Post-trip thoughts
HK Journal 7/7/04 8:25am
The time of the journal is now adjusted for HK time.
The difference in time is 12 hours - very convenient.
Just woke up. After only 5.5 hours of sleep, I feel surprisingly refreshed. Is it the freakin' hot humid weather?
From Mona (my aunt)'s place I can see the mountain - her building is surrounded by mountains. It's very comforting - though I did not live close to Mount Royal, I think Montrealers, or native Montrealers have a kinship to the mountain as their spiritual compass. A kinship so strong that we dispense with true north and real compasses to refer to the mountain as "true north", despite being at least 45 degrees off.
I'm still waiting for the Culture Shock. Maybe I had Culture Shock long ago - when I realized I am as much asian as I am quebecois. Being used to pointing out that I am half Chinese - it seemed, at a young age, odd that I ought not to point out I am half white. I think Culture Shock is what people feel when being devoid of their own culture. People enjoy it because it's like being pushed out of the nest, but you learn to fly to speak about it. I've been numb to culture shock - maybe it's just not extreme enough here - but it's still early.
My parents helped ease the shock though - it's great to finally see in person some of the images I only saw in books. High buildings, big huge outstretched neon signs, street vendors, mountains, ">high high high condos. The view from the plane was almost too whelming. To finally be here - I felt something in my chest. So beautiful, I fell akin to it here.
I'm trying not to be anthropocentric about things. Trying not to think that the Hong Kong people are 'backwards'. The smallest things are coming out to me - and about my culture too. They have weird plugs here. They drive on the other side of the street (the design change in cars and buses appeal to me more). Double-decker buses! They're cool. They have 13th floors in the buildings. The phone numbers are 8 digits. I suppose because they have 10x more people. It's freakin' hot. Things are really cheap here. I have to get used to the prices - must divide by 6 to get a good idea of value. (6 HKD = $1 CDN) They cover US news alot on TV.
I'm anxious to rollerblade - who said I couldn't!? I laugh in your face. You can no more rollerblade in Montreal as you can in HK - you need to take it to the streets! This'll be fun. Fortunately mine have REMOVABLE blades to compensate for the mountains, sights and steep slopes.
I think I'll get a haircut - the shortest I've had in - well ever in my double-digit ages. I need to get a cellphone. Need to start looking for a job.
Getting through customs was damn easy. Not even a minute after I submitted the application form I had to fill out.
The time of the journal is now adjusted for HK time.
The difference in time is 12 hours - very convenient.
Just woke up. After only 5.5 hours of sleep, I feel surprisingly refreshed. Is it the freakin' hot humid weather?
From Mona (my aunt)'s place I can see the mountain - her building is surrounded by mountains. It's very comforting - though I did not live close to Mount Royal, I think Montrealers, or native Montrealers have a kinship to the mountain as their spiritual compass. A kinship so strong that we dispense with true north and real compasses to refer to the mountain as "true north", despite being at least 45 degrees off.
I'm still waiting for the Culture Shock. Maybe I had Culture Shock long ago - when I realized I am as much asian as I am quebecois. Being used to pointing out that I am half Chinese - it seemed, at a young age, odd that I ought not to point out I am half white. I think Culture Shock is what people feel when being devoid of their own culture. People enjoy it because it's like being pushed out of the nest, but you learn to fly to speak about it. I've been numb to culture shock - maybe it's just not extreme enough here - but it's still early.
My parents helped ease the shock though - it's great to finally see in person some of the images I only saw in books. High buildings, big huge outstretched neon signs, street vendors, mountains, ">high high high condos. The view from the plane was almost too whelming. To finally be here - I felt something in my chest. So beautiful, I fell akin to it here.
I'm trying not to be anthropocentric about things. Trying not to think that the Hong Kong people are 'backwards'. The smallest things are coming out to me - and about my culture too. They have weird plugs here. They drive on the other side of the street (the design change in cars and buses appeal to me more). Double-decker buses! They're cool. They have 13th floors in the buildings. The phone numbers are 8 digits. I suppose because they have 10x more people. It's freakin' hot. Things are really cheap here. I have to get used to the prices - must divide by 6 to get a good idea of value. (6 HKD = $1 CDN) They cover US news alot on TV.
I'm anxious to rollerblade - who said I couldn't!? I laugh in your face. You can no more rollerblade in Montreal as you can in HK - you need to take it to the streets! This'll be fun. Fortunately mine have REMOVABLE blades to compensate for the mountains, sights and steep slopes.
I think I'll get a haircut - the shortest I've had in - well ever in my double-digit ages. I need to get a cellphone. Need to start looking for a job.
Getting through customs was damn easy. Not even a minute after I submitted the application form I had to fill out.
posted by CCS at 08:25
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