Leaving Reflections Meetings...
Reflection on leaving
During my last (few) weeks in Montreal, I was going nuts. Already saying bye to people a second, third time. Then I pretty much left when my mom booked my ticket. Like ripping off a bandaid that's been there way longer than it had to.
Even here I'm still saying bye to people back home. It's a bit easier doing it here because they can't delay my leave and I can't choose to stay (in Montreal).
I had a dream not too long ago that I was back in Montreal, never left. I was having another going-away party. My friends Yasmin and Trevor came up to me asking me what was wrong, and how come I wasn't gone yet. I just couldn't leave. Some other things happened and I woke up dramatically - in a shocked daze I found myself in Hong Kong - at my aunt-cousin (my mother's cousin)'s place - on her couch. It was the first time I was there - actually the night of the first time I met my aunt-cousin and her family. Her step-daughter and step-son are the most adorable things. Pictures will come soon.
Meeting people is all relative
Found out I have a second cousin a year younger than me. not used to having any relatives anywhere near my age. My closest is my bro at 3 years younger, but does that count? I do have two cousins in Australia (girls) who are 21 and 19 (I think). So my second cousin wants to go for beer - could be neat. His English isn't that good - and he's 6'1" - imagine that, here in Hong Kong. I'm taller than 5 million people here - but shorter, I imagine, than 1 million too.
I have more relatives to visit - got a phone call from a cousin, or an aunt, or someone I had never met or talked to before, but we're going to have dinner - hopefully soon. Then there's friends and acquaintances of my parents to meet, arg, the time. Then there's the whole thing with meeting people on my own. I was hoping to kick some ass in Badminton already - and show the people here how it's done.
Booya, I got game. Villages will write songs about my game. Do you know how hard it is to travel through 3 airports with a (crappy) badminton racket coming out of your backpack? Not that difficult, but it can get cumbersome when trying to check your baggage above your head. One x-ray pesron at an airport security checkpoint had me take it out to show them.
Me: "It's a badminton racket"
Them: "A what?"
M: "Badminton. Racket. See. See Spot. See Spot run."
T: "Oh, like a tennis racket."
M: "Yes. Just like a tennis racket. Exactly. With two shuttlecocks. Like a tennis racket."
T: "Shuttle-wha-? Umm, fine, go."
TIP: If you can master french, talk French to airport security when they stop you about stupid things. Use harsh French accent with English if questions persist.
Other blog dept.
I'm seriously considering setting up a second blog to post my philosophical/political thoughts, gathered from e-mail I send out and thoughts I jot down. I should keep it separate from my HK experience, as it would have a different theme (no pictures, links to online articles). On the blogger site (the service provider for this blog) there was a link to an article about the "blog overload" experienced by some people.
During my last (few) weeks in Montreal, I was going nuts. Already saying bye to people a second, third time. Then I pretty much left when my mom booked my ticket. Like ripping off a bandaid that's been there way longer than it had to.
Even here I'm still saying bye to people back home. It's a bit easier doing it here because they can't delay my leave and I can't choose to stay (in Montreal).
I had a dream not too long ago that I was back in Montreal, never left. I was having another going-away party. My friends Yasmin and Trevor came up to me asking me what was wrong, and how come I wasn't gone yet. I just couldn't leave. Some other things happened and I woke up dramatically - in a shocked daze I found myself in Hong Kong - at my aunt-cousin (my mother's cousin)'s place - on her couch. It was the first time I was there - actually the night of the first time I met my aunt-cousin and her family. Her step-daughter and step-son are the most adorable things. Pictures will come soon.
Meeting people is all relative
Found out I have a second cousin a year younger than me. not used to having any relatives anywhere near my age. My closest is my bro at 3 years younger, but does that count? I do have two cousins in Australia (girls) who are 21 and 19 (I think). So my second cousin wants to go for beer - could be neat. His English isn't that good - and he's 6'1" - imagine that, here in Hong Kong. I'm taller than 5 million people here - but shorter, I imagine, than 1 million too.
I have more relatives to visit - got a phone call from a cousin, or an aunt, or someone I had never met or talked to before, but we're going to have dinner - hopefully soon. Then there's friends and acquaintances of my parents to meet, arg, the time. Then there's the whole thing with meeting people on my own. I was hoping to kick some ass in Badminton already - and show the people here how it's done.
Booya, I got game. Villages will write songs about my game. Do you know how hard it is to travel through 3 airports with a (crappy) badminton racket coming out of your backpack? Not that difficult, but it can get cumbersome when trying to check your baggage above your head. One x-ray pesron at an airport security checkpoint had me take it out to show them.
Me: "It's a badminton racket"
Them: "A what?"
M: "Badminton. Racket. See. See Spot. See Spot run."
T: "Oh, like a tennis racket."
M: "Yes. Just like a tennis racket. Exactly. With two shuttlecocks. Like a tennis racket."
T: "Shuttle-wha-? Umm, fine, go."
TIP: If you can master french, talk French to airport security when they stop you about stupid things. Use harsh French accent with English if questions persist.
Other blog dept.
I'm seriously considering setting up a second blog to post my philosophical/political thoughts, gathered from e-mail I send out and thoughts I jot down. I should keep it separate from my HK experience, as it would have a different theme (no pictures, links to online articles). On the blogger site (the service provider for this blog) there was a link to an article about the "blog overload" experienced by some people.
posted by Canadian "Civil" Servant at 23:20
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