Welcome to the Greenery Land.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

-Part 1

Thanks to the wonderful effort of some fabulous people (Jon, parents, James, and Cherry), I have managed to come home to really chilly SoCal after almost 20 hours of airtime!

Today, when we were pulling into LAX getting ready to land, I had looked down at the city and smiled. I had thought to myself, "Space! Spread apart buildings, wide streets!" and I pretty much shed a tear. After skipping around through customs (where Spanish permeated the background*sigh* home sweet home), I got my luggage (after they fixed the electrical problem that prevented the cargo doors from opening), and waited for my mom. All in all it was simple, albeit chilly, and good...Unfortunately, not for Jon. My poor dearest had an 8 hour delay in Hong Kong, another delay in Canada, which resulted in his now cancelled flight (and him being stuck in Canada currently), and the airlines lost his luggage! So props to you baby, for suffering through all of this with just the clothes on your back and a backpack!

As chilly as it is here, I'm glad to be home. It's nice to have mommy and James near by, and to see all my friends again (or will soon to see). Thank you Tony for stopping by, and bringing with him Mikey and Andy. It was nice x). I have no clue what I'm going to do in LA for the month but I know I'm going to enjoy it (and hopefully slim down some LOL).

Oh man! Cali is chilly these days. But then I realize poor Bob is in Wisconsin, Brandon in Michigan, and Misha in Minnesota, where snow is verrrrrrry abundant, and I don't feel so bad anymore! Sorry guys! miss you x)

P.S. Misha! The exchange rate is horrible right now. I'll mail you HKD and you save it until the exchange rate is better...or I'm sure you'll return to Hong Kong some time in the future? LOL. I'll put some USD in it too! So don't be grouchy!

-Part 2

Sorry to everyone I forgot to say goodbye to, but stay in touch!! I really did want to...we just all had different schedules and I ran out of time! So some quickies real quick to those off the top of my head:

Trips down memory lane:

Misha: We were in Taipei, that tourist thought you were my husband -__-- and later, you wanted to bring Russian beer back to Hong Kong, and apparently we had to check it even though we bought it at the airport. We almost missed our flight! Luckily we had a nice flight attendant help us. And of course, the stupid 5k.

Julie: You and your fake coach bag! Silly goose x) The symbol for coach is C not G. <3>

Cherry: There's so much! But uh...we were in the library studying *cough* and I forget who asked you to write in Chinese and you forgot how! Silly. Thanks for helping me get the ticket too!

Michelle/Brandon: LKF. Dick whipping, balls kicking, Fatality. Enough said! adoooooore you Michelle! you're the most adorable person I've ever met! hahaha.

Bob: Best piece of meat you ever ate was at outback from Tiff in Hong Kong. Medium Rare prime rib. Yum!

And of course there's always more. But Jon found a flight home...so it's time for bed so I can crank an exercise with my mom in the wee hours of the morning and pick Jon up right after!

4:31 PM

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

It is 3:34 pm. I have been sitting in the library since around 12 procrastinating. I really DO need to study.

Irene edited me in a note on facebook and I responded and in turn decided to write a note of my own. As I sat here thinking of people to include in my note, I realized, all of the names that kept popping up in my head were all the wonderful people I met here in Hong Kong. I seem to have forgotten many of the people at home except for the few I occasionally talk to.

I'm a little saddened that I have forgotten all those wonderful people at home, but it also made me realize, I probably forget them because I don't talk to them often. But then I realized, they also forgot me too! So it wasn't really so bad in the end...LOL. I should probably work on staying in touch with people. Here's the list off the top of my head on who talks to me or I have spoken to since coming to HK from home:

1. My family (mom, dad, James)

2. Jon

3. Pamela

4. Aaron

5. Tony

6. Andrew B.

7. Andrew L.

8. Jennifer

9. Kenny

(and this is where I start to struggle for names)

It's something to work on for New Year's. Sorry if I forgot I talked to you!

3:32 PM

Sunday, December 7, 2008

I always joked/half-believed that white boys are emotionally available and asian boys are financially stable. Tonight, as I spoke to my dad, it suddenly occurred to me...perhaps the reason I have come the above conclusion could be by the examples he set while I was growing up.

He was never home before 11pm before high school. Some nights he never made it out of the office. All I recall of him growing up is just an intimidating figure that you obeyed. In high school, he was around more often but we never interacted well, but still he took care of everything. When I left for Hong Kong, he was in the office working that night and Jon and the rest of my family saw me to the airport. A week ago, he told me he would be in China and Taiwan for Christmas and I asked him whether he would stop by Hong Kong. He said he had no time and that it was expensive. Tonight, I told him I probably couldn't make it home in January because of how expensive tickets are, especially as Jon's spending so much to come visit me. And he tells me, "it's not my problem, don't let me worry about it". So basically, he'll see me in June or whenever I decide to come home.

At home, he and mother never shared a bed, let alone the same room often. They didn't hug or kiss, or show any type of affection. Actually, they seemed to rarely fulfill each other's needs. I.e. my mom needs emotional support and my dad thought she nagged and wanted to be left alone. I was usually ignored by him if he was mad and he held grudges for a long time (I still can't have a dog, because I was irresponsible at 7 years old and didn't pick up dog poop). He also gets annoyed if I hug him and I feel uncomfortable offering him gifts or affection many times. But any other material need was never a problem. Food, clothing, entertainment, it was available. I didn't usually have to ask, I could just charge it and I took care of everything else for the family as well.

But looking back, I can't but help to be sad; and even at times shed a few tears. A father is someone you should feel love for, someone with whom to share the good and bad news and receiving more than just an apathetic answer. Someone whom you can be comfortable with and open up to. Unfortunately, as much as I know he cares for James and I, it's shown only in how comfortable our lifestyle is (although he and James are much closer).

So maybe the line that white boys are emotionally available and Asian boys are financially stable doesn't always work, but I have learned and I know that my dad is definitely not emotionally available, perhaps what I have learned from him is what applies and is in my part a fundamental attribution error. Also, maybe what makes interracial relationships appealing is that there are no preset rules.

Within any culture or subculture, there are always conscious and unconscious norms. By dating outside your circle, it is not necessary to follow rules because there are no preset rules. For example, in the Chinese circle, don't talk about death and aging, but weight is okay, whereas the opposite works for Caucasians. Or the whole split the check thing. With Asians, I never worry about paying. The boys usually take care of it. There are even cases where the boy believes that money can buy him everything. But as Jon says, that's probably because Asians associate money and brand names with success.

Regardless, no one's the same and I just need to be more open minded. Relationships are repairable and people can change (albeit not if you're the one trying to change them; change comes from within oneself x) ). I'm grateful for everything I do have. I shouldn't wish for things to be different, if I really want it, I'll make it happen...right?

1:12 AM

Thursday, December 4, 2008

10, sorry 11... Things I learned this semester that have affected me (duh).

1. Tiff can dance.

2. I am now more politically aware, to the point of wanting to vote.

3. The Jews are fascinating. (I have been formally made aware by Misha that Jewish is an adj.)

4. I am more culturally observant.

5. I can survive on my own.

6. I am more secure in my body.

7. I enjoy singing the star bangled banner (I have American Pride LOL)

8. I have discovered how to REALLY work with people and that team projects suck!

9. Although I have met so many new people, I am most comfortable with Americans (too bad!)

10. Have fun, try something new, this is an opportunity...grab it!

11. one more! Apparently, I'm rather amusing to people.

-- I find it interesting that although every employer in the US wants team players, very few schools/classes in the US actually involve any type of real teamwork (projects, presentations, etc.) So how do we prepare ourselves? Or does everyone just lie through their interviews? x) Perhaps that is something to consider in job satisfaction and motivation, ne?

1:00 AM

Monday, December 1, 2008

Aren’t we supposed to experience culture shock when we leave our own culture? Why is it that one would feel more at home in a country outside the one we have been raised in? Explain to me then, why is it that coming to Hong Kong we have felt nothing, even you who has no ties of any sort to this place, but that we automatically know that life will be changed as we know it when we return home.

“It wasn’t what we ordered. What do you mean you can’t change it? Can’t you just replace it with what I want?” Ten minutes of ranting brings me straight back to home. But it seems so foreign and shocking, leaving us uncomfortable. Such a common occurrence among the affluent Asians that surround me at home is now so out of place in the overwhelmingly Asian country I am abroad in.

I’ve told myself, people don’t change because you want them to, but because they want to. So I find myself realizing that coming to Hong Kong has changed me. For better or for worse I’m not sure. Probably a bit of both. I’m likely less interested in being polite (due to the lack of the importance of personal space here) but at the same time, I’ve learned to be aware of my actions and presentation, have finally gained study habits, and have become so much more knowledgeable and accepting of the various people and cultures I have met. I have discovered a fascination with the Jewish culture, rediscovered the wonders of running, become more independent, and traveled to so many new countries among others. But what I value the most is all the wonderful friends I have acquired and all that I’ve learned from them; from politics to Judaism to cultural differences.

I am so glad of my decision to study in Hong Kong, and I am impossibly grateful to all the wonderful people I’ve met and befriended. I have learned a great deal and I hope I have also been able to share something of my own. The decision to study abroad is irrevocably changed my life and that has helped shape me and prepare me for the imminent future.

2:32 PM