This Chinese New Year might be painful / Malaysia Travel vlog 2024 (EP 1)

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[@vivianjohnson3151]

In my Mandarin class we learned that on your ben ming nian (bad luck year) you can wear red accessories to try and ward off the bad luck. Jessica always looks great in red so wearing a red bracelet or belt couldn't hurt!

[@prettycatacombs]

Yes but it is also important that the red they wear was gifted from someone else, not something you bought yourself.

[@cheungchingtong]

Ben Ming Nian do not necessarily equal bad luck year, it depends.

[@zurzakne-etra7069]

but they have to be gifted to you!!

[@allyssach]

Malaysian and a Lesbian here. Thank you for speaking about the experiences many of us face.

[@squiddwizzard8850]

Has anyone ever called you a Malaysbian?

[@aliflanagan7669]

It bothers me that ppl are judging you for going to Malaysia. It is so so different to go visit family vs just being a tourist. There also aren't that many places that are 100% LGBT+ friendly!

[@ladyflimflam]

Claudia looks radiant in the blue blouse. Such a good color for her.

[@IceNixie0102]

YES I love that top so much!

[@mxg75]

Easter is weird, it's dependent on both solar and lunar calendars. It's the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. The spring equinox depends on the solar calendar, but after that there's a lunar component. It has a 35 day range, from March 22 to April 25.

[@fadingofthestar]

oh my GOD thank you for this I've always wondered

[@laviniasnow4494]

Yep.

[@laviniasnow4494]

My only question is what 35 days range are you referring to?

[@mosselyn5081]

My BFF is Cantonese from Hong Kong. One year when I was having lots of problem, her mom told me I should buy some red underwear. 🤣It became a bit of an in joke between my friend and I. Many years later, I actually sent her some red underwear when she was going through her own bad times, which may not have changed her luck, but at least made her laugh!

[@Lethalport1515]

I really enjoyed Claudia's solo segment. Loved the energy she brought and learning about Lunar New Year/ zodiac. Enjoyed the video overall as well but felt really engaged with that section 😅 ❤

[@Alverya]

when i was a kid, all my angbaos went to my parents and they would give us half back after CNY was over (we were poor, so it helped my parents with their angbao giving). We were just happy to get angbaos and would enjoy tallying up the total and comparing it to the previous yr. Now as a single adult, i still get angbaos from others and I have no shame taking them, especially from my married friends. :P

[@TheYasmineFlower]

A question for your next video: Now that Rupert is older and talks more, how do you navigate him calling you Mama and Mummy, or other things he might say that could reveal to others that you're an LGBTQ+ family, while in a country like Malaysia where that's seen differently? Do you talk to Rupert about when not to say certain things?

[@jennifers5560]

OMG, I loved Claudia teaching us about the Rabbit and Dragon. She needs to do more tutorials! And how great did she look in that sleeveless patterned shirt?

[@cheesecakelasagna]

oh my god, I love that claudia sticker! such majestic hair

[@winamortenson9125]

Loved it! I've been teaching (mostly white) American children about Chinese/Lunar New Year for many years now, but it's so great to learn more--and first hand instead of from books. (So many lovely picture books!) But, it's not the same as watching your family celebrate and seeing some of it through Rupert's eyes. BTW, have you heard about the winner of the Asian/Pacific American picture book? It's not about the new year, but it's wonderful. "The Truth About Dragons" by Julie Leung, Illus. by Hanna Cha is about a bi-racial boy learning to connect to his two cultures and embrace his grandmothers (one Asian, one European) through dragon stories. It is a Caldecott honor book also. It would be a lovely book to add to your family collection! (I'm a children's librarian in Wisconsin, USA.) Happy Birthday, Jessica. You and I are both dragons, so we will stick together this year to get through unscathed! Best wishes to Claudia and Rupert for the year ahead, as well. Good luck, good fortune, and long life!

[@tammysantana7200]

That stuffed dragon on Jessica’s left is the most adorable thing ever. Happy Birthday Jessica. Happy New Year to all of you.

[@HOHNancy]

I enjoyed Claudia’s tutorial and even the whole video about the culture of Maylasia🙂 Happy Birthday to Jessica! ❤️

[@ThatRomyKate]

I love seeing these glimpses of Malaysian/Chinese culture! I’d love to visit some day 😊

[@conancat]

"Just because you're gay doesn't mean you can stop being Malaysian" exactly!! We're here, we exist!! Gay Malaysians ❤️🧡🌈

[@pinkdoor85]

Happy belated birthday, Jessie! So happy to see you guys in video after following along on your trip via Instagram. I pray this year holds many miracles for you & Claud, and little Roo, too. ❤️

[@jennifers5560]

Love their Instagram stories!

[@megdelaney3677]

Lovely outfits both of you are wearing during the twirl!🌹

[@elspethfougere9683]

Awwe this is so lovely to see.. I'm so glad you guys have been able to keep going with your goal of making a unique family culture and really living with all your heritages integrated with you and your children ❤ its wonderful to see 🎉 I have to celebrate a personal win that you guys have helped me with so so much, Im just so incredibly thankful to you Jessica, seeing you take a wheelchair through the end of the airport trip - it gives me so so much courage.. (seeing your talks about wheelchairs years ago helped me heaps at the begining of my scary spinal injury journey). In a weeks time I'm going to take a flight for the first time, after a spinal rupture 3 years ago and endless bedrest, intense pain, and endless physio because we have a massive family reunion with 5 generations from one set of great grandparents who are all still very connected as family, and I'm so so glad to be able to go. I will need a wheel chair to make it through the airport, and without your role modelling about being an ambulatory wheelchari user, i wouldn't have the confidence, and probably actually wouldnt go! I'm suuuuuper nervous but also comforted by seeing you do it - and it seems so silly but it actually brings tears to my eyes to feel supprted and encouraged in this way, just seeing someone else do it! Seeing you recover more and more over time and keep achieveing your goals gives me so much hope, and seeing you guys back in Malaysia a year later makes me aware how far Ive also come in a year since the last one! So yeah lots of love to you guys across the world, I know we're all technically strangers but it is so lovely the way you guys share your lives like this, Ive followed for so many years now, and it really has meant the world to me, during this terrible period of my life. I cant wait til I can travel internationally again, so asides for being glad for you guys, and seeing your with all the relis and cousins, and its also very encouraging to see and imagine for me too 💕

[@jennifers5560]

Hope you have a wonderful time at your reunion! ❤

[@logo9470]

Yes enjoy your reunion! I am also an ambulatory wheelchair user and Jessica has definitely helped me to accept that it’s ok to use what I need to to get around comfortably.

[@chefboyarzee]

I always love the Malaysia vlogs so much! Happy Lunar New Year everyone! ❤

[@TheBigWeeLeilu]

I am also year of the rabbet, and last year was certainly pretty horrendous for me. It turned out ok though so yay! My sister was born last year so we now share the year of the rabbet and I find that pretty special.

[@lazylittledragon]

only 1 minute in but that is the classiest luggage set i've ever seen

[@orientexpress9985]

Yes, very lovely luggage. What brand/where did you purchase the suitcases from?

[@IceNixie0102]

I LOVE the blue floral top Claudia is wearing.

[@flyingpigfarm1]

I’m a Wood Dragon, too - so I’m gonna go rock me some red accessories! Rupert looked comfy and happy on the plane - I wish I could have my own lie-in tent for long-haul flights!

[@friendlyfilmz]

I am just delighted by all of this. I literally watched all of this with a big happy stupid smile on my face. Such joy. I’m so happy for you and your beautiful family to be having such wonderful wholesome family and cultural fun. Just so wonderful. 🤗

[@PhoebeFayRuthLouise]

I always love the videos of the two of you talking and laughing together! Couple goals!

[@814912]

I learned recently that Easter is always on the Sunday after the first full moon in spring (aka after the spring equinox. So it could fall any time from the 21st March, depending on how late the full moon is). So it IS quite similar to the lunar new year in how it's calculated

[@freesiajasmine534]

This was so interesting! My knowledge of Chinese New Year customs is very limited, & I know almost nothing about Malaysia. Hope you have a lovely time and happy birthday to Jessica!

[@conancat]

Malaysia mentioned!! I hope you enjoyed our country! 😄😄😄🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾

[@kuhdeejugh]

happy belated birthday, jessica! 🎉 a belated welcome back to malaysia and happy chinese new year ❤🧧🇲🇾

[@kristinasasnauskaite5092]

Happy Birthday Jessica🎂

[@sylviatan6061]

Such an entertaining and fun video. You both look stunning. Gorgeous family. ❤

[@StephS40]

Happy birthday, Jessica! I love watching your videos, and I can’t wait to see each one.

[@sallyjordan4869]

I hope the new year is a good one for you three (and, I hope, a fourth to come 🤞). 🎀💖🎀

[@honorcollins6962]

Happy Chinese New Year! 🧧🏮🪭

[@ReiyukaE]

loved this as being from the same Rabbit year als Claudia

[@boredgrass]

Delighted to see you in so good spirits! Claudia, I loved your presentation of the Chinese zodiacs! I really enjoyed this and I am looking forward to hear more from you, especially about your photography! Keep up the the good work!

[@moonflowerkei]

omg i love Claudia's batik blue outfit!

[@Domnom87]

I'm also an 87 rabbit. Found your prediction of your upcoming year (and mine) eerily accurate. I work in construction and the development work is all drying up at a rate. I have however just put in an offer on my first house so I'm hoping the good luck holds on that front 😂

[@LizTiddington]

Going to Chinese New year celebrations has been my thing for like a decade. I was so gutted to miss it this year, but I cooked a massive East Asian feast at home with my family to celebrate instead 🍜🥟

[@reneemckinnon5731]

I love watching your Malaysia videos each year and I was randomly wondering how hot it would be when you were going there this year lol 😂 I live in Western Australia and we’re going through several extreme heat waves, the other day it was 49.1 degrees Celsius! 😅 I don’t function well in this heat because I have chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia which causes dysregulation of my body temperature, so I’m not having a great time. I’m determined to buy an air conditioner ASAP and at least I’ll be cool at home 👍🏽 I hope your trip was amazing, I really enjoy seeing how Rupert is really embracing his family and culture 🫶🏼🥰

[@CreativeSteve69]

Wishing you a Happy Birthday Jessica! As well as happy lunar new years to!! :)

[@gracelarmee]

That blue top looks so pretty on Claudia!!! I don't know if the shirt makes her skin look like its glowing, if its the lighting, or the sun she was getting but either way, she looks really pretty!! And Jessie looks beautiful in all Christmas color shades - green always looks good on red heads and I find that red typically doesn't look as good cause it will clash with the hair but it always somehow looks amazing on Jessica, I don't know how she does it

[@ShortOrderCook]

Loved your video! I've been waiting to see what you've been up to! A year has gone by so quickly, seems like you were only there a few months ago! Enjoy your holiday! Enjoy the sunshine. Looking forward to the next video!

[@heliosash4675]

Happy Lunar New Year! The mic was rough in this one. Thank you for sharing your multicultural experience!

[@eyeseajujubee]

Happy Belated Birthday and Happy Lunar New Year!! 🎉🎉

[@saphiquefemme]

🥳🎉🪩 Happiest birthday wishes to you! Fun and safe travels wishes to you and your family 🌏😊 How exciting!🛫 Happy Chinese New Year 🐉🇨🇳🎊 I knew I was a horse, but thanks to your video I researched and found out I am a metal horse. Kudos to you both for going above and beyond to celebrate and share your family's culture and traditions. Sending happy holiday vibes. Definitely write that book! Maybe consider writing a similar children's book about your family's adventures learning the cultural traditions or recipes or signing. Either way, it will be a success. Have a fun year of the Dragon filled with joy, happiness and abundance 😊

[@alexamain]

Happy birthday Jessica!!💕💕

[@middlemuse]

You both look so happy and relaxed in Malaysia. It’s lovely to see.

[@CazAvery]

Jewish and Muslim calendars also follow the lunar cycles, it's so interesting to see multiple different cultures all using the moon to mark time passing. I am looking into my zodiac (Wood Dog), and what that might mean about the year ahead - my spouse is also the same sign as me, so I guess we only get one 'bad' year but it's extra bad? I have quite bad flight anxiety, any tips for not passing that on to any children/how to manage the anxiety of putting my child/ren into what (in my mind, despite not being true) is an 'unsafe' situation? If not that's also ok!

[@megdelaney3677]

Happy Birthday! Happy New Lunar Year! ❤

[@anxen]

This was delightful! I love cultural exploration from the on the ground POV. Happy birthday Jess and Happy Chinese or New Year of the Dragon, may it go smoothly for everyone. ❤

[@C0WB0YKING]

“Finish writing that book” fellas, did you see that

[@cheesecakelasagna]

Ooooh, timestamp please? Edit: I just reached it, it's at 15:05!

[@justwalkingby3882]

Fun fact: The rabbit 🐰 in Chinese NY is the cat 🐱 for LNY in Vietnam.

[@VulcanOnWheels]

Happy belated birthday, Jessica!

[@imaminidonut2792]

Happy belated birthday to you,Jessica

[@brionyhall4250]

Travelling with chronic migraine tips 🎉

[@dirzaghdheerik5998]

27:40 fun fact Yee Sang is made in Malaysia more specifically Negeri Sembilan a state on the west coast. It's a cultural dish in Malaysia and Singapore....and you forgot Singapore wow 😂😂😂

[@zurzakne-etra7069]

to be fair, all cultural Singaporean things are usually Malaysian, but it's not always true the other way around

[@danijanyne]

I have a question for Jessica: how do you eat when you’re in Malaysia with your food allergies and things?

[@FWHfishing-with-hayden]

Happy Birthday Jessica! ____________________________________________ I can't believe Rupert is getting so big now

[@enbyjedi]

I just wanted to thank you. I’m not deaf but I am a bit hard of hearing. Your captions are always on point and greatly appreciated

[@leahstumm9662]

Happy belated birthday Jessica!💜🎂💜

[@TravelWithBen121]

Great vlog! Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐

[@JennCampbell]

Easter HOPS all over! 😂😂😂 It is the first Sunday AFTER the first full moon AFTER the Spring Equinox. 😅

[@ja.ck.IE_Ma.kw09]

I NEED THE DRAGON!! Ahhhhh it is so cute!! 😍😍🐉

[@vincentkohlumcfan22]

Thank you truly for visiting Malaysia 💖💖

[@alisonbarker3862]

Wonderful, wonderful video! Very enjoyable,

[@OMG_ItsDrJennie]

Fantastic video - really enjoyed it ❤❤

[@cchambersglenn]

My sister-in-law is Chinese Malaysian. Many in her family live in KL.

[@marianneshepherd6286]

Hope you all have a fantastic time ❤

[@emilytowns2243]

I'd love to know what Rupert is sleeping on whilst on the plane, looks like a mini bed thing?!

[@jessicaoutofthecloset]

We will cover this in next week's episode: travelling with a toddler!

[@yasminceleste3844]

Love love love the travel vlogs! And a,ways so interesting to hear more about Malaysia!

[@jwb52z9]

34C is a nice moderate Summer in Texas most years. I had no idea that Malaysia had such a warm climate.

[@ladyflimflam]

Malaysia is considerably farther south than Texas. Kuala Lumpur is at 3 degrees north, that’s equatorial. All of Texas is north of the Tropic of Cancer.

[@sarashalovelo6797]

Your boy is so big !!! Looks like so much fun!!

[@safiremorningstar]

Quality is positively glowing she has a really nice outfit on that suits for very well. Voice to text sucks that should read Claudia is positively ... Well you know the rest.

[@10puppyluv]

Rather late but i wouldnt worry about Rupert getting a bit "sick" the first day after travel i would get like that as a kid we'd go from the midwest in the winter/early spring to visit my grandma in sunny flordia and id always end up very tired and with a bit of a fever the first day after traveling and then almost immediately bounce back after a day of rest.

[@justwhistlinpixie]

I'm a dragon like Jessica. I'm indeed having a hard time selling my house! But, I'm having a baby this year, so they will be a dragon like me! As long as my baby is healthy I will be happy.

[@MrTimcoronel]

'diaspora' is the word you're looking for at about 29:00

[@Sarawinky]

happy birthday jessica

[@alisonbarker3862]

Happy Birthday, Jessica. x

[@catherinejustcatherine1778]

Belated Happy Birthday Thank you for sharing

[@farmhandler]

early comments are very weird. thanks for the vid and a peek into your life!

[@logo9470]

As a last minute everything person, I would have died had my taxi arrived 20 min early 😮😮😮. Raise your hands if you’re like me 😂🙌

[@JustSaralius]

Question for Jessica: Do you have family in Sweden that you are in contact with? I don't remember if you've said how much that side of the family is in your life, just that you have some Swedish traditions. Sorry if I'm being nosy or if that is not something you want to share. In that case, just ignore. Much love!

[@tolkienbliss]

I have never seen your video so quickly :D

[@Thiago_99]

Yeah me neither!

[@李恩柔婷]

welcome to malaysia happy chinese new year🎉❤😊

[@ambersiyin]

love Claudia’s batik qipao! Where did she get it from?

[@Boggythefroggy]

My former supervisor at a lab job I had in university gave me a red envelope at Chinese new year, and I’ve somehow lost it somewhere in my desk and I really hope I find it😭 It had his family name on it and it was so pretty, I really hope to find it sometime in the near future. Also I for some reason didn’t realize maneki neko are also a Chinese thing, that makes a lot of sense haha.

[@nwgreen7833]

Thanks!

[@maggiemacha5552]

Wonderful video, fun, informative, fascinating!

[@susanpolastaples9688]

Claudia's blouse is pretty.

[@giu7210]

After learning that information about the year of the dragon I'm visibly worried since I am one. This year I wanted to take the boldest choices of my life. I can't believe destiny itself is working against it

[@helenm1085]

Is making bold choices not a disruption and a change in itself? And also nice things offset bad things, so maybe the plans you have for yourself will offset other problems. Idk. I think life is full of highs and lows and it's understandable that you might worry about bold choices, but I hope they turn out really well for you!

[@glampermeg7254]

Happy Birthday!

[@annabrown3337]

Belated Happy birthday and lunar New year 🎉❤

[@wallspace5]

I'm always very curious about how you survive with POTS in the hot weather!

[@lemonadeinspace]

I wonder gardening, farming is a wooden or earth activity?

[@amywelch1894]

I know it's unlikely that Jessica will see this, but I have to ask...how do you deal with the long flight when you have EDS? I have some hypermobility and joint pain (no diagnosis yet) and I can't even fly across the Atlantic without it really messing up my knees.

[@Sophie-pi4ov]

Loved this one. ❤

[@TheSquishySnail]

I too love Llaollao. :D

[@sarahkhan2310]

祝福大家龙年大吉大利新春快乐🙏🥰❤🌸🌺🪷🧧🏮🧨🐲🐉