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Katherine spends New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in the rural village where she lives. She takes an evening walk by a reservoir, has dinner at a local restaurant and watches an unexpectedly large fireworks display. The restaurant lets diners choose vegetables and meats from a refrigerator, and Katherine brings her own rice because she prefers its quality. At the community center, villagers play ping pong and badminton, while people gather around hot coals at the grocery store. The next day she hikes up a mountain, stops at a snack booth and enjoys a picnic with friends. She also shares leftovers with a neighbor's chickens, later receiving eggs in return.
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New Year's Eve in the village
Katherine spends the last day of 2024 and the first day of 2025 in the rural Chinese village where she lives. She has lived in the countryside since 2023 and introduces her adopted village to viewers. Instead of a large city celebration, she takes an evening walk by a reservoir, enjoying the quiet streets and surroundings. She says this is her favorite walk in the village, especially at this time of year when she has the place to herself.
For dinner, Katherine visits a local restaurant and chooses ingredients from a refrigerator showing the available vegetables and meats. She brings her own rice because she feels the restaurant's rice is not good quality. The casual meal lets her interact with local people and observe how the restaurant works. Later, an unexpected fireworks display exceeds her expectations for a small village and becomes a highlight of the evening.
New Year's Day, community life and a mountain hike
Katherine visits the community center, where people play ping pong and badminton. At a local grocery store, villagers sit around hot coals, a familiar winter activity. A small stand sells bamboo poles for five RMB each, which she compares to hiking sticks. She also notes that the nearby creek is dry in winter but can be beautiful in spring.
On New Year's Day, Katherine goes on a mountain hike and has a picnic with friends. There is a snack booth at the top. She and her companion enjoy the trail and the views. At home, they feed leftovers to a neighbor's chickens; the chickens lay eggs, which the neighbor shares with them in return. Katherine describes this exchange as a satisfying cycle. Her celebration combines fireworks and a restaurant meal with simple village routines and time outdoors.
The walk by the reservoir is a favorite part of village life for Katherine, particularly in this season when she can enjoy the route without crowds. Her New Year's Eve meal is practical and informal: rather than ordering from a printed menu, she and her companion look in the refrigerator at the vegetables and meats available and choose what they want. She brings rice from home because she is not satisfied with the restaurant's rice. The fireworks then make the night more lively than she had expected from a small rural village.
The next day's activities show more of the everyday setting. The community center gives residents a place to play ping pong and badminton, while people gather around hot coals at the grocery store during winter. On the mountain trail, Katherine spots a vendor selling bamboo poles for five RMB each and a snack booth at the summit. The creek is low in the dry season, though she says it is worth seeing in spring. Back at home, leftover food goes to a neighbor's chickens, and the neighbor shares the resulting eggs with Katherine and her companion.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What did you do on New Year's Eve?
- A: Katherine takes a walk, has dinner at a local restaurant and watches fireworks. The display is larger than she expected in a small village.
- Q: What was your New Year's Day like?
- A: She hikes up a mountain with friends and has a picnic. There is also a snack booth at the top of the mountain.
- Q: What's the food like in your village?
- A: The restaurant has fresh vegetables and meats displayed in a refrigerator, so diners can see what is available. Katherine brings her own rice because she prefers its quality.
- Q: What was the most surprising part of your New Year's celebration?
- A: The fireworks are the biggest surprise. Katherine does not expect such a large display in a small village, and it becomes a highlight of New Year's Eve.
- Q: What kind of activities are there in your village?
- A: People play ping pong and badminton at the community center. Katherine also finds a snack booth at the top of the mountain during her New Year's Day hike.
