So it's been a while since I wrote on here. That's because I've been busy doing so no time to write about it. Tonight I have time so here goes. I have lots of little thoughts and random events to string together so I hope I don't lose anyone.
As I sit here on my couch I have realized some new traits in me that make me more like a local. I tried the whole polite excuse me thing for a while but when you're on the train and the doors are about to close and you have to get off and you say excuse me and no-one moves you have to physically push people out of your way. I know - sucks - but that's the way here sometimes. Believe me those doors are unforgiving. They aren't like the elevator door where if you stick something in the way they will open back up. Nope...they will close on you or whatever you stick in there and stay shut and the train will start moving...how do I know that? Well...one day a lady stuck her newspaper in the door. It shut and she was able to yank it out as the train pulled away but barely. Then a woman stuck her bag in the door. The doors closed and her bag was stuck in the door as the train started to go. We all reached to help get it for her but then the train guy noticed and the train stopped with a halt almost knocking us all on our fannys. It was actually pretty comical. I took a picture. I'll try and post it. Don't get in the way of train doors - they are merciless...
The next trait is my ability to weave through large crowds at a fast pace. I am improving. Always on my toes here. It's almost like a video game sometimes and the more I "play" the better I get. People are always shopping here. Always. Bizarre.
The next thing I noticed was my after work snack was dried seaweed and these soy and seaweed flavored rice cake snacks. Huh. And I like it. I had sushi from the grocery store for lunch Sunday. It's much different here. I had some kind of roll with flying fish roe on it. Ernie made faces at me but it was really good. A little strong on the wasabi though. A bit painful for my nasal passages. Eric - I thought of you. I do eat my American food when I can find it though. Last night we had burgers from this place called Triple O's - I guess it's a Canadian chain. Oh - it was sooooo good. So don't worry too much.
I have become a great navigator. I managed to map out my whole trip to Wan Chai on the main Island to get some art supplies. Then Ernie said can you find a Subway (the sandwich place) and I found that too and mapped it out and off we went and we didn't even get lost. I love the trains here - they are so easy to use.
I am picking up some words too. I don't know how to spell them but hiyah, hiyah means yeah or yes, Hi-itsa (sounds like that) means the next station is, djo san (sounds like that) means good morning. My daan means check please and mmm goi means excuse me or thank you. I recognize other sounds but don't know them as words yet. But that's pretty good for two months.
Other random stuff - Asian women shouldn't dye their hair lighter - it turns orange. My hair is destined to be frizzy and gross here no matter what I put in it so I give up. Older people here are always exercising or doing some sort of movement on the walking/biking path. It's neat. I think they are on to something here...they really don't have the same deodorant here but not too many people smell...when the wind blows from China it's really smoggy here. When the wind blows from the sea it's nice. I like walking so much most days. I don't mind the rain here because it's never usually for that long. It's not easy to run a few quick errands. You have to go to the malls mostly for stuff and that's always a process. Or there is a "street" like kitchen street or sneaker street with shops all of that nature. But that's okay. There are deals to be found.
My classes are sweet and adorable and we are having a lot of fun together. They have started bringing me pictures most every day. I love praying with them and teaching them about life. It is a blessing. And I am humbled and honored that God would choose me to do such an important job as teach these little ones about Him. He has blessed us and provided for us so well to be able to do this.
Okay, trips we've done - we went to Central and to Soho and had Mexican. It's really neat there and we barely explored it. We took the world's longest escalator - the mid-level travelator. It was cool. We took the ferry across the harbor. We took a special boat to the Island of Macau. It's actually a separate SAR (Special Administrative Region) and so our passports got stamped. We had dinner at an amazing Portuguese restaurant called Fernandos that's famous. I took pictures. We had fun, we got lost, we found our way and it was interesting. We had Japanese curry, we went to the fire dragon parade for mid-autumn festival which is a big holiday here. It's almost like Thanksgiving for us where families get together and have a feast. The children brought me mooncakes and we had a lantern parade. Again - I took pictures.
We've just been living every moment we can with lots planned for the future. We will have to see what tomorrow brings. :) I cannot believe this week will be October 1st. We have been here 2 months and 3 days already. Wow - time is flying. Well, until next time...much love to you all.
Veronica
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Another Update from Hong Kong
Right after I posted the last blog entry I came down with a horrible head cold. That's all it was but it kicked my butt! I was down for a good four days and missed two days of school. My first Hong Kong bug! I've been told I'm in for a lot more. Bummer - my immunity was finally pretty strong last school year and I only suffered from allergies...well after the experience of living out here I ought to be pretty tough!
I was on my way to school today and it hit me - I'm living in Hong Kong! It's been such a whirlwind that sometimes you just have to step back and see the experience for what it is. I've always wanted to experience another culture and not just as a tourist. And here I am. And I was thinking - it's so different to live here then to just visit and how cool is that?
We had dinner last night at the apartment of another couple from our school ICS. They are originally from California. He teaches middle school science and math and she taught the grade above me but has two kids and stays home now. Ernie coaches track with him. They've been here five years. It was our first experience in a true Hong Kong apartment. Up until now we've been bouncing around the 7th floor here and we all have basically the same apartments. This couple lives on the 35th floor of their building! That's higher then the tallest building in Phoenix which I believe has only 32 floors and they weren't at the top. I thought it was so cool but Ernie wasn't so fond of being up that high. Their views were amazing but apartments here are tiny! Tiny!!! It makes our school apartment feel so spacious! Mostly it's the kitchens. They don't really have built in ovens - they don't do that here. It's all counter top convection ovens. But I guess they don't really bake much so it's all good for them. We Americans struggle with that...there are plenty of bakery's around though. :)
The weeks are going fast here - we are always so busy! There are plenty of things to do and see when we aren't working. And Hong Kong people keep long hours. They work late and do stuff after - we are the lame ones who go to bed too early. It's a crazy, exciting place. I am looking forward to our long four day weekend in two weeks though - I feel like I've been working since I got here and need more then two days off. So that will be good. It's fall festival or something like that. It's all about the mooncakes right now. That's really interesting. There are several stories that go with them and who knows what the right one really is. It's kind of like mythology. Anyway, they are filled with sesame or lotus paste and some have chocolate but not like a chocolate cake. It's an interesting texture. I like the lotus paste ones a lot and my co-workers were surprised and said I like so many things that I must have Asian somewhere in me! I didn't care much for the sesame one - I don't much like sesame. I guess most Westerners don't like mooncakes at all. But everywhere kiosks and shops have opened up selling them. Hagen Daaz even does them here. It's huge. So that's neat to experience.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll try and take more videos or something soon! Thanks for reading.
I was on my way to school today and it hit me - I'm living in Hong Kong! It's been such a whirlwind that sometimes you just have to step back and see the experience for what it is. I've always wanted to experience another culture and not just as a tourist. And here I am. And I was thinking - it's so different to live here then to just visit and how cool is that?
We had dinner last night at the apartment of another couple from our school ICS. They are originally from California. He teaches middle school science and math and she taught the grade above me but has two kids and stays home now. Ernie coaches track with him. They've been here five years. It was our first experience in a true Hong Kong apartment. Up until now we've been bouncing around the 7th floor here and we all have basically the same apartments. This couple lives on the 35th floor of their building! That's higher then the tallest building in Phoenix which I believe has only 32 floors and they weren't at the top. I thought it was so cool but Ernie wasn't so fond of being up that high. Their views were amazing but apartments here are tiny! Tiny!!! It makes our school apartment feel so spacious! Mostly it's the kitchens. They don't really have built in ovens - they don't do that here. It's all counter top convection ovens. But I guess they don't really bake much so it's all good for them. We Americans struggle with that...there are plenty of bakery's around though. :)
The weeks are going fast here - we are always so busy! There are plenty of things to do and see when we aren't working. And Hong Kong people keep long hours. They work late and do stuff after - we are the lame ones who go to bed too early. It's a crazy, exciting place. I am looking forward to our long four day weekend in two weeks though - I feel like I've been working since I got here and need more then two days off. So that will be good. It's fall festival or something like that. It's all about the mooncakes right now. That's really interesting. There are several stories that go with them and who knows what the right one really is. It's kind of like mythology. Anyway, they are filled with sesame or lotus paste and some have chocolate but not like a chocolate cake. It's an interesting texture. I like the lotus paste ones a lot and my co-workers were surprised and said I like so many things that I must have Asian somewhere in me! I didn't care much for the sesame one - I don't much like sesame. I guess most Westerners don't like mooncakes at all. But everywhere kiosks and shops have opened up selling them. Hagen Daaz even does them here. It's huge. So that's neat to experience.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll try and take more videos or something soon! Thanks for reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)