Category: Intro to the World

Unlike western holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the date for Chinese New Year (aka Spring Festival) varies every year with a general range from mid-January to mid-February. This is as traditional Chinese festivals are usually based on Lunar/Moon Phase Calendar.  In 2019, Chinese New Year was celebrated on February 5 for the Year of Pig.

If you are not familar with the Chinese Zodiac Story, you can take a look here!  You can also check your Zodiac sign here.

The Lantern Festival is always 15 days after the Chinese New Year. The name comes from the tradition of hanging different types of beautiful lanterns. Another name for the festival is Yuan Xiao. Yuan means first, and Xiao means night. It symbolizes the first full moon night in the lunar new year.

The Lantern Festival marks the end of the celebration for the Spring Festival. After eating a bowl of Yuan Xiao or Tang Yuan, which are traditionally small and round rice balls with sesame filling, everything returns to normal. People go back to work, and students go back to classes.

Most Chinese schools and workplaces set their winter break according to the date of the Spring Festival.  Hundreds of thousands of people begin their journey of going home right after the break. For some of them, this might be the only time of the year they can go back to their hometowns and visit family.

Living in Canada and in the western culture, the Spring Festival is not a statutory holiday. There are usually no days off to celebrate the Chinese New Year or the Lantern Festival. Furthermore, as the two festivals always take place about one and half month into the second term, there are always numerous midterms and assignments either around or on the dates. The last time I spent Chinese New Year with my family was six year ago!!!!!!!

However, there are celebrations around Vancouver that aim to continue the traditions. Although the Chinese New Year has passed, the Lantern Festival is taking place on February 19, 2019.

Flight of the Dragon: Jan. 24 to Feb. 24, 2019

The Galleria of Imperial Inspirations: Jan. 29 to Feb. 19, 2019

 

Happy Lantern Festival!

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As you know, February is recognized by the Government of Canada as Black History month. This year, the theme is “Black Canadian Youth: Boundless, Rooted and Proud”.

While famous Black celebrities like Drake (yes, he’s black – fight me!), Dwayne Johnson and Usain Bolt have definitely made their marks and become role models for many today, we rarely hear about Black Engineers who have made equally great contributions in STEM.

Today, your very own π peer would like to present Jerry Lawson, and if you have any interest at all in video gaming (which you do – you’re in Engineering LOL), you’d want to keep scrolling.

Jerry was once the Chief Hardware Engineer and Director at Fairchild Semiconductor, a company in San Francisco. At the time, gaming systems had their game programming stored on the ROM storage and soldered onto the game hardware, which could not be removed. Jerry and his team figured out how to install the ROM on a cartridge that could be inserted and removed from a console unit repeatedly without electrically shocking the users. So, if you have ever played Mario Kart on a Nintendo 64 or any game today, which is essentially an evolution of Jerry’s antiquated invention, you’re advertently or inadvertently already celebrating Black History Month.

Interestingly, Jerry was also part of the Homebrew Computer Club, a group of early computer hobbyists that later produced Apple founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. And funny enough, Jerry interviewed Wozniak for a position at Fairchild but did not hire him (big lol)!

In relation to Black History Month, I would like to also refer interested parties to various organizations and communities in British Columbia and nearby that contribute to Black culture:

• BC Black History Awareness Society
• National Society of Black Engineers

UBC Student Organizations:

• Black Students Union of UBC
• African Awareness Initiative
• African Business Club

You could check out the Government of Canada’s Heritage page to learn more about Black History Month OR… Watch Kevin Hart’s recent Netflix special “Guide to Black History Month”. Your choice.

Well, I guess this is it people *sad reacts only*. Until next time, over and out.

 

Much love,

π peer