Reconnecting with my roots through Chinese New Year

The first time I learned to appreciate the magical power of Chinese New Year was in January 2009, just months after I left home to attend university in London, England.

Buried under a pile of homework and reading lists, I made no special plans for the festival, thinking that I should resist the cliche of the Chinese celebration after experiencing so many over the years.

However, when the sky darkened and streets grew cold, I suddenly missed home. I remembered the warmth of mom's dumplings, the lanterns hanging in the doorway and the joyful bangs of the firecrackers that my cousins and I used to light against the dark sky.