HK Media observation
Watching TV at my aunt's.
There are chinese skin products for women to "whiten" their skin. Contrast that with our western products where everyone wants to be darker. Some people even use a "spray" to get a tan - which I find is ridiculously hilarious - paint your skin? Ha! Disgusting, I wonder if people get that crap on their bed sheets.
Culture Shock Watch
Still waiting for the Culture Shock that everybody talks about. Maybe because my parents adequately prepared me by scaring me. Telling me about the
Chinese toilets (a hole/pipe in the ground) and covert shadow-ninja pick-pockets that rip your pants pocket without you knowing (we could use some of those types in the Canadian Intelligence service).
Guilo dept
I visit my aunt's apartment and my place daily - there are guards at the condominiums. Each one knows me.
These condos are 30-40 stories high with 8 apartments on each floor with at 2-4 people in each...Do the calculations: That's about 850 people. I was wondering why they stopped me - I think it's because I'm white (or off-white). My aunt tells me it's because they remember every person who lives there. Sucks when they stop me, I can't talk Chinese. Yesterday I had to call my aunt, who complained to the security guard that he shouldn't stop her son from coming up, and he apologized. Some guards. But I don't mind that they stop me - good protection I suppose, and I would hope they would do the same to others. Today, the security guard stopped me. I tried to tell him I lived with my aunt on the 16th floor. He understood 16 - he pointed out my aunt's post office box corresponding to her Flat number: 16J, I agreed, he let me go. I think the security guards know me as the white guy from 16J.
There are so many children here! And old people. Lots of adults too. There are lots of females. Males too. Ha ha. But there are alot of children - and the affection and attention from their parents impresses me.
Also, people are not fat. Maybe some are by their standards -but not nearly as fat as people are in Canada and the US. Maybe with the heat people sweat off all the pounds and with all the hills they work it off to boot. I know what it is! The people their big meal early in the day - and a refresher dinner at night - that way they work off the pounds. They also work harder because they can concentrate from starting the day with a good meal. That's the secret to the competitive edge of the Chinese!
My aunt's friend brought me to HK Island (main part of HK) to go to immigration to find out if I can get residence here (I'm currenlty on a tourist stay), very positive news. Will write more about it if there's positive news. While I was there i saw
a mountain that's being carved. The rock gathered is dumped into the harbour to make more land for commercial and residential development. It's a shame. i remember an item on the news a year ago about someone trying to stop it - the HK harbor is gradually disappearing. My family friend's co-worker - who is close to my age (Allen - 27 years) tells me that the harbor is very important to HK. It's a shame - I have an opinion and I want to do something about it - but it's not my issue and it's not my business - I'm not a stakeholder.
Adapatation note
Found out yesterday I am deathly afraid of moths. Let me specify: chinese moths. Specify further:
Asian Condo moths. Those are the kind of moths that are the size of your hand. They look you in the eye and feed on fear.
I dropped of my forms for HK immigration. If granted, I get a right of stay that is indefinite (instead of the current stay of 3 months) and I can work (currently I'm not allowed to do any work, paid or unpaid, nor take courses). It took a while, and a lot of researching and gathering of the right information. Fortunately my mom was able to dig up the documents attesting to their HK status - documents dating back 30 years and more. Whoa.
I'm starting to miss things back home. I hope this isn't a snowball effect. My friends were so good with me before I left - group gatherings going out places. I had dimsum with 7 friends and my parents - on a sunday at 11am! An outing to see Fahrenheit 911, comedy show, clubs, etc. I sorta miss it, but I prefer to appreciate the time than regret not having more of it.
It started with me missing my dog - it's at my parents. There are plenty of dogs around here - I was a bit surprised that people would have dogs with the size of the flats (apartments) being what they are. Then I sorta recalled that I may not see my dog again - they don't live that long. I looked at a picture of my dog and that sorta helped, sorta.
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In an unlikely bit of entertainment news to emerge, 1999 Hip Hop biggie "Ma$e" (aka Murder Mase) made popular by Puff Daddy (aka P.Diddy, aka Sean Combs, aka AKA) who shocked the industry when he hastily left to pursue pastorship and God, has returned to Hip Hop after a 5 year absence.
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