Happy New Year! This is a little bit strange for me to say at the beginning of February but for the culture around me Spring festival (the lunar calendar’s New Year), is considered the season for celebration. This year is the year of the rabbit just as last year was the year of the tiger, every year according to the zodiac calendar, a new animal is chosen. This year while spending time with Malaysian friends, I surprised and delighted to receive several 红包‘s (hong bao’s)! It is an Asian custom (Chinese in particular) to give little red letters to children and other friends during the new year. The letters are filled with money, hence, just as we in American culture receive presents for Christmas, they get money. This is the first year that I’ve even been given a 红包，and I was ecstatic! Our friends the Chins gave me one, then their friends and their parents gave me one! How blessed I am to have such kind and generous friends!