18 February is the day when they have just entered the new year in China – the Year of the Fire Horse – and according to the lunar calendar for 2026, today they are already celebrating the second day of the new year.
18 February is also the day I celebrate my birthday, the last day under the sign of Aquarius. My family is far away, and most of my acquaintances are out of Shanghai because of the holidays, so I am the one who has stayed in the city. Nevertheless, I must say that I enjoy the empty, spring-awakening Shanghai and that, for a change, I find myself with an abundance of time – something that will disappear next week, when the fast-paced Shanghai returns.
There will be no birthday celebration in the empty city today, just as there hasn’t been for many years before. Most likely, I will treat myself instead – perhaps with a small indulgence: something grilled, something doughy and savory, maybe a pizza or a hamburger. Dinner with myself has not yet been fully decided, but one thing is certain: a small donation of 100 EUR to Slovenian humanitarian organisation The Anita Ogulin Association, with which I have chosen to gift myself and further brighten an already beautiful spring day.
The organization is named after the late Mrs. Anita Ogulin, one of Slovenia’s greatest humanitarians and volunteers. For many years, she advocated for children’s and human rights and helped countless vulnerable individuals and families toward a more dignified and better life. Shortly before her passing in 2024, she received the Golden Order of Merit, a state decoration awarded by the President of the Republic of Slovenia. Her legacy of kindness and generosity lives on.
18. februar je dan, ko so na Kitajskem pravkar vstopili v novo leto – leto ognjenega konja – in po luninem koledarju za leto 2026 danes praznujejo že drugi dan novega leta.
18. februar je tudi dan, ko praznujem svoj rojstni dan, zadnji dan v znamenju Vodnarja. Moja družina je daleč, večina znancev je zaradi praznikov izven Šanghaja, v mestu pa sem ostal jaz. Navkljub vsemu moram reči, da uživam v praznem, pomladno prebujajočem se Šanghaju in da sem – za spremembo – v časovnem izobilju, ki ga od prihodnjega tedna ne bo več; vrnil se bo hitro drveči Šanghaj.
Praznovanja rojstnega dne v praznem Šanghaju danes seveda ne bo, kot ga ni bilo že marsikatero leto poprej. Najverjetneje pa se bom obdaroval kar sam – z malo pregrehe, s kakšnim žarom, z nečim testnatim in slanim, morda s pico ali hamburgerjem. Večerja s samim seboj še ni povsem dorečena, je pa dorečena majhna donacija v vrednosti 100 EUR slovenski dobrodelni organizaciji Zveza Anita Ogulin, s katero sem se odločil obdariti samega sebe in si polepšati že tako lep spomladanski dan.
Zveza je poimenovana po nedavno preminuli gospej Aniti Ogulin, eni največjih slovenskih dobrodelnic in prostovoljk, ki se je dolga leta zavzemala za otrokove in človekove pravice ter številnim najšibkejšim pomagala do lepšega in dostojnejšega življenja. S strani predsednice Republike Slovenije je tik pred smrtjo leta 2024 prejela državno odlikovanje zlati red za zasluge. Njena dobrodelnost in ime pa živita naprej.