In a place where the familiar can seem so distant, Penn State graduate students and their children were able to feel a little closer to home through the community celebration of Lunar New Year.

Penn State students and their children from countries such as China, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Peru, Kenya, Bolivia and many others participated in the fifth annual dragon dance and parade.

Students and children braved the fierce wind and cold temperatures, as the parade began its march at Eastview Terrace Community Center and proceeded to University Drive, crossed Hastings Road and eventually ended at the community center again.

The main attraction at the small parade was the dragon that led the group of people through, to and from the community center. The dragon was created last year by children in the after school program and a local artist.

Hudson Chiang (graduate-kinesiology) is from Taiwan and was the head of the dragon. Chiang said the parade was a lot smaller than what would occur in Taiwan.

"There are lions, dragons and usually 30 people performing maneuvers that are very smooth," Chiang said.

Chiang also mentioned that he visited Taiwan this summer and that the event provides a bittersweet happiness.

"Yeah, I miss home," Chiang said.

As Chiang led the group of children and onlookers, one young man in particular led the dragon, virtually directing the entire affair.

Twelve-year-old Ngoni Tsemunhu had the job of holding the gold scepter that would lead the dragon. Tsemunhu is from Zimbabwe and first arrived at Penn State last year. The first Penn State event he encountered was the Lunar New Year parade, he said. Tsemunhu said he especially likes the parade because "We get all this candy!"

As children followed Tsemunhu and the dragon, they banged on cans to give the dragon a rhythm to dance to. Although the rhythm was slightly off, the dragon was still able to make its way up the street and across the intersection of Hastings Road and University Drive, causing Penn State Police Services to stop traffic.

And as the students and children made their way around Graduate Circle, banging loudly on their homemade drums, Penn State graduate students critiqued the parade, comparing it to how they usually celebrate in their homeland.

"We only hold family parties on New Year," said Cecily Liying (graduate-biology). "It's a time for family togetherness."

Solomon Lai (graduate-kinesiology) said that the size of the parade was small compared to what he is used to in Taiwan, however the thought of the parade goes way beyond the aesthetics of the event.

"It's very small compared to what I'm used to, but it's for the kids. If we can make them happy, then I think that's all good," Lai said.

At the end of the parade, the students and children came in from the frigid cold to warm themselves up with different kinds of dumplings and fortune cookies.

Frank Wenger (senior-history and East Asian studies) said that although many in the graduate community and their children are seas apart from their families, events like these provide a close and warm environment that is familial in nature.

"This is definitely a great thing," Wenger said, "and it shows that the community is just really tight knit."