Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.

London

Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics（杂技）, martial arts（武术）,dance and opera nearby.

San Francisco

San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bangkok

With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.

Mauritius

Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20^th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional lion dances through the streets.

The Polish take great pride in their culture.Our culture has many different customs and traditions.I will discuss three of these traditions and customs.

The Polish will say “Dziekuje” (“thank you”) only after receiving their change.What I mean by this is that when you are in Poland，you should wait to say “thank you” until after you have been given your change back.If you do not，you are telling cashiers (收银员) that they can “keep the change”.Often，people visiting Poland will feel that things are very expensive，until they learn that they are giving the store clerk permission to keep the money that would have been given back.

Polish people break “bread” with their families during their Christmas Eve meal.The Christmas Eve celebration starts with the breaking of the Oplatek，which is a thin piece of “bread”．In my family，the eldest in the family (my grandfather) takes the big Oplatek and breaks it into large pieces that he then hands down to each of his four children (my aunt，uncles，and father)．Then，these family members break their pieces into smaller sizes and pass them out to their own children.Once the last piece is passed down to the youngest，we say a prayer (祷告) and eat the piece of thin bread.

Polish people celebrate “Imieniny”,or Name’s Day.This day is more important than one’s birthday.They often name their children after a saint (圣徒) whose day is closest to the date that they were born on.Then their saint’s day that they were named after becomes their “new” birthday.On Name’s Day，families and friends gather together and enjoy a variety of food，drinking，and dancing.

As you can see，Poland has a few very unique (独特的) traditions and customs.I honor my Polish culture and will pass it on to my own children because it is important to know one’s own culture.

Any visitor to the Chinese Culture Week being held at the University of Tehran (德黑兰) would be amazed by the Chinese tea, food, and various artworks, like Chinese knotting and traditional paper cutting-all displayed by Iranian students learning Chinese.

“Chinese knots are believed to bring good luck and act as charms that can keep evil spirits away,” Zeinab Ghafourian, a 19-year-old senior studying Chinese at the Confucius Institute (孔子学院) of the University of Tehran, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

The Chinese Culture Week, which started at the university last Saturday and will last till Wednesday, aims to introduce Chinese culture to more Iranians. The event displayed a range of artworks that contain different elements of Chinese culture, produced by Iranian professors and students at the university.

On the reasons why she chose to study the Chinese language, Ghafourian said that she has been interested in East Asian cultures even since childhood. “In addition, the Chinese films have become more and more popular,” she said.

Most importantly, because of Iran’s good ties with China, mastering the Chinese language offers better jobs in the Iranian job market compared to other languages, she explained.

The Iranian and Chinese people have a lot in common in culture, as they have been connected through cultural and economic exchanges via the ancient Silk Road in the long past.

“Due to China’s increasing global influence, as well as its friendly and expanded relations with Iran, learning about the country and its language are becoming very important,” said Hamed Vafaei, the Iranian director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Tehran.