I'm delighted to know you showed a great interest in Chinese table manners. Now I would like to share you how to behave properly when inviting to dinner.

To begin with, the host will reserve a special seat for the guest, that is highly honored on such a occasion and is expected to be the first to taste the food served. Beside, chopsticks and spoons are usually used when you are eating in China. Third, you are not supposed to make a noise while drink soup. Last but not least, remember to thank the host for the delicious food he has been offered, which will surely make him happily.

I hope my advices will be of help to you.

It is interested to visit another country, but sometimes there are some questions when we don’t know the language very well. It may be difficult to talk about the people there. We may not know how to use the telephone in the country which are visiting. We may not know what to buy the things we need. In a strange country we may not know where to eat and what to order in a restaurant. It is not easy to decide how many money to tip (付小费) waiters or taxi drivers. When we are helpful，we may not know how to ask help. After a short time later, however, we learn what to do and what to say. We learn to enjoy life in another country, and then we may be sorry to leave both the place and the people.

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides a year into 24 solar term. Winter Solstice, 22nd solar term of a year, begin this year on Dec 22. It marks the arrival of the colder season in the year.

Winter solstice was a time for families to get together. In some parts of North China, people traditionally eat dumplings on this day, when in parts of South China, the whole family will have a meal make of red-bean and sticky rice. The Taiwan people, which make cakes in the shape of ducks, pigs or sheep, even keep the custom of offering nine-layer cakes to our ancestors. These animals stand out for good luck.