It felt good being back in Kluang for the Lunar New Year. My sister and I have not gone back in a few years and we do miss Malaysia. And this year, things were different. There were more new faces and some old faces that we have not seen in more than a decade. I was a little apprehensive at first, but gradually, I warmed up to everyone. It was also extremely comforting to walk along the streets of Kluang, speaking in a mix of Malay and Mandarin with the relatives and playing with fireworks with no fear of being caught.
Let’s not forget about the awesome food too. My auntie cooked a sumptuous meal for the Teo/Teng family and it still amazes me how she managed to do that. There were more than 20 people to feed! Everyone at the table was also a little surprised at my appetite and how much I could eat. They were also amused with my cravings for KFC. Well, in my opinion, the KFC and Pizza Hut in Malaysia are really good. Thus, I just had to have a chicken drumstick since I was back in Malaysia. My cousins also took the family to one of Kluang’s best beef noodles. I was blown away. The sauce and the texture of the beef noodles were perfect. I have not tasted anything like that in Singapore.
I think that the best part of CNY was seeing the Sanny, Alvin and Shah after so long. We caught up with the three brothers on the first day of the Lunar New Year and we could not stop talking. Even back in the hotel room, we were up till 3am talking about our lives and catching up. Milene was amused with the brothers and were constantly taunted by them. She was also given a nickname – Frenchy. Milene had no problem with that name and embraced it wholeheartedly. However, i was not allowed to call her that.
It was also surprising for me to see some new relatives and to find out that my cousin, Lisa, had a girl (I honestly did not know that). I knew she was married, but I did not know that she had a girl who is already 2 years old. And some of my nephews and nieces have grown up so much, it just only served as a reminder that I am getting older. I was sitting down in the living room and it dawned on me that I am going to be 24 years old this year. Ohemgee.
Anyway, the whole family also indulged in some light gambling (my mother did not approve of it, but whatever) and Milene is extremely lucky. During a game of blackjack, she was always getting the good cards. The both of us also spoke in French occasionally to not let the other relatives know what we got. It was funny to see the relatives confused and trying to listen into our conversations.
So today is the third day of the Lunar New Year. Here’s the Teo/Teng family wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year with loads of love!
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