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.

vroom vroom

We've been having lots of fun on our new toy! Here's a shot of me practicing how to ride without stalling on a narrow road by the water. It may look like i'm going quite fast but do not be deceived, i've barely just got my feet off the ground.

ongoings

Today i officially started work as an Educational Assistant with the Learning Support Centre at Bradbury School, an international school on The Peak on HK Island. It's one of 19 schools scattered across HK, both secondary and primary, all using the British curriculum. Bradbury is one of the main primary schools of ESF (English School Foundation), the largest international educational body in Asia. Most of the teachers are from overseas, mainly UK, Canada and Australia, and the student body is a pot pourri of local and foreign students, all of them button-nose cute!

To get to work, I have to take a ferry and then a bus, so basically this translates to about 90 minutes of commute time each way door to door, which then means rising at 6am, something that i'll have to discipline myself for. Still, i prefer to live in 'remote' DB than on claustraphobic HK Island; it's just nice to be able to walk out and not have to immediately weave your way around hoards of people, cars, buses, etc. Not to mention the choking fumes.

On Saturday i went to substitute teach at Blink Think, the other part time job I've taken up. My first class was a girl of one and a half years old, no joke. Her nanny sat beside her the whole time. It took a few minutes for her to warm to me but by the end of the 90 minute session, i was truly impresed with her knowledge of the ABC's and 123's, not to mention her ability to focus and sit still for such a long time!

The rest of the day i had a range of 3-6 year olds, all keen and eager, with even keener and more eager parents. Instead of jumping straight into the lesson and for them to get used to a new face, i spent the first few minutes just talking and asking them general questions, like what they had for breakfast and what they have done/will do the rest of the day. Every child, i kid you not, replied by saying that they were on their way or had just come back from, piano/phonics/drawing/karate/swimming/mandarin/math lessons. Only one girl said she might go to her friend's house to play. This type of lifestyle for a 3 year old is normal here in HK. And yet, with a schedule that is nothing short of extraordinary, these kids have boundless energy. I almost forgot how exhausting they can be, running and screaming for hours on end. There has got to be a way to harvest all that energy, i swear it could run a small village.

One of the things that are on most expats' list of things to do when they live in HK is to row in a dragon boat. I've always loved watching the races either on TV or in Toronto during the summer. And chance has come my way, I've signed up on the mixed beginners dragon boat racing team here in Discovery Bay. On May 31st, DB will host its own dragon boat race, all in the name of community spirit and fun, with contests for best costume, best cheer and a big party at the end of the day. Our team had our second practice yesterday morning down near the Marina Clubhouse and it was exhilerating and terribly exhausting at the same time. Now, i rowed competitively in highschool for 2 years but i don't remember ever getting so worn out after just a couple minutes of hard rowing (a dragon boat race usually averages two and a half minutes). It's a completely different technique and today my back and shoulders are just killing me. I'm just hoping it'll get easier with time. I've also got to remember to wear my bathing suit as you tend to get absolutely drenched in the boat - go figure.

After a good practice of ultimate frisbee last Thursday in the rain (not as bad as you think, it actually keeps you cool), i met up with a friend and some of her colleagues in this cute little cafe in the Soho district called Joyce Is Not Here Cafe. It was jam night and anybody can just go and fool around on the keyboard and/or guitars. It felt more like someone's living room than an actual bar, and the fact that some French guys played my favourite Ben Harper song made my foolish incident of leaving my cell phone in a taxi 2 hours earlier a lot less painful. Yes, I've done it again. Gone are all my pics stored on the phone and all my contact numbers, arg. So i have now progressed to my 4th phone in this past year, not to mention ever in my life. So here i am, proud owner of a cheap, no-nonsense Motorola.

Last piece of news to report is that we've bought ourselves a motorbike! Yes folks, we are no longer bound to the schedules and crowdedness of HK public transportation. After seeing the Yamaha Dragstar bike last night, which was in great condition and with only a little over 6000 km on it (over a span of 9 years!) we have purchased this little jewel in order to expand our horizons by being able to venture out whenever we want into the remote hills and beaches of HK. The only little issue is that we have to park it outside of DB because nobody here is allowed to drive their own vehicles. So it's locked outside the DB tunnel and everytime we want to use it we'll have to take a 3 minute bus ride to actually reach it. Little sacrifice for many days of exploration and adventure ahead!

"a place where need and resource intersect"

It's true. Hong Kong people have way too much money on their hands than they know what to do with it. Old money, new money, it doesn't matter; a majority of them have the disposable income to spend it on whatever their hearts desire. And spend it they do. On penthouse apartments, antique furtniture, overseas holidays, the latest electronics gizmos, designer clothing, grade-a jewellry, cosmetic surgery, and the list continues. And so what happens to the stuff when a company decides to relocate half a block down the street and decides it's too much hassle/time/money to move everything over, a 400-bedroom hotel goes through a major makeover, a school who ordered playground equipment from the UK and realized that it won't fit in their tiny field, a business person who is moving to another flat across town and couldn't be bothered to pack a single item and would much rather buy everything brand new again? All that precious stuff goes to the dump. Well, it used to.

Enter Crossroads International, a locally-run charity started by HK-based Canadian couple, Malcolm and Sally Begbie, who were asked in 1995 by friends in the north of China to send over sweaters for the victims of the massive flooding. They asked around HK not really knowing what to expect but pretty soon came the influx of donations. Not only were sweaters given by the boxfull, but food, blankets and school supplies were also provided. And the generosity hasn't stopped since. There are stories of people driving up to the remote Crossroads site, dumping all of their stuff onto the side and pulling away again never to be seen. Today, hospital equipment, eyeglasses, top of the line computers, flat-screen tv's and unused i-pods are not uncommon donations!

I came across this NGO on the internet and i've been out to help out about 4 times so far. Each time i meet interesting people, many who live on-site and are given free accommodation and food for their work, and each time i learn a new skill and share my own knowledge. It isn't just a crossroads for physical objects but one of the human spirit, and it is truly inspiring. I sound like some cheesy promo ad, but in bustling money-oriented HK, it is extremely gratifying to rub shoulders with people who are committed to improving the lifestyle of the greater global community.

The picture posted in this entry is an activity which i helped out with a couple of times. Dubbed Slum Survivor, this situational game takes highschool students and breaks them into groups of 'families', whereby they are given separate family profiles, but they are pretty much identical in the fact that they are all struggling to survive in the slums of India. The goal for this activity is to make enough money to send their daughter to school. Each family has the task of making paper bags from newspaper and homemade glue, where they then have to go to the local 'shop' and sell them for money. This scenario is taken from actual situations and although the students don't actually go through the despair, hunger and utter poverty that face these people, there is a sense of empathy that is created. While the game is going on, each family has to ensure that food is bought, rent is paid and that at least one member o fthe household attends workshops given by the local community worker. When he/she doesn't, a family member falls ill and must pay for medicine and hospital care.

It's interesting to see the different groups interact and lead (re: democracy, communism, full-on dictatorship), and strategize (lie, beg, steal). At the end of it all, we sit down, debrief the activity and give out current facts and statistics about the world's underdeveloped nations and what the rest of the world is (not) doing about it. We end it by simply stating that by having these youth come out and volunteer with Crossroads, a little bit of hope is being restored to those less fortunate.

I can still remember my World Issues class quite clearly in highschool. It was during that class that my eyes opened to a whole other world, one that seemed exotic, exciting, mysterious, and also one that was a much harsher reality of what i was living then. Today, it is thrilling to see the naked realization in these students' eyes, reminding me how naive and innocent i once was.

la vie est belle en France

With the bags packed, all the oysters consumed and some delectable Jersey fudge bought, Sue, Guy and I left Jersey on April 6th by boat, destination: Le Chalet at the foothills of the Pyrenees. The ferry crossing was perfect; the sea was 'slight' and it felt like we were gliding on ice while we ate our sandwiches and crisps (chips).

Disembarking at St. Malo on the northwest coast of France, we zoomed off and covered about 500 km before stopping just outside Bordeaux where we overnighted. Continuing south early the next morning, we didn't stop until just outside Mirepoix where a bunch of student protesters were holding up traffic at the town's roundabout. They were protesting the new employment law that they claim gives them less job security and rights in the workforce. We were tired from driving all morning and just wanted to get to the supermarket to do our shopping. So we signed the petition and were eventually let through. At the store, we saw a few dozen students stocking up on the essential goods required for any mass protest: bags of crisps and crates of beer. Some customers were obviously angry by the holdup and had absolutely no sympathy for the students, throwing looks of disgust at them. Some were quite supportive and showed their enthusiasm by honking and hollering along. For me, it was strange to see about half a dozen police officers in their sunnies, hands on their hips, just watching the whole show and not doing a thing about it. I guess their only concern was that nothing too disruptive was happening. The French way perhaps but probably also the wisest.

Nestled just a few steps away from the quaint village of Courtauly, Le Chalet is surrounded by a picturesque scenery of forest, hills, mountains, all enveloped in tranquility and peace (pic 1). After nine months of non-use, Le Chalet was in remarkable condition and all we had to do was sweep out the flies, turn the water and gas on, unwrap the dishes, cut up a few slices of bread and cheese, uncork the wine bottles and in no time, we were dining on the porch in the glorious spring sunshine (pic 2). What's more, we were treated to a rare sighting of two deer and a fox, all within a couple of hours of arriving!

The next few days were spent exploring the area by car and foot. We hiked through La gorge de la Frau, up to Mont Segur Castle and through the narrow streets of Mirepoix market. We also visited the old Thornington camping spot when Matt was a boy and saw the towns of Toulouse, Carcasonne and Limoux. When not walking off our calories, we were consuming them by the bucketful. It really doesn't get much better than cheese, wine and bread. Delicieux!

Thrilled to be able to brush up on my French, I also got a chance to reconnect with my Canadian lumberjack roots which I thoroughly enjoyed (pic 3). What a rush to hit something so hard it breaks with a deafening snap, mind you it took several swings for me to chop my first log.

For our last supper, we went to Carcasonne and dined at a great restaurant in the castle city. We all had the traditional 'must-have' meal of the region: cassoulet (pic 4). Comprised of beans, sausages of Toulouse, a piece of duck confit cooked in its fat, pork, pork rinds, and duck or goose fat, everything is thrown together and then baked in a casserole to a glazed perfection. It's every bit as delicious as it looks and the only requirement is to a) be absolutely famished beforehand and b) ensure that after the hearty meal, you will be either riding alone or with others who love you unconditionally. Or just do what we did: make sure everyone eats the cassoulet so that no one person can get blamed for that umm.. strange smell.

Back home in HK again and already missing that fresh mountain air. We came back to discover mould growing all over my handmade leather shoes from Ghana and several of Matt's leather belts. The leak from the roof is still rotting away at the wall and Management has yet to come and fix it. People keep saying the Hong Kong summer is just around the corner. But two days ago I was wearing a woolen scarf to go out! And yesterday I was sweating in my t-shirt and shorts! So now it's back into our weekly routine of Ultimate Frisbee playing and nightly reality TV watching. Right now we're into The Amazing Race series. It fulfills the armchair traveller's itch for adrenalin and adventure, not that we've been lacking that lately. Already starting to plan for the next trip: first the World Cup in July and then hopefully a visit back to Canada in the fall, with a scattering of friends/relatives coming to visit us in between!

in transit

I'm sitting in the Cathay Pacific Executive Lounge at Heathrow Airport waiting to board our long-haul flight back to Hong Kong. Within arms reach is a wide array of fresh food and chilled beverages, showers, newspapers and magazines, tv, high-speed internet and it's all for free. What's more is the peace and quiet that one would not normally get in a busy international airport. So it goes without saying, accompanying Matt on his business trips is fantabulous. His ticket is for business class but each time he foregoes the pampering and luxurious food to downgrade and sit with me and the other 'regulars' in economy class. Very sweet.

So we just spent a lovely few days in France at Sue and Guy's chalet. It was extremely beautiful, tranquil and just a perfect getaway. So much has happened in the past few days so i'll leave it till next time. My tummy is rumbling, so s'cuse me while i go get a little something to nibble on.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GUY AND BONNIE!

It's been a really nice birthday here in Jersey. Complete sunshine, some frisbee tossing, a nice stroll, a gorgeous lunch at the Watersplash beachside cafe, dinner at a superb pub/restaurant called The Black Dog, lots of tea and coffee and biscuits in between - all of this wrapped in a warmth of family love.

Thank you all for making it such a special and memorable day, here, there and everywhere. And what a treat to help father-in-law Guy celebrate his 60th on the same day too! Saying that, i've got a ways to go in order to earn my "Proud at 60" badge but what better role model than someone born on the same day.

Surprise! .... again?

Surprise surprise! As the old saying goes, everything always works out perfectly, Matt and I managed to scoot back to Jersey for (father-in-law) Guy’s 60th birthday party. Matt had a company seminar he had to attend in Hamburg in early April and we thought what a perfect excuse to go a bit early and celebrate Guy’s birthday in Jersey. And although the party wasn’t a surprise, our arrival was, thanks to the organization and careful orchestration by (mother-in-law) Sue and her secret email account – many thanks!

Aunt Caroline and Uncle Roger also came down from Liverpool as a surprise but unfortunately plans got a bit mixed up and although it was organized so that Guy would accidentally “bump” into R&C at the local grocery store, things got a bit muddled and the whole thing ended up being exposed in the parking lot. Oh well, it was a memorable moment nonetheless.

Matt’s sister, Claire, and her boyfriend, Anthony, are also here, having just moved back for a few months to work and housesit and look after the much-loved family cat, Beavis. So it was a full house indeed, so full that the septic tank couldn’t handle the overtime and some emergency measures had to be taken immediately.

Like my last visit, I’ve had the most wonderful time, taking long walks down in the valley and along cliff paths; dining on fresh veggies from the garden, locally caught oysters (Roger’s obsession for the weekend!) and delicious South African sausages cooked on the BBQ (Roger’s second obsession of the trip); meeting family and family-friends again and being immersed in what is truly a unique feel of island paradise this side of the hemisphere.

Unlike my last visit, things are a lot more relaxed: there are no worries about losing wedding rings, fixing hair appointments the day of the wedding, wondering if the sun will shine or if we’ll get rained in during the reception, setting up the marquee and ensuring all was in place, food, drinks, decoration, and guests included…. And as fun and exciting our Jersey July wedding was, it’s nice to be back and be familiar with it all, introductions out of the way with.The plan is to spend a few days in Jersey, see Matt off at the airport on the 4th of April where he'll fly to Hamburg for work, I'll join Sue and Guy on the ferry crossing to France on the 6th where we'll then drive down to the family chalet and enjoy the peace and quiet there, Matt will fly down on the morning of the 8th, we'll all chill out for a few days and listen to the owls at night, then on April11th we'll make the long yet familiar trek back to HK.

I’m quite getting used to this London-Hong Kong route on Cathay Pacific and I think we’ve seen most of the shows and movies offered on the personal tv sets for passengers. They change the shows every month so I’m quite looking forward to April’s “long-haul flight to HK” listing. I’ve seen the same episode of America’s Next Top Model several times already and it’s more than I can take. But that's later. Right now my only concern is to enjoy NOW.

Pic 1: Guy's reaction when he saw us at the door
Pic 2: Enjoying delicious fresh-caught oysters in sunlit kitchen. L-R: Matt, Me, Claire, Anthony, Roger
Pic 3: Having a cuppa on top of hill at St. Ouen's beach. L-R: Matt, Sue, Guy, Caroline, Roger (note red Kazakh hat along with red shoes)

tribute to family

I had quite a productive day, running some errands in the morning, supervising the crew who came to fix all five air- conditionners in the flat in the afternoon (they leak water after 8 months of non-use and needed a thorough cleaning) and chatted it up with our cheery landlord who came specifically to check out the AC's and the leaky wall that has started to peel from the heavy rain these past few days. I ended up feeding him homemade spaghetti and leftover birthday cake and we made pleasant conversation about family, his and mine. A father of two, he's also got a brother in Edmonton who's been there for the past 7 or 8 years. When he remarked that i was "quite young looking" I told him, without hesitating, my age (although i said the age that i'll be turning in 8 days, small detail). But i don't think i should take his comments too carefully; he pointed to the picture of my paternal grandmother and said: "Oh, and this must be your mother!"

I decided to visit Eepo in Tuen Mun again since it had been a while. Matt and i went on Chinese New Year in January and i had a stack of photos from that day i wanted to give to her. I tried a different route and was glad to find it took significantly less time, only 75 minutes, than the way before which was about two hours. I had the HK atlas with me, but still had to ask around for the best possible bus to take. The man who was operating minibus #140M was super helpful and gave me the correct and most efficient directions. On my way back home, he was still on his run and recognized me right away. I sat up front and we chatted about HK and how i ended up here. His cell phone rang and he proceeded to answer it with one hand on the wheel. I opened up my book to read but I couldn't help overhearing what he was saying though as every word was yelled and punctuated with this long drawl that only Cantonese people seem capable of doing. I thought it was a rather rude way for someone to speak on the phone and figured he hadn't really been taught phone etiquette and so i focused my attention back to my book, wishing he would turn down the volume a few decibels for the sake of his passengers. When he hung up, he turned to me and explained what it was all about. Apparently some guy left his cell phone on the minibus and he was calling his own phone to see if it was picked up by somebody. So the driver was yelling at the guy because there was a bad connection, told him to wait for him at the main station and that he'd recognize him because on the wallpaper of the phone was a picture of this guy and his new bride.

After just being put off by his lack of manners, I was pleasantly taken aback by the driver's honesty and his sense of civic duty to return the phone to its owner. The fact is, i find the majority of Hong Kong people to be like this: helpful and kind, when the chance comes to do so. Mind you, there are the stereotypical pushy ones that will walk right into you without an apology, push their way onto the subway before others have gotten off it, treat you with an air of absolute indifference as a customer, and so on. But the more time i spend living and discovering HK, the more i come across this kindness in one form or another. And i like it, not for what the person does for me/others, but for the fact that good manners and a sense of doing good actually exists amongst the hustle and bustle of this money-oriented city, a reputation that seems to permeate worldwide.

Dinner was simple, tasty and comfortable with Eepo (2nd grandma literally). Having been widowed exactly 7 years on Saturday, she spends most of the days on her own except when she goes to her exercise groups and dance classes. So i let her do most of the talking, although i'm pretty sure i wouldn't have gotten much in edgewise as she was just recounting story after story between mouthfuls of rice. But i don't mind at all. I love hearing tales about my dad and his siblings and imagining in my mind how they were as kids. My favourite story that she always recounts everytime i see her, is when she and her sister (my grandma) went to pick up my dad at the local nursery. Amongst a throng of children just let out of the gates, my dad stood at the top of the stairs, scanned the sea of beaming parents and once he spotted his mom and aunt, smiled a kind of half-smile and started to go down the stairs, one careful step at a time, never breaking eye contact with them. My grandma, without letting sight of her boy, said to her sister: "Just look, all those children there and the most beautiful one of all, my son."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!

Since it was windy and rainy out all day, we decided to spend a nice relaxing day at home, eating birthday crepes with real maple syrup for breakfast and looking at old photo albums in bed. After sneaking in an afternoon siesta, we headed down to Soho to meet friends YK and Tomoe for a delicious Nepalese dinner. After polishing off a yak cheese salad, fish and chicken curry, okra stew, safron rice and the blueberry coffee cake that i proudly made yesterday and decorated today, we headed over to YK/Tomoe's flat for a drink. For a present, they had given Matt a replica of the Beijing Jeep that we had in Urumqi and even printed out each and every sticker to put on the model car - license plate, rally stickers, Ferrari sticker, it's really incredible! It's been a lovely day and just to be able to spend it together in the comfort of our own home and in the company of friends, is a present in itself.

Just my luck!

I've just found out that a press release was issued in late Feb.2006 declaring that dependents who are in HK now have the right to work without obtaining special permission from the Immigration Department, hooray!

It states: "From July, 2003, dependants of persons admitted into Hong Kong for professional employment or as capital investment entrants are not allowed to work (due to the high unemployment rate) unless they have the permission from the Director of Immigration. With the improving economic conditions and employment situation, it has been decided to remove this restriction to enhance Hong Kong's edge in attracting professionals. In other words, dependants of persons admitted for professional employment or as capital investment entrants will not be required to obtain prior permission from the Director of Immigration for taking up employment, just as the situation was before July, 2003."

Although this won't affect me since i've just spent the last 4 months trying to get myself 'special permission' to work, i'm really happy for the other Dependents. I may go on about this issue, but it really is cause for celebration and now, hopefully, others who are (or will be) in my shoes won't have to go through the hassle and frustration of finding employment in HK. Yippee!

Just came back from a delicious dinner down in Lan Kwai Fong, the party district in HK. Our Kiwi friend, Jonno, is visiting for a couple of days before he heads back up to Urumqi where he and a Japanese guy and an Irishman own the Fubar, the first foreign-owned bar in town. Tonight we feasted on Thai green curry and chicken, red curry and pork, fried rice in a pineapple, naan bread, sauteed veggies and a leopard garoupa with Nashi pear - by far the tastiest dish! (Matt's biting into the fish head in the picture). We eventually dragged ourselves onto the ferry, first stopping for sorbets for the boys (there was no way i could eat another bite) and made it back home. Tomorrow is Matt's birthday and we're going out to celebrate with YK and Tomoe at a Nepalese restaurant. But before i can think about more food, i need to sleep first. Goodnight.

Singapore long weekend

Just came back from a few days down in sweaty humid Singapore, my first time in the country. Matt has managed to reap up enough air miles since starting work in November to get a return ticket for me. Singapore was what i pretty much expected: clean, orderly, filled with an incredible variety of shopping malls (including Asia's biggest bookstore) and restaurants galore! Shopping and eating have got to be the top two national pasttimes of Singaporeans, and they are extremely good at them.

I did a whole variety of things in 4 days: sipping thick mango lassis in Little India, biking the length of East Coast Beach (see pic), dining on tasty meen goreng and other local Peranakan dishes, walking around Clarke Quay's bustling harbourfront, cycling Singapore's last rural island Pulau Ubin and while searching for the German Girl Shrine being turned back by suspicious-looking policemen, meeting Matt's friend and his friendly wife for tasty otak otak, visiting the Asian Civilization Museum and taking literally 5 minutes (feels much longer when you have to pee) to go down three floors on the hydraulic elevator, watching the England-Ireland rugby match at an Irish pub in the wee hours of the morning, and finally, sampling the local delicacy DURIAN and although the smell is somewhat tolerable, the taste can be described like "an old dog burping in your face." Nuff said.

The hotel we stayed at, the SHA Villa, was a beautiful white colonial mansion, run by the Singapore Hotel Association tourism training college, where the staff are all keen hospitality students waiting on every guests' needs. I suppose it wasn't so long ago that i too was a hormonal student with excess energy all day everyday, where responsibilities didn't go much further than attending the minimal amount of classes per week possible and trying not to forget calling home at least once a week, so long as the budget allowed. So it was rather cute seeing these spotty students dressed in their pressed suits and vests serving you coffee with shaky hands and a flair of uncertainty. They are doing a superb job though.

The pace of life is definitely more to my liking than it is in Hong Kong. People seemed a lot more relaxed, casually strolling down the streets instead of the relentless power walking competitions you witness in Wanchai or Central. Even the kids there appear happy and to be enjoying life, a stark difference to the students of HK who are like walking zombies carting around huge heavy backpacks to and from school. I attribute the difference to the climate. While Singapore may be hot and humid all year round, the air is cleaner and at least you can see the sun shining against a clear blue sky on most days. You'd be lucky to see the sun in Hong Kong the pollution is so bad. Still, a few days was enough for me and i was glad to board that plane again.

A dreary Monday

Today the weather dropped to 11 frigid degrees. It also has been raining on and off, providing absolutely no incentive to step outside. Mind you, the temperature in the flat is the same as it is outdoors as there is no indoor heating here, so being in or out doesn't matter I suppose.

Featured in today's entry is Matt, seated at his home office. My desk is just behind his and although we were both sharing the one big desk in the beginning, having our own proper space has been a wise move, if not a little cramped. For some reason, we picked the smallest room in the house (if you don’t count the closet-size maid’s room) to spend 75% of our day when not sleeping. Go figure.

The opera Don Giovanni last night at the Hong Kong Cultural Arts Centre was fantastic. Performed by the Semper Opera Dresden, which is hailed as one of the world's leading opera houses, the performance included great singing by an international cast accompanied beautifully by the HK orchestra. It was much more engaging since i had just returned from visiting Mozart's birthplace, Salzburg, in addition to visiting the city he spent a large part of his life, Vienna. Now I'm no opera-fanatic, but this one is more or less able to please the masses, seeing as the subject revolves around some of life's most talked-about issues: love and death. The protagonist, Don Giovanni, is portrayed as a scheming and manipulative man, schmoozing his way to bed with a number of women, usually too naive and innocent to notice until too late. Throw in a murder in the beginning, a humorous and complacent servant to provide comic relief, jealous husbands/fiances, and a ghost come back from the dead, you've got yourself a story so successful it's lasted over 200 years! It sure beats the Sound of Music (for now), which btw, is still going strong at 41 years.

Overall, I was impressed and satisfied. We even received a free glass of champagne from the arts centre post-show! I’m happy that Matt enjoyed himself too. He even confessed afterwards that he didn’t think about the Six Nations Rugby match once! But I did catch myself wondering what the score was at intermission, ha. We made it home in time to catch the last 30 minutes of the game, where France disgraced England big time, but no matter. Apparently they have one last chance next weekend.

Oh and lest i forget to mention, even after a humiliating loss by his beloved homeland, my hubby still had the zest and energy to sing sweet words to me while getting ready for bed a la opera style! Yes, sing! And loudly!!! Where was a videocamera when i needed one?