A new year with a difference
My mother comes from the northern PAS controlled state of Kelantan, and she goes on her balik-kampung journeys several times a year. Me, I'm the prodigal daughter, where twice a year is often too much for me–plane tickets burn a hole in your pocket, even if they're from Air Asia. Mum doesn't like the stingy side of me, and she often reminds me of my aging grandmother and how it's important to set aside a traveling fund that includes the quarterly trip to Kota Bharu…
But Chinese New Year is the balik kampung trip that you can't avoid. As a kid I used to love those CNY trips to KB, because that's the only time when you can earn a quick buck (or maybe hundreds). It was fun because that was when I got to see my cousins from around the country and it was when we started looking for the new additions to the family we'd never got to see before.
This year I've got two new cousins to say hello to, and they'll probably think me a looming giantress when I pinch their cheeks.
I can't quite recall when Chinese New Year stopped being 100% fun for me. It was probably a few years back when I just crossed the legal age and became an adult. The switch was quite abrupt. Suddenly, I was expected to help in the kitchen. Suddenly I was expected to do the heavy chores. Suddenly I was expected to sit down till late, waiting for my uncles to finish their long catch-up conversations, and then I was expected to help do the cleaning up. It's still fun, taking the ang pau is still fun… but there are catches, because each time you head out shopping for extra sundries, you're expected to pay from your pockets.
Look, even after 6 years I'm still adjusting to the new responsibilities required of me as an adult member of the family.
And make no mistake about it, I STILL LOVE ALL THE WORK that comes with the celebrations. I enjoy it all, the cooking, going to the restaurant to get the suckling pig for the reunion dinner, cleaning up the dishes, playing croupier with the kids while we do the once-a-year-gambling, it's all good fun and I love it.
There's one thing I don't quite like about CNY though. I just didn't like having to go back to 14 uncles and aunties bugging me about boyfriends and getting married. Being over 20 is tough like that… and honestly it borders on ridiculous when you think about how you started having crushes on guys when you're around 16, and your aunts sternly warn you that 'teenagers cannot have boyfriends'…
Suddenly you're 20 and everyone wants to know who you're dating. And oh the scrutiny, it's hell more than annoying.
'So, got boyfriend adi ah? How old ah? Doing what ah? Drive what car ah? Where you met him ah? He got buy you gifts or not? Got take you out or not? Got money or not? Got ask you to marry him or not?'
'Eerrrrmmmm…'
'Why don't bring him back? When are you going to bring him back? His parents treat you good or not? Got brothers or not? Got sisters or not? His brother marry adi or not? His sister kahwin adi ah? So when you getting married ah? Must go and see if suitable or not you know?'
'Ermmmmm…'
The good thing is as long as you shut up and continue to play dumb, the questions will keep flooding in and they'll just forget what the previous query was.
Ah yes, those were the years when I went home to KB, just the two of us, just mom and me. This year, heh, there's going to be slight difference with the balik kampung entourage.
Eric's coming with me to KB to see my Grandmother. And him being a KL boy with no kampung to balik to, this trip to KB is probably going to be a huge culture shock for poor Eric. I have a feeling also that my own CNY experience is going to be a mixed bag of emotions, although I'm anticipating it, I can't say I'm happily excited. Somewhere deep inside there's a nervous wreck waiting to be unleashed, and I can only pray that I'm all stable and ready to receive whatever may come from my busybody uncles and aunts.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I’ve only gone back to visit my grandmother in Kota Baru once in my life. Never really went back after that, bad blood in the family I think.
February 16th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Relatives especially during CNY are relatively annoying.
Got gf/bf or not? If yes, then when married?
If yes, married already, when “open spread seedâ€, making babies
If got baby, when is the next baby?
So the questions never seem to end.
I love CNY….the aunties and uncles just spice things up…hahaha..
Blessed CNY to you and your family.
Alvin
February 16th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
‘going to the restaurant to get the suckling pig for the reunion dinner’
This year when you collect the pig you can say, ‘You lucky pig, this is YOUR SPECIAL YEAR!’
I’m sure it will be pleased!
Anyway, Gonna Eat Fat Chow! Have a great CNY!
February 16th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Good luck to you and Eric!
Hope you will share your experience coz I guess one day i will need to do the same too!!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
February 16th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
ç¥ä½ 好è¿ï¼æ–°å¹´å¿«ä¹ï¼
February 16th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I am happy for you Mini Jie. I can reflect where you are coming from. Your uncles and aunties would probably change their set of questions this time around and no worries cause you got Eric to help you answer them.
Oh how sweet would that be.
Gong Xi Fa Cai
February 17th, 2007 at 12:43 am
ehehehe wah then eric can kena grill by your relatives.:) Nice and slow. must be really exciting, bringing an other half back to meet the entire family. remember to let us know how it turned out.;D
February 18th, 2007 at 12:58 am
LOL. That is so familiar. I love CNY too, if only I could pass out prepared answers to all anticipated questions from the relatives. It’s another sign of time passing. The nature of the questions have progressed from my academic life to my love life. Sad. “Don’t be too choosy ar, better to hook one in uni, otherwise later very hard.” So goes the sage advice of my aunts. 14 aunts and uncles, and I thought my extended family was big(11)
February 18th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Hahaha a familar lament to us all, even guys too nowdays!
Good luck with you and your family and Eric. I can imagine it already…lots of red faces, checking him up and down, pulling you aside and whispering in conspiratorial tones, interrogations n interviews, awkwardness…haha..!
Happy CNY folks!
February 18th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Gong hei fatt choy, minishorts!!
February 18th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Gong Xi Fa Cha to you and Eric
February 18th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
I am from KB, its a very nice place.. Minimal traffic jam, good food (GOSH! I missed’em A LOT!), friendly ppl (The environment is as though everybody knows everybody) & etc..
I’ve settled down in KL for at least 10 years.. Gee.. Will have to go back & pay the town a little visit..
Hmm, its always like this..
1. Single
Aunties,”Ehh.. When are you getting a girl friend ar?”
2. Attached, but not married
Aunties,”Ehh.. When are you getting married ar?”
3. Married
Aunties,”Ehh.. When are you gonna have kids ar?”
Well, enough said..
February 21st, 2007 at 10:55 pm
‘So, got boyfriend adi ah? How old ah? Doing what ah? Drive what car ah? Where you met him ah? He got buy you gifts or not? Got take you out or not? Got money or not? Got ask you to marry him or not?’
If you said you’re no longer a virgin but have sex regularly would they be more satisfied?
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:15 pm
i think same questions for everyone else raya, CNY depavali etc… it is just the role of aunties, to annoy people… u will be like dat one day…
ricky.. crazy aaa? but it is good to know also how they respond…
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:23 pm
chooki, gong xi fa cai!
gosh, i never knew your kampung is in KB. anyways here’s hoping for a good year ahead, and may you get your BIG wish for the year
February 24th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
My girlfriend’s hometown’s KB too, and this year they were asking (and asking and asking) her “Eh when’s your boyfriend coming down to KB arr?” “So when are you getting married arr?” “Arr arr arrrr?”
It’s an epidemic I tell you.
Ju Ni Xin Nian Kuai Le!
March 5th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
so, what happened? *being busybody-aunty*
deville