Thomas F. O'Neill: January 2023

Thomas F. O'Neill

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About Me

Name: Thomas F. O'Neill

Location: Shenandoah, PA / Suzhou, China, Pennsylvania / Jiangsu, China, United States

I am currently working as a certified ESL teacher at a private school in Wuxi, China. I have also taught Primary School, Middle School, and High school in Suzhou, China. I am now currently a High school Teacher in Wuxi, in the Jiangsu province. I am also tutoring older students who are planning to travel to English-speaking countries. Some of my older students that I am tutoring are preparing to take their entrance exam for various Universities. I also volunteer for our school’s summer camp program. It is something I enjoy doing and at the same time the students learn a great deal about the western culture. I also worked at the SMIC summer camp in Shanghai in July of 2010 and 2011. During the last nine years I have been a volunteer teacher for the iCity charitable organization in Suzhou, China. I also have been doing a lot of volunteer work to promote our School.

Saturday, January 21, 2023

This evening will usher in the Chinese New Year -- the year of the rabbit 😊

This evening will usher in the Chinese New Year -- the year of the rabbit. In Chinese culture, the rabbit is one of the luckiest of the 12 animals in the zodiac. The year of the rabbit represents the washing away of bad luck and bringing in good luck. For those of you who believe in luck, this year will bring about a year of prosperity for all those who show initiative in all their endeavors.

This year will further be classified as one of two sides of the yin-yang symbol. This year is considered yin, and compared to its light, a more active counterpart, emphasizing the importance of rest and the cultivation of a peaceful heart. The rabbit is also a symbol of intellect and cautiousness but, most importantly, conscientiousness.

I witnessed my first Chinese New Year Celebration here in China in 2010. Many foreigners like me living in Suzhou, China, enjoy the experience of going to Shiquan Street. It is due to the many western bars and restaurants there. I spent a portion of the Chinese New Year in 2010 at an extremely popular place on that street. It was called Jane's Pub Bar, which is no longer there due to the COVID pandemic, which closed many businesses.

I wasn't aware then that a huge firework display was going to be set off in front of Jane's Pub Bar to usher in the new year. I got more enjoyment, though, from watching how excited the locals got when setting those fireworks. I quickly pulled out my smartphone to capture part of the moment in a video.

In America, we rely heavily on public safety, so it was quite amusing seeing the fireworks going off while the street was still open for traffic. No one seemed to mind, though, and we really enjoyed watching the night sky light up with booming bursts of exploding energy.

When the show ended and the smoke cleared, a very attractive Chinese woman ran up and gave me a big kiss, and yelled, "Happy new year, Tom." That was exhilarating, too, and since then, I've become a huge fan of the Chinese New Year.