one of my favourite Nonya dishes – Chap Chye, and Cantonese Steam Fish as well as Stir-Fry Ginger Beef. It was a tiny affair but still…

And this year we also gave my boy an actual Ang Bao when normally it would just go to his bank account. He was glad about that cos now he gets to actually spend it, instead of mummy putting it into his bank.

So here i take the opportunity to wish one and all a very Blessed Happy Chinese New Year – it’s the Year of the Horse so may you gallop into peace and good fortune.

syc.