Gong Xi Fa Cai!

It is Chinese New Year here in Malaysia, and it is a big deal! Lion dances will be being performed at multiple public venues through the weekend accompanied with Chinese firecrackers and fireworks in down town K.L. About 1/3 of the Malaysian population are of Chinese descent so that means for the average person a 4/5 day weekend from Thursday/Friday to Monday. But here at the Zoo, this means a weekend packed full of people who are off from school/work and a lot of preparation for not only setting up the themed decorations for “The Year of the Wooden Horse” but also for the opportunity to broadcast to the public about the two new giant pandas Fu Wa and Feng Yi, whose complex will be ready for them in April. This isn't just an exhibit, people, but a huge building just for these two.

Decorations and plants

For me, this holiday meant I was assisting with the entrance decorations by removing the orchids from the large front planters and putting in miniature mandarin orange plants and miniature peach plants. Prosperity, prosperity! But it turned out that wasn't all I was in for. So I was supposed to get Friday and Saturday off, and it was 30 minutes before 5 on Thursday afternoon, and I was just in the office waiting to start my weekend, and Eza gets a call. She turns to me and goes, “So you may need to work tomorrow. It's Chinese New Year and a lot of people will be here, and the head of the Education Department said he wants to discuss maybe you working tomorrow and you helping them out with something.” I went over to the Education Department and the Director said, “Oh please have a seat. So tomorrow is Chinese New Year, and I’m sure you know that means we will have a lot of people here, and I was wondering if you would be willing to help us out tomorrow and be a mascot at the animal show!?" I tentatively respond, " Ummm mascot?” At this point I was thinking maybe he meant helping out with the handlers or something along those lines because words they use in English aren't the words an average native English speaker would use to describe something. “Yes!” he responded, “I was wondering if you would be willing to be a panda!” (Points to panda suit) “And help entertain the crowd. You know take pictures and what not! You aren't going to be alone. I'm going to have my intern be the other panda! It's just…No one volunteered, and I really need someone. Do you think you can? " He then proceeded to smile pleadingly at me. Long story short, I went to work on what was supposed to be my day off to dress up in a panda suit.

One of the shows seals

Dreading a little that I said yes to doing this, I was glad to find out that what was planned for  Hazi (pronounced like Ozzy, which confused me throughout the day because that is my nickname) and myself turned out to be an appearance at the beginning and end of the two animal shows they put on and sitting “behind the scenes.” So it turned out to be pretty cool due to the latter and a little nerve wracking for the former. This nervousness for me was less caused by the fact I was going in front of a packed amphitheater, and more so because cues for us to do things were going to be in Malay. I spent the entire morning in a meeting oblivious to what was going on except for the occasional translation by the head of the education department for my benefit. Outside of the show, sitting in the back where they held all the animals during the performance was pretty awesome! We got to hang out within arm’s length of the seals and see them being playful. We hung around the trainer who had a Burmese python wrapped around his body, and we were entertained by the macaws hanging upside down in their cages and bobbing up and down at us in the sitting area.

Taking pictures with kids

It was fun for the day, but I’m glad I don’t have to do that all the time. Those suits are too hot for being outside in Malaysia’s weather.

If you want to watch a clip of part of the show go here.