Brock's New Year
Once upon a time in China there was a race. The Jade Emperor called the twelve animals of the kingdom to him. He had wanted to assign each of the animals a position in the Chinese Zodiac and had decided that the order in which they arrived to meet him would determine their order on the calendar.
The most difficult leg of the journey was the river. The Ox being strong and mighty was able to ford the water and thought he would surely win- but the Rat, the most clever animal, managed to stowaway on his back and jump to the other side just before the Ox was able to win.
The nimble Rabbit was able to cross the river by jumping from stone to stone and when he was about to fall in –bless his luck- he was able to grab hold of a floating log. The Rabbit managed to reach the emperor fourth, right behind the strong Tiger.
The winged-Dragon came in 5th because he was busy helping all the creatures of the Earth (Which pleased the emperor). The Horse was about to take 6th place but a sneaky little Snake had been hiding in his hoof. The Horse was scared and the Snake took 6th instead.
The Goat, Monkey and Rooster were next to arrive. They had worked together and crossed the river on a raft. The Dog arrived 11th because it was too busy playing and the Pig last because it was too busy eating and sleeping.
And so, for the last five-thousand years, the twelve-year cycle has repeated: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
While most of the world considers January 1st the beginning of the New Year, it is celebrated in China in late January or early February. For a teacher, however, I am on a different calendar all together- that of the school year and my year is about to come to a close.
This year, my second year of teaching, was a big one. I proposed to my girlfriend, I received a transfer to a new country, I travelled to ten different countries and in a few months I will be legally married in the great province of Ontario.
In August my new year will start. I will have brand new friends. A brand new job. I will be far away from Kazakhstan (and Wisconsin) living in a place where it hasn’t snowed since wooly mammoths roamed the earth. Yet, I have no fears for the future. I have friends where I go and a brand new wife to travel with me and- even more- I am a Rat and I always win the race.
