Everywhere you go, a Chinatown you will find

Just as I was starting to feel a little homesick missing Chinese New Year, my landlord’s friend invited me out to little Chinatown right here in Joburg! Complete with street meats, taro milk tea, 粽子 and a variety of fireworks-induced health hazards (not sure how safe it is to launch fireworks directly below power lines).

At first, it felt like any good old grimy Chinatown. But looking closer, I noticed how, for instance, the lion dance team was half black, or that there were more Jews at my dinner table than Asians. In this South African community there is a genuine culture of open-mindedness that brings together people from all backgrounds to celebrate each ethnicity's heritage. Being in the midst of that was even cooler than celebrating at home.