Chinese New Year 2015 through my ears

Updated: 2015-03-06 16:18

Photos provided by Barrie Jones

By Barrie Jones

I followed my ears, to the sound of a beautiful deep bell, not so far from where I live in Guilin, and found myself welcoming Chinese New Year in a temple in the heart of Guilin itself, under and inside the limestone rock, among many peaceful warm kindhearted souls. And yes of course, later witnessed fireworks of ‘Gandalf’ grandeur!

I am starting the Chinese New Year of the Ram, 2015, as a man who has been fortunate enough to begin a new job, teaching in a lovely school with wonderful colleagues and delightful students - truly a great start! I had previously, along with the rest of my colleagues, both Chinese and foreign, not been paid salary by my last employer since November. And this without warning or communication since, and actually, I haven’t really worried too much about it! China has taught me well - do something!

I arrived here for the first time, in May 2014 with various friends quite concerned that I should be taking such a step (I’m still amazed about the misconceptions people hold). I am looking forward so much to another year in China like I can't tell you! Every new day brings a new adventure, a new friend, a new experience - another way I can contribute to this amazing country. I've learned more about myself and grown more as a human being in my time here than I had in a long time. I have made so many good friends, been made so very welcome everywhere and have been offered genuine warmth, kindness and hospitality constantly.

China to me is like a beehive; it’s unified not disparate (something I see the West as being). In nature, unity works, and it works here - people ‘get on with it’. I don’t see China as perfect, or like some kind of paradise, but I know that I’m happier here than anywhere else I’ve lived. I find the 'Chinese way' most agreeable. To me, the Chinese are incredibly pragmatic, tough and hardy, highly resourceful and capable, and at the same time so creative, romantic, amiable, humorous, endlessly curious and enthusiastic.