In the heat of the summer, 17-year-old Kelsey Kirkpatrick hangs out in the living room with her cat, Rosie. It’s a typical scene of a teenager at home over her summer break, with only one deviation: The Chinese characters posted above the couch. They spell out “She nian da ji” (pronounced shah neeyan dah gee), literally translated to “Snake year big luck,” or “Good luck in the Year of the Snake.”