“Kung Hei Fat Choi” is a Cantonese phrase which means “Happy New Year”. It’s just one of the phrases and things I’ve learned over the last few days working on a radio program to celebrate “Lunar New Year”. And I use the phrase “Lunar New Year” in preference to Chinese New Year (most commonly used in Sydney because City of Sydney celebrates Chinese New Year), because Koreans, Vietnamese and many others also celebrate New Year right now, or around this time.

There were lots of good things about this. Mostly, though because I got to work with a great team from ABC Local Radio, ABC Multi-platform and Radio Australia who were so incredibly passionate about doing this. The slideshow below features the program co-presenters, David and Andrea who are featured “over the moon”, as you would be with Lunar New Year, with happiness and excitement. David got to meet Canto-pop superstar, Frances Yip, who sang the song “Shanghai Beach” which was the theme music for an iconic Hong Kong 80s soap opera, and who sells out stadiums when she performs in Asia. Back in Australia, where she mostly lives now, she is happy to perform at the equally iconic Rooty Hill RSL. In another photograph, you’ll see Andrea eating some yummy food (Yee Sang which is a terrific dish) and who I think really, really enjoyed working on the program on so many levels, and who I also, personally, enjoyed working with again.

At the end of it all, I was tired, elated, and well and truly informed about so many things I had only a cursory knowledge of before. Oh, and totally in love with Frances Yip. “Hubba hubba”, as David commented on the radio yesterday.

And here’s the audio from the program.