so this is HK summer

There was a drowning on Pui O Beach last week. Just as the lifeguards went off duty at precisely 6 oclock, a 19 year old university student who was here for a day of sand and surf, drowned. Fire trucks pulled up followed by hoards of cop cars and ambulances, and half of South Lantau too. I'm not sure of the details, but this is just one tragic incident that seems to be occurring more often than not in HK's waters. According to an article in the South China Morning Post, drownings have increased 155% after the government decided to swap the full-time more experienced lifeguards for younger, part-time (aka CHEAPER) ones. See pic.

Heavy rain and wind whipped through Hong Kong the past few days. At work, the waves were crashing right into the sliding doors of the restaurant as we yelled to each other over the roar of the waves. It was a "Heavy Rainstorm", The Hong Kong Observatory says. And so they only issued a warning signal #3 which, in my opinion, was way off the chart. It should've been closer to a signal #8 (which means everything shuts down and people are sent home). According to reports, where we were on Lantau Island, winds were recorded to have reached 209 km/hr. That is no mere 'heavy rainstorm'. Trees were completely uprooted, and anything that wasn't bolted down was sent flying in every which direction. Matt even saw a yacht washed up to shore from his office window and a mast of another boat snapped in two! The HK Observatory has defended its issue of the #3 warning signal but has promised to revamp its system.

Work has been extremely busy. We managed to finish the document for Friday's meeting where we presented it to 'a very special lady in the education field in Hong Kong who will have a lot of say in the success of our outdoor ed programme.' It was a lot of revamping the old programme into a new 'look' and also ensuring the aims of the national curriculum were met. It was fun and challenging and we've only just touched the surface. It's been good team-bonding to say the least. We've been taking our regular breaks of brownie&tea and the occasional dip in the sea (we all abandoned our computers after an intense meeting and went surfing for the afternoon - it was fantastic, what a rush!) Now our task is to write up the meat of the program in terms of lesson plans and training manual. But i get to skip out for a week...

In about 12 hours, we'll be making our way to the airport. Mom should be boarding her flight in Ottawa any time soon. It's been go go go the past few days and not that i don't welcome a change of scenery, but i would like a day of R&R here at home to do absolutely nothing first. Have been feeling a bit moody and today i'm plagued with stomach cramps and my bed looks so tempting...

After the summer, I'll be returning to University to do my postgrad degree in Education. I just went to pick up my schedule; that anxious/excited feeling of starting school again is growing strong. Dad will also be going back to school, to fulfill a dream he's had for a long time: to retire as anAssociate from Shoppers Drug Mart and take the Executive MBA course at Queen's University in Canada. He wrote the entrance exam the other week and passed - well done!

There is something very nice about going 'back to school' with Dad, well, at the same time i mean. We can talk about studying, reading, researching and making deadlines together. We can give each other moral support on assignments and exams. We can be proud of the other for following through with his/her dream of going back to school.

Happy Birthday Anice

May your year be as beautiful and inspiring as the sunrise.

HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

It's our one year anniversary. To commemorate our Canadian Wedding (July 23) and our Jersey Wedding (July 29) we decided to dine in in the comfort of our own home.

Living in HK provides one with the luxury of good food at reasonable prices at all hours of the day, and so we figured going out for dinner wouldn't be as special as preparing one ourselves.

So after spending 2 hours at the grocery store, we went home and managed to create a feast of Sushi a la Thornington. Wrapped in seaweed, we had mackeral, eggs, veggies, pumpkin salad, mangoes and sticky rice as our filling. It was delicious, messy and very 'us.'

working in a bikini

Just taking a mini break here at work. It's been ridiculously hot in HK the past few days. Apparently thundershowers will roll in in the middle of the week to break up the intense heat. Thank goodness. In the meantime, i'm working in an open area with no a/c in 44 degrees Celcius, and being on the computer doesn't help either. But i suppose after 40 degrees it doesn't really matter. This heat can't be good for the machines either, can it?

However, as the old saying goes: Be grateful for the good things in life. And i am. I get a stunning view of Pui O Beach from my computer (see pic) and just a few metres away is the ocean. Katy (Corporate Communicator for Treasure Island) and i have just returned from a quick dip to cool off. We even had mini schools of fish leaping in the air around us as we lounged in the water, which incidentally enough felt like a jacuzzi. Instead of coffee breaks, we take swim breaks. Even as my sweat pours over the keyboard, i have to say it really doesn't get much better.

Ok, time to be productive again before the next break.

Surf's Up

After narrowly missing our connecting flight back to Hong Kong (delay in Dusseldorf airport from all the England fans returning home on a Sunday), I finished my last week of work at Bradbury School. Because the school will be going under intense renovations and repairs during the summer, we had to inventory everything in the classroom and pack it into boxes. Everything was done in good time and by Thursday there was nothing left to do so I bid farewell to the kids and John.

The next day I started work at Treasure Island, an outdoor educationan organization that offers HK residents an opportunity to experience outdoor activities (camping, hiking, abseiling, kayaking, biking, surfing, snorkelling, sailing, gorging, dolphin watching). Our philosophy is to spread awareness of the natural environment where even in a bustling urban city, it is crucial to maintain a harmonious balance between resources and consumption. I had already visited Treasure Island with Bradbury School on a day-trip (see previous blog entry) and just my luck, they needed more female instructors for the summer, so I was taken onboard almost immediately as Outdoor Education Teacher/Co-ordinator.

This past week was the Surf Camp and by Friday I was absolutely drained from being outside all day (not to mention it was the hottest day recorded in HK on Wednesday this year!). Besides keeping 35 kids (5-10 years old) in line, I was riding on ferries 3 hours each day going between HK Island and Treasure Island (which also comes with the joy of projectile vomit from various pale-faced kids). All in all, it was a fun-filled week and by Friday I had long perfected the art of not-yelling-until-absolutely-necessary. They don't teach you that at school i betcha!

Some of my responsibilities are to lead the Arts and Crafts activity, to develop a template of lesson plans for future use and to coordinate and train youth volunteers on leadership and outdoor edu skills. On the weeks where I won't be leading Surf Camps, I will be coordinating schedules and writing curriculum for an outdoored program based on the British National Curriculum. This second component of the job will be great prepartion for my course in Uni, where I will be working in collaboration with other educators on how best to package a 5-day overnight camp to HK highschool students whereby experiential learning through outdoor activities is most effective.
* Picture of cutie Oliver and his missing front tooth on the ferry ride home. As exhausting as they are, it's these sorts of cheeky smiles that make it all worthwhile.

Other unrelated updates:

I've finished my 3 mandatory motorbike lessons and now i just have to practice a bit until my exam at the end of August. I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I've enjoyed the whole experience and can hardly wait to be let loose on the streets! (No worries, I will be very careful. In fact Matt is constantly stressing Health & Safety so it is drilled into my head). The instructors have all been extremely patient and encouraging. I was a bit doubtful at how well i would be able to cope during the lectures since it was all in Cantonese. Even though I have an English manual and they try to inject a few English words here and there, I'm thankful I can at least follow along.

The first test is only the off-road part (cornering, emergency braking, shifting gears). After that, i must get a learner's permit, take a few more lessons on-road and then take another test which will entitle me to a full motorbike license. I've already got my own helmet and gloves and Matt's been looking into second hand bikes for me online. Excited? Oh, extremely.

As always, we've got lots to look forward to this summer. The main one is our holiday in Japan where we will rent a car (with a built-in GPS!!!) and visit Hiroshima, Shimane and surrounding area where Matt used to live/work. Anice and Mom will join us in the middle of the week and we'll stay at a rural onsen and attend one of the biggest shrine festivals of the year.

Then Mom and Dad (who will be flying over a week later bearing Coffee Crisps and Quaker Harvest cereal - no that's not a hint, just a hunch) will come to HK for a week where I'm sure we'll be doing lots of visiting relatives, seeing the places where they grew up, etc. I can't wait to see their reaction after so many years! Did someone say full circle?

Quarter Final: ENGLAND vs. PORTUGAL!

The stadium in Gelsenkirchen was brimming with noise, nerves and mainly England fans in red and white.

Appropriately enough, today was also Canada Day and so what a coincidence to be consumed in a sea of red and white people, deliriously happy from sun and drink. It would have been the exact atmosphere happening across the pond.

Unfortunately, Englad couldn't handle the pressue and lost after going all the way to penalty shots. There was drama up until the last moment and the now-famous incident of Rooney doing the crotch-stomp on Carvalho happened to a disgusted crowd of over 50,000.

Well, we definitely got our value for money. Gotta start saving up for the next World Cup in 2010: SOUTH AFRICA!

Camping at Lake Mohenesee

Gutentag! Just a klein entry here.

Here we are: in Hamm, Germany, at an internet cafe, sun shining, tummy full of pumpernickel bread and creamy cakes, everyone psyched for the Germany vs. Argentina game this afternoon... !!

We´ve been camping at a beautiful lakeside campground by Lake Mohenesee with Sue and Guy. Couldn´t ask for better weather, rented bikes yesterday and stopped off at a Canadian log cabin for some cold bier. Lots of good hikes too, delicious breads and cheese and cakes - omigod, heaven!

Our London weekend was good. More to come at a later date. Basically we crammed in an Eritrean christening, met with some of Matt´s friends, saw the Body Exhibition (recommended!) at the museum, and of course saw as many football matches as possible.

Tomorrow we take the train into Gelsenkirchen to watch the quarter final match between ENGLAND and Portugal!!!! We were so happy when England qualified for the quarter final, but whether they will pick up speed and actually play well as a team has yet to be determined. Nevertheless it´ll be a good rowdy game. I´ve been learning the names of the players and to toot my own horn, I´m getting quite good! We´ve got the shirts and facepaint all ready to go! Hope i can sleep tonight, I´m very excited!!

Tchus!

Yohanna's Christening

We were blessed to be asked to be godparents to one of Matt's old classmates from Atlantic College in Wales, Ghebre and his wife Nigisty. Their third child, Yohanna, a son, was born in January and although Eritrean custom dictates that he be baptised within 40 days, we couldn't make it to London until this weekend. Fortunately the family and Orthodox priest understood. What a celebration it was! After a 5 hour ordeal at the church, there was a reception with delicious homemade Eritrean food and home brewed liquor.

After absolutely stuffing ourselves with injere and curries, the band played traditional music while we all got up to dance. Pictured here is baby Yohanna's great-grandmother dancing as the guest of honour.

It was special to be a part of the sacred rite of passage in the baby's life. Definitely a memorable day.

We even managed to sneak out for a couple of hours to watch the England match at a friend's house. Like they say, the World Cup only happens every 4 years!

Familiar Faces

Uncle Hong, Aunt Ivy and cousin Calvin on a visit from Toronto to Hong Kong, posing on the rooftop of our flat and bounding for joy on DB's beach. Why is it always so nice to see such familiar faces from back home in my present home? The two halves merge and I realize that I am one person connecting the dots in her own world.

quick hello and goodbye

After a final interview and acceptance for my summer job at Treasure Island (more details on that later), attending my first West African drumming class (Matt and I signed up for a beginner's course that runs for 6 weeks), an Ultimate Frisbee league game where we are back on track to winning all of our matches, rushing home sweaty on the ferry, packing, squeezing in two hours of sleep, rushing to work for a hectic day of classes, scrambling to the airport the moment the lunch bell rang, I arrived in Tokyo late Thursday night, high on adrenalin at the start of an exciting long-weekend.

With a lot of sign language, I managed to buy the correct ticket and navigate Tokyo's extensive train system to Anice's place in Niiza, northwest of Tokyo centre and just over two hours by train from the airport. She had just finished work and was pretty tired but she was a good little hostess and cooked us a curry dinner. I couldn't believe how good it tasted - seriously! The last time i think i tried her cooking was a few years back when she made scrambled eggs for breakfast, or something of the like. I think I was more shocked that i was shocked, happily of course. I'll never forget it though.

Another thing I observed, although i always knew it while we were growing up, is how much neater and organized she is than me. Everything has its place and that's it, no messing about. I tend to be a bit more random in where I put things: socks and underwear in the same drawer, shirts and shorts/pants thrown on the same shelf, unhung and/or not folded at all. When you look at my sister's closet, everything is hung neatly, the fronts of shirts/pants all facing the same direction. It could be partly due to the fact that her flat is a typical Japanese apartment, tiny with not very much room to move about in. In any case, it goes without saying that her culniary and organization skills has not gone unnoticed, even from Big Sister.

We talked and ate and pretty soon we collapsed into deep sleep, only to be awakened this morning by the garbage truck doing its weekly run. It plays this ridiculous carousel tune on repeat at full volume so the whole neighbourhood can hear it and rush their trash outside before the truck leaves. The next morning I was awakened by the vibration from the man's alarm clock in the flat upstairs. You would never believe it, but it was L-O-U-D!

My first day in Japan was like complete immersion in some sort of hyper-stimulated world of busy-ness. And yet i found calm and solace in deserted parks, big crowds, my mp3 player. Walked around Ueno Park, the Imperial Palace Gardens, Shinjuku area. The next day I hit Shibuya and got lost for quite a long while. I can spend hours lost in people watching and Tokyo certainly provides one with a bigger range than you'd ever image for people watching.

Riding on the trains during rush hour i felt some sort of normalcy in joining the masses. I never thought that something so trivial could really satisfy me in the way it did; i was part of something, a movement, a flow, but not knowing a soul and vice versa. As strange as it was, it left me feeling content and still, I have to say it was when i was happiest all day.

The concert was fantastic (see previous blog entry). I met up with new friend, Natalie, who also made the trip from HK to see Ben, but she justified it by including a visit to the partner office of where she works into the weekend. We met another random girl, Renee, who was also attending the concert on her own. So the 3 of us hung out all night, front row, dancing and screaming (i lost my voice somewhere between Exodus and Walk Away). I forgot how much I love attending live concerts, such energy and beauty.

The following morning, Natalie, Anice and I met up with Naoko, a friend of Matt's in highschool. She took us to this famous okonomiyaki restaurant in the Harajuku area. We were seated in a cramped room with low ceilings and dim lighting. Infront of us was a hot grill where men in black show off their culinary skills. A show and a feast!

Back to HK later that evening, a quick 4 hour flight. All in all, the weekend's left me feeling more intrigued about how Japan is such a distinct culture within the Asian countries. Will be back soon enough. Thank you Anice for letting me crash on your floor and wear your clothes. Just like old times!

SO worth the trip, and the company ain't bad too ;)

The Ben Harper concert tonight was undescribable, just absolutely fantastic... and then some. I'm sitting here speechless not knowing what to say but wanting to say it all. Ben's got this stage presence, along with his very talented bandmates, that just ooooozes with sex appeal. We were FRONT ROW, standing literally into the railings, crushed from the crowd. Amazing! Going to bed very happy and satisfied, la dee da... ;D

all in a day's delight

We were doing some spelling in class yesterday. Each kid gets his/her own white board with a marker and eraser. We were teaching a Year 1 class (6-7 year olds) and reviewing words that begin with 'blends' such as string & scram, and 'chunks' such as chill, short, thorn.... Us E.A.'s are situated around the room to help with the students' answers and just maintain classroom order. I was seated beside Sarah, a cute brown-haired girl with scabby legs and large green eyes. A decent speller but by no means phenomenal, she suddenly taps me on the leg and shows me her white board. On it she had written in perfect letter formation: I love you. I could hear my heart smiling and told her I loved her back.

Matt's in Hamburg for 9 days, one of the longest spells of separation for us. He left yesterday morning and although I'm super busy with work and hooray- upcoming Japan long weekend!!! i miss him so much already. And so, darling, this is my little "I love you" message on my own electronic 'white-board'.

Tuen Ng Dragon Boat Festival!

Today was a public holiday in Hong Kong, supposedly a day of rest and relaxation, but thousands of keen paddlers got up extra early to row in the annual Dragon Boat competition held in various bays around the city.

I joined the DBMC (Discovery Bay Marina Club) team a couple months back as they were looking for more people to complete their mixed crew. It was my first time ever rowing in a Dragon Boat but I must say it is really exhilerating and quite challenging to get all 20-22 paddlers in synch. Most of the people on my boat live aboard yachts in the Marina. From the stories they tell, it sounds like a fabulous lifestyle with a lot of work. Maybe someday...

Despite practicing only about 10 times, we were all pumped with energy and in top form on race day. With matching uniforms, we geared ourselves up for a terrific first race. We came second in our heat with an incredible time of 2 minutes and 7 seconds. Our second heat we weren't as quick (we blame it on the sausages and buns we had just after heat #1 which must've weighed us down) with a time of 2 minutes and 11 seconds. Still, we were in 10th standing (out of 28) which was pretty darn good, considering we were all beginners.

During our third race we got sandwiched on either side by the other boats and so a re-race was called. One of the boats didn't stay in their lane and the other boat had a steerer who was under some impression that he was also supposed to row for some strange reason, which basically meant their boat ramming into us.

During the re-race there were 4 boats all competing for first place in order to progress to the finals. We pulled out all the stops and put mind, heart, muscle and buckets of sweat into it, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I then raced in the ladies race but because i had literally given it my all in the previous 4 races, i barely had enough energy to lift my paddle up from the water. It was also incredible to feel the difference that a few men make in a boat; the finish line felt a lot further away that time.

It was a fantastic experience nonetheless and i hope to do it again next year. It was nice to see practically all of DB out and about despite the rain showers. There were stalls of food and clothes set up in the plaza along with a stage of performers. Everbody and their dog was in a good mood and there was that buzz in the air that i'm told only happens on this special day in Hong Kong. Buzzed out and all, once the races were completed, I went home and collapsed into a vegetative state on the couch.

*pics of our team in action! Note Liz, our drummer, and our mascot (pink dolphin) on top of her hat.

A rainy mucky HK Frisbee Hat Tourney

From 9-6pm we ran, tossed, caught, slid, jumped and fell countless times into the rain-soaked field. There was thunder, lightning, drizzle, downpour and then, just briefly, clear skies.

The following day was met with pain and bruises felt all over our bodies. Poor Matt had it worse though; while jumping for the disc, he fell hard right onto his left ribcage. Now it is painful for him to execute any sudden movements. He had it checked out at the doctors, got some xrays taken but fortunately nothing is noticeably broken.

So in a nutshell, it was a rainy, muddy, stormy, slip 'n slidy day of Ultimate Frisbee. But oh so very fun, and worth every bump and bruise!

The good, the bad, and the terribly exciting

Haven't felt the urge to update lately but it's not to say life is in the least bit boring.

Work continues smoothly. I adore the team that i work with and of course, am in love with the kids. My boss, John, is another fellow Canadian (former international gymnast!) and just a really patient and wonderful teacher. He's especially great for the young ones who often lack a positive male role model at school. I enjoy the small group work that I do, the one on one lessons and the getting-to-know the other staff members bit. I am learning a lot, by observing and doing, but this past week was especially hard, emotionally that is. Having had no training in working with autistic, ADHD, dyslexic kids, I am left with a lot of open ended questions as to how to approach a certain child in order to ensure maximum learning opportunities.

We live in such a literate society that it is really a handicap if you are unable to read and write. But most of us take it for granted that it's just a natural ability, whereas there are many people who struggle with it continuously at no fault of their own. I readily admit how soft-hearted I am, but being in such close contact with children who can truly fill your heart with such joy and desperation at the same time is just undescribable. And so, I must really acknowledge my team here by saying they have really helped me on this steep growth curve.

* I will be attending the International Conference on Special Education next weekend at HK University which I hope will shed some light on the certain conditions that i must deal with at work, and also gain some tips as to how I should approach these children to ensure effective learning.

Good News: After too much humming and hawing (sp?) about applying for school in September, I finally got my act together and sent in the required forms for the PGDE (Post Graduate Diploma in Education) at HK University, went for a group interview to be accepted into one of their slots - and got in! 8 months of full time study, based mainly on small group learning and in-class teaching, my focus will be on Secondary school, Liberal Studies. Extremely excited about going back to academia learning, and the prospect of many more doors opening for me afterwards.

Bad News: We attended a free Drum Jam at the HK alternative theatre called the Fringe Club, and while i did think of taking off my engagement ring before drumming, I didn't and later on that night around 1am I realized that the ring had been completely squashed down and was blocking circulation. I tried to rub every type of cream on my finger: soap, vaseline, windex, dish detergent, even hemmoroids cream! I then tried dunking my finger in ice cold water for ten minutes to reduce the swelling but the only result was acute pain followed by a dull numbing throb.

The next morning I went to the Emergency ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital where a guy with a teeny tiny saw made for stupid people like me sawed the ring off, releasing me from a night's worth of built-up agony. The worst part of it is that the ring is now ruined. I plan to have the shell reset but still, it won't be anything like the original that was so carefully crafted by a Uygher jeweller in a small shop in er dao qiao in Urumqi. Lesson learned. At least the drum jam was really fun, so much so that Matt and I have signed up for a beginner's course starting in a couple of weeks! No rings allowed!

Exciting News 1: I've gone to apply for a HK driving license (easy transfer if you already have a valid one in your own country) and after picking it up on Monday, I'm going to sign up for a motorbike course. Yeah! I think it will provide a different form of transportation that I've never really considered but think it'll be much more exhilerating, being able to feel the wind in my hair, sun on my face, mozzies in my mouth...

Exciting News 2: Ben Harper -Tokyo - June 10th - yessss! Yup, the second i heard he was performing that weekend, i wanted to go. I've been listening to Ben Harper on repeat these past few days, gearing up to what I envision to be an out-of-this-world concert. I've seen him live at Bluesfest a few years back and was completely taken aback at his huge stage presence. Oooh, i cannot wait! It'll be my first time in Japan (if you don't count the airport) and of course, most importantly, it'll be really great to see the lil' sista again and have her show me around for once!

where does the time go?

All the photos from all three weddings (Toronto, Jersey, Xinjiang) are now printed and placed in albums - hooray! It was just one of those things on the to-do list and it feels bloody good to cross it off. I'm sure we'll appreciate it when years later, we can sit down and browse through the memories.

Astrid, the 2nd mate from the Soren Larsen, the tallship where we spent 10 days on our honeymoon in Vanuatu, came and stayed with us for several days. We took her to frisbee, went round to Stanley Beach, introduced her to Beijing duck and taught her the art of chopstick holding. After a year and a half away from her native Germany, she unfortunately misread her plane ticket and had to stay another night. But it seems the little hiccup was worth it: just shortly after arriving back home, she got offered another job as 2nd mate on another tall ship. Not in the sun and surf of the South Pacific but in the chilly waters of the North Pole!

World Cup fever is under way and Matt and I painted a Costa Rica shirt. Why? While attending workshops in Hamburg, Matt and his colleagues will watch the first match of the World Cup between Germany and Costa Rica. And so it's only fair that someone roots for the other team, right? Go Ticos!

Typhoon Chanchu

Typhoon's a comin', typhoon's a comin! But it looks like it'll just bypass HK, heading more north-east towards Guangzhou in southern China. Still, winds are blowing at a fierce 160 km/hr, humidity stands at 85% and rain is intermittent and unpredictable, one minute it's dry the next it's like God has unleashed an entire dam of tears.

The level 3 typhoon warning has been hoisted as of early this morning. Basically the levels are as follows: 1, 3, 8, 10. I've no idea why they don't go in sequence but what most people care about is if it's a level 8 (schools close and everyone is sent home) or 10 (eye of typhoon is passing directly over HK and you had better stay inside with flashlight in hand). Here is the official HK Observatory website where you can track typhoon Chanchu as it spins its way past HK.

It's just one of those days that makes you want to stay home, curl up on the couch sipping a hot drink and watch a film or read a good book. Sounds like a plan that needs to be implemented immediately.

work, fitness, seedless grapes

Life putters along here.

Work is good, getting the hang of things, kids are recognizing me and have taken to wrapping their scrawny little arms around my knees in great delight, coworkers are incredibly friendly and i enjoy the chats that are shared amongst us expat women. My claim to fame at Bradbury: after my first day of causing the laminator to be out of commission (i was innocently trying to laminate my name card when all of a sudden columns of smoke billows out of the machine and fills the hallway) which required a technician to be called in from town, i've redeemed myself by bringing in some of my banana bread. So instead of "Loser Laminator" I am now known as "Banana Bread Queen", a big improvement to say the least! Tomorrow i'm bringing in some homemade oatmeal cookies, just to be on the safe side.

Last Thursday, I accompanied the Year 6's on a field trip to Treasure Island, a picturesque bay on Lantau Island, two bays down from where we are in Discovery Bay. Founded by a Canadian Vancouverite lady 10 years ago, Treasure Island's mandate is to offer specialized outdoor education to children, youth and adults of HK to develop their social skills and to introduce them to the wonderful world of outdoor adventure (camping, water sports, orienteering, high ropes, rock climbing).

Many HK children have never been exposed to the 'natural elements' which surrounds them in HK. There are fairly regular reports of hikers who are ill-prepared for what they thought would be a leisurely walk in the park. Basic things like not bringing enough water, not protecting themselves from the sun, not wearing proper footwear, all this amounts to a search and rescue mission with helicoptors, no joke. As for HK campers, they are known for bringing all sorts of meats, fishes, sauces, breads, and anything else that is messy and edible, all in plastic containers and plastic bags. After feasting, many of them lack the obvious courtesy of cleaning up after themselves, thus leaving a trail of plastic rubbish and bits of leftover food. I don't need to go on for you to guess what my view on this is.

Back to Treasure Island. So the kids were taught how to build a "King's Chair" out of bamboo and rope. It was an activity that tested their teamwork, leadership and listening skills. After completion, they all raced each other on the beach. We then did a bit of orienteering and compass-reading. After lunch, it was off to the high-ropes, jungle frame, climbing ladder and the kids' favourite: swinging from atop a platform between two trees like Tarzan. So many of them who started off by adamently saying they would never climb a wobbly rope ladder ended up, with a bit of encouragement from the group looking on, at the top in no time with a massive grin plastered on their face, pride mixed with disbelief. What a joy to see!

Still going strong with the dragon boating. Two weeks until the big race and my back and shoulder muscles are a bit more forgiving when i punish them every Sunday morning during practice. Yoga is going swell and Zenny, my instructor, seems to think that pushing me to my extreme pain threshold is fun, and in a way, she's right. Ultimate frisbee is still a weekly regiment and this past Saturday we went out with some of the other players for a farewell party for one of the girls who was leaving to go back to Canada. We sat through 2 hours of an all-you-can-eat buffet at this Brazilian joint in Tsim Sha Tsui, and for a litle more $, you can have all-you-can-drink beer/wine. There was so much meat and alcohol, but no matter, we went dancing afterwards and burned it all off. It had been a while since i've been dancing, t'was a good time.

Yesterday, we had a wonderful day of badminton with friends YK and Tomoe, followed by takoyaki- making at their flat. Takoyaki are these little battered balls stuffed with octopus, ginger and onions. They are dipped in special sauce and mayo, sprinkled with dried seaweed and fish flakes, and are very oishi (delicious).

All in all, I'm still finding my feet here in Hong Kong, going on 7 months, and I've always said it's only a stepping stone to somewhere else. But it's fair to say that HK as been kind to me thus far. It offers everything one could want in an international metropolis, and probably more. You just gotta dig a little deeper. In the meantime, I've taken on a new addiction: seedless red grapes. It's keeping me regular and sane.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM! Love you.

quarter-life queries

Life is not always peaches and roses and i don't pretend it is. But having read a friend's blog recently about how she too only tends to recount the positive and exciting ongoings in her life, I feel obliged at this time to do the same. She says she often misses a lot. And by miss i mean, missing friends, missing certain cafes and restaurants, missing the familiarity of a city and its ways, and basically missing a long-ago lifestyle. Now i know i wouldn't want to go back to my previous lifestyle perse, however i sometimes lose focus on what is to come and what there is that i'm really looking forward to. Am i here or there, where am i headed anyways, and is it really where i want to be/go?

For me, i guess, i want to let those friends whom i don't keep in touch with regularly (a natural condition of the human species, but nevertheless unforgiveable), know that i do think of you and continue to wish you well.

* Dad, thanks for the talk tonight. It's helped me get things into perspective again and to realize that nothing important in life is given, but earned.