Happy International Women’s Day! 庆祝三八国际妇女节

This morning, on the 8th March 2013, I woke up to the beeping sound of text messages. I opened my sleepy eyes and saw a surprising text from an unexpected source:

I just wanted to wish you Happy International Women’s Day – in Italy women receive beautiful Mimosa flowers to celebrate but here in the UK there is beautiful rain! xx Rekha

Before I could type a reply to my friend and colleague – Rekha Narula is an interpreter and translator of French, Mauritian Creole and Spanish – I saw another text message flashing at me. Ha, busy morning for a lazy, not-wishing-to-get-up-just-yet writer!

Mimosa Flowers for All

Hi girls, just want to wish you a happy Women’s Day. This used to be one of my favourite days in a year in China as all the teachers were given the afternoon off which meant we got sent home and didn’t have to study! They don’t seem to make much of a fuss about this day in the UK but how about treating yourself something? Ok have a nice one. Thinking of you, love, Bing.

Bing Ling, I now know what kind of student you were Lazy bones, as I used to be called by my mum, when I didn’t feel like studying!

With Bing and other Chinese colleagues

I totally agree with Bing though, and I can confirm that I used to benefit from that generous gesture from the Chinese government – not only did we women teachers get half a day off, we were handed out complimentary cinema tickets too, as a special treat, for ‘holding half the sky’! Given the time when national holidays were far and few in between, I can honestly say that it was one of my favourite days in the year too!

30 years ago in Chongqing University with classmates

30 years later in a Reunion in Chongqing

Now as I sat myself down and motivated myself enough in a rainy, misty day to write this public thank-you note to my kind friends on this very special day for the womenkind, I clicked open my Hotmail. Guess what? Another message popped up, titled 三八节快乐!

金山词霸手机版每日一句: Lift up your head princess, if not, the crown falls. 我的公主，请抬起你的头，乐不然皇冠会掉下来的…… via @芮成钢。词霸小编：今天是女性的节日，姑娘们，不管有没有人欣赏，也要做自己心中的女王！

Thank you, Yang Hong! This sender used to study in Chongqing University (Southwestern China) as I did. Years later in Birmingham in the heart of England, we occasionally bump into each other in the biggest Chinese supermarket in Aston. We got chatting eventually, and a few months ago, we discovered that we used to share the same Dorm, fondly labelled “Panda Dorm” by the male species, because it’s the only women’s dorm on campus, and Pandas came from our region and are regarded as ‘National Treasure’!

Me & Panda, Who is the Treasure ?

Do you know the origin of the Women’s Day? If you are an American or a Dane, you probably should. A small card below gives you a very brief introduction about this special day, and when the Chinese started celebrating it – the first time being 1924 and officially a festival with the establishment of People’s Republic of China in 1949. Go HERE for more details, if you are interested. 

It’s been over a century since the women started their fight against discrimination and oppression, and seek for freedom, equal rights and liberation. This is a fight that is still going on in many parts of the world today.

Heart-felt thanks to Rekha, Bing and Hong ! I wish all my female friends, colleagues, writers, readers, wherever you are today, a wonderful celebration of who we are and what we stand for. Have a Great Day & Celebrate Womenkind Worldwide!