peregrinari

That Wonderful Question

2007-06-09T08:45:15Z

There are lots of questions, but one of my favorites is “Where are we going to eat?” Not just because I enjoy a good meal, but because there are so many great cuisines to be found here. Back in the US I was often asked what I missed most about my time in Taiwan and I would invariably include “the food” as part of my reply. While I can’t find Tian-Bu-La in Hong Kong, the food here is still excellent.

At this exact moment, I’m enjoying a quiet afternoon at the house while Jenny, Maeli and my mother visit some of the markets in Hong Kong. That means I have my choice of Lamma’s restaurants for dinner. Just considering the single village up the road, my options include:

a vegan cafe (with great vegetarian lasagna and shepard pie)
two decent Indian restaurants
a small Thai shop
a Japanese restaurant (with a decent sushi menu)
a middle eastern place (falafal, lamb, etc.)
a pizza joint (real pizza too)
a few western style bars
a few dessert shops including fresh cakes, pies and ice cream
a dozen or so Chinese places with seafood specialties

And this is just all in walking distance on our tiny little island. Between Jenny’s excellent cooking and the food here in Hong Kong, I’m getting rather spoiled.

Passport Requirements Relaxed

2007-06-09T04:45:28Z

Last month I described the trouble my mother had getting a passport. Well, turns out the US government is now relaxing the rules on passport requirements. From the AP new story:

The US State Department announced Friday it was temporarily easing restrictions imposed this year that require Americans to have passports to travel to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

These are only temporary measures, so it’s still a good idea to apply for that passport sooner rather than later.

Chinese Stars

2007-06-03T14:45:30Z

Aaron and I finally got the chance to see “Pirates of the Caribbean - At World’s End.” It was a rather trying experience getting into the theater. We attempted to book seats at two different cinemas in Hong Kong Central but none were available. We ended up at Cyberport, which is on the south side of Hong Kong island. There were seats to be had but the theater was nearly full when the credits rolled. All the while I was wondering why the cinemas were so full. They hadn’t been like this for the other “box office hits” that we’ve recently seen.

Before I move onto the theme of this blog, Chinese Stars, I must first admit that the third “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie was by far the best pirate movie I’ve ever seen. It was everything a pirate movie should be.

So as Aaron and I were watching the pre-movie commercials (which only last a few min in comparison to 15 min in the States) a very involved VISA ad caught our eye. Starring Jackie Chan, Hong Kong native, the commercial was also set in Hong Kong. In his own comedic way, Jackie Chan bought athletic gear left and right to try and compete for a spot in the Olympic Games (which is a huge source of hype in these parts).

It didn’t take long for another Chinese star to take the screen. At the opening appearance of Chow-Yun Fat, someone cheered out “Chow-Yun Fat!” This was all very shocking because Chinese people don’t lose composure in this manner. But for such a super-star like Chow-Yun Fat I guess there are exceptions.

China doesn’t have many “Hollywood” names. Hong Kong at least has Jackie Chan and yes, Chow-Yun Fat. But Chow-Yun Fat didn’t grow up in the city. He was raised in a house without electricity on the southern side of Lamma Island. Yes, our fair island is home to a most beloved Chinese star. Chow Yun-Fat grew up working in the family fields and selling dim-sum and vegetables in the mornings with his mother. Before he turned 20 he responded to a talent search ad. Twenty-some years later he would star in “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”.

I wonder, along with other wondering and hopeful Chinese, if Chow-Yun Fat and Jackie Chan are the beginning of a trend in Chinese culture.

Get Firefox

2007-06-01T06:52:39Z

A few days ago I noted that we’ve had some technical difficulties. Really two things have happened: first, a hard drive that had most of our photos on it has become uncooperative and I’ve been trying to recover everything off of it with little success (I’ve even tried using dd to make a complete image of it, but the process seems to eventually fall asleep at just under 60 GB of the 120 GB drive). In any case, this has upset our usual flow of photo editing and article writing.

Secondly, from what I understand out website doesn’t display correctly in Internet Explorer. I only have access to Windows Vista at the moment so I know it displays correctly with IE 7, but I wouldn’t be surprised if our site is not pretty when viewed with earlier versions of IE common on Windows XP, 98 and other versions. I’m hoping to find time to fix this and perhaps even do away with the fixed column style we have right now, but this has consistently been an item at the bottom of the to do list.

So if you have had problems reading our website with IE, I apologize. I also strongly recommend that you try out the web browser Mozilla Firefox. Not only does our website display well with Firefox, but you’ll also have features like tabbed browsing, pop-up blocking, better security and you’ll be making the world a nicer place¹. It’s very easy to install and use, so try it out.

¹ Really, you will. I’m not joking. Web developers around the world will love you for it. :-)

Never Been There

2007-05-30T14:45:45Z

Today when I mentioned having visited a notorious landmark in Hong Kong, the Chung King Mansions, a city native responded, “Wow. I’ve never been there but I’ve seen it on TV.” Now it’s quite understandable why someone might not want to visit a place known for its seedy stores and questionable activities. Nevertheless I find it interesting that life-long locals have often never visited the very places in their neighborhoods which tourist come to see. It’s the New Yorker who has never visited the Statue of Liberty or, closer to my own home town, the Pittsburgher who has never visited Falling Water.

As I settle into Hong Kong I’ve often silently promised myself that I’ll continue to explore this amazing city, visiting all the sites and scenes that others travel around the world to glimpse. Likewise, wherever you may happen to be, consider the local treasures that out of familiarity have failed to attract you. Someday you may find yourself on the other side of the world unable to turn the corner and visit them. I’ve yet to visit Falling Water myself.

Get Your Passport

2007-05-29T15:46:01Z

As you may have noticed, we’ve slowed down on the website articles lately. Part of that is due to some technical glitches I keep meaning to fix and part of that is due to us falling into the natural rhythm of daily life. With work and visitors, life has been cruising along, though not without adventures worth sharing.

My mother is visiting us right now. Grandma’s can’t stay away from their only grandchild for too long. Her visit came as something of a Mother’s Day surprise. That is, we called her up on Mother’s Day and asked if she’d like to fly out to Hong Kong… at the end of the week. Well, it wasn’t as surprising as it sounds. We had talked about it a few times before. It was just a big surprise to everyone else. (You’re going where?... when???) Until we have matters settled for a helper to watch Maeli, we’re taking advantage of flying willing family members around the globe.

The biggest hurdle for my mother was getting her passport. We had been told that if she had a plane ticket in hand she could go directly to the passport office and get the application processed within a day. We needed a quick solution because even expedited service can take months with the current backlog.

The first time my mother called the office, she couldn’t even get through. So she woke up very early the next day and tried again. The automated system informed her she could have an appointment at the end of the month… weeks too late. She knew that the office opened at 6:00 AM, so at 5:58 AM she started calling and got into the phone queue. Eventually a human responded and after some tense moments, my mother was able to secure an appointment for the next day.

Visiting the passport office revealed just how lucky my mother was. She met many people there who had expedited their passport applications months ago and were now desperately attempting to track down the application in the system. After being told that their applications were still being processed and they should come into an office, one family drove the next day to DC from North Carolina only to then be told that their passports were being delivered to their home that morning. In comparison, my mother’s one day in-and-out experience was simple, quick and efficient.

Thankfully everything else went smoothly (well, the flights were rescheduled and then rescheduled again…). My mother arrived last week and has been enjoying the beach here on Lamma Island as well as the markets and greenery that Hong Kong offers.

So a word to any US citizens: if you’re in need of a passport, apply for it as early as possible or try your luck and head down to the office directly (you’ll need your plane tickets in hand).

Subways

2007-05-22T14:45:38Z

Expect no one to talk to you on a Hong Kong subway. Expect everyone to give up their seat to a mother or to the elderly. Always read over someone’s shoulder if you’re bored. It’s okay. Everyone does it.

Hong Kong’s subway system is full of quirks just like any other city. For example, it’s impeccably clean. Chinese cleanliness and smiley-face Wal-Mart prices come from the same source… cheap labor. But the passengers play their own part in keeping aluminum benches shiny and laminate flooring sparkling. I’ve never seen a subway rule broken: no eating, drinking, or spitting. (The no spitting signs are everywhere in an attempt to eradicate a bad habit of older Chinese generations.)

And then there is securing an empty seat in a crowded car. It took me four weeks of consistent riding before I figured out how to be Chinese in getting a seat. I can’t rush in too fast or I risk looking like a jerk. I can’t be passive or I’ll forever be standing. The main trick is to situate myself in an aisle where it looks like people might be getting off. Someone clutching their bag is a good sign that they are getting up soon. And when they get up, I pause for a moment, like I’m waiting for a pregnant lady to take the seat, then walk to the empty seat at a speed that isn’t too forced. I can’t look greedy.

If there are a few inches of space on a bench seat it’s okay to approach the seat with full intention of sitting down. Not wanting to be sat on is a common human sentiment. And making like you’re going to sit on someone is completely Chinese and not offensive at all. I’ve lacked the bravery to try it but the Chinese successfully execute the “I’m going to sit on you” move all the time.

Here’s a final pointer about subways in general. If you don’t like to touch strangers or be touched by them, don’t ride.

New Visitor

2007-05-20T14:45:18Z

Today my mother boarded a plane in Beijing. After one full month in China she’ll likely go home and kiss US soil. I admire her adventurous spirit and never have to wonder where I get it from.

Almost two hours before my mother’s plane left Beijing, my mother in-law boarded a plane in LA headed for Hong Kong. They fly past each other with neither of them realizing it.

My mother in-law arrives tomorrow morning and is scheduled to stay for a whole 6 weeks. With no viable summer day-care for Maeli, good ol’ grandma comes to the rescue. This visit being longer than the last, we’ll take our time exploring Hong Kong. There will be no race to the finish but more lazy days on the beach.

Maeli is a pretty lucky kid to have been gone for a mere five months and already both grandmothers have flown exactly half way around the world to see her. From the look on her face she knows the power that she wields.

Octopus Card

2007-05-15T14:45:24Z

95% of Hong Kong residents own Octopus cards. As of today, Aaron and I each have our own. Why did we join the 14 million other card holders?

An Octopus card is a money smart-card. These cards are so versatile as a payment method that I might as well give up credit cards and quit carrying cash. Although the biggest allure is the touch-and-go system. It is common to see people drag their purse or bag over this. That yellow infinity symbol means “Hey…lucky you! Don’t worry about fiddling with small change. Just get your card near this thing and then you can pass through the metal gate, or buy groceries, or pump gas, or even get some salty dried fish out of this vending machine.”

It costs about 6 USD to own one and “add-value” machines are sprinkled all over Hong Kong. I feel so high-tech carrying one of these. And honestly it shaves off 10 minutes from my daily commute. Two days out of the week I have to take a ferry, subway, light rail, and then bus to the school I work at. It’s an hour and forty-five minute commute. Before my octopus card I had to have exact change for each of these transits. Now I just breeze on through like everyone else.

The octopus card is only 10 years old in Hong Kong. In the early years only the subway systems accepted them. Now every public transportation system in Hong Kong does. That’s not to mention the 7-Elevens, McDonald’s, and other shops. In fact, so many people now use Octopus cards that some stores no longer take small coins (the little shop down the street from us, for example!).

Despite culture shock and daily misadventures, Hong Kong is becoming our home. Joining the card swiping masses is just another sign.

The Story Thus Far

2007-05-10T06:36:51Z

Some readers have requested a way to print out many of our articles to read offline. First, I want to mention that we do have an atom feed. For those not familiar, weblog feeds are specially formatted versions of articles that can easily be read in a feed reader or aggregator such as Google Reader or Bloglines. The interesting part about feeds is that you don’t have to remember to regularly check a website in order to get updates. In fact, there are services that will deliver feeds directly to your email.

For those not interested in such complexities, I’ve put together a PDF version of all our articles in chronological order up to this date. At the moment this is a one-off process but eventually I’d like to automate it so that anyone can get the latest full archive of Peregrinari. Until then, I hope this will suffice:

Download Peregrinari Archive [PDF, 2.3 MB]

Long Weekend Tour

2007-05-08T13:45:58Z

Our first visitors to Asia have come and gone without any major trauma. My mother spent two weeks in Hong Kong while her friend joined us this past weekend. Tonight they leave on a two week hike and bike tour that romps through rural and urban China. They will cover thousands of miles on their way to Beijing.

I was able to warm them up with some adventurous days in Hong Kong. The following itinerary supposes you stay on the Kowloon side, which is common for tourists. Aaron and I recommend the Salisbury YMCA for a reasonable rate in a phenomenal location.

Day 1: Arrive in Hong Kong. Begin the slow process of adjusting your body to a very foreign time zone. When night takes the city, stroll down the promenade in Kowloon and stick around for the daily 8 PM light show. The choreographed music and dazzlement of Hong Kong cityscape will take the edge off the plane ride. Don’t forget to take some sleeping pills at night and have some melatonin on hand for when you wake up in the wee hours of the morning.

Day 2: Adventure back to the Kowloon promenade and visit the Hong Kong Art Museum. Familiarize yourself with relics of ancient worlds. Jade, copper, bronze… you name it. Then hop on the MTR subway transit to the Flower Market and Bird Market in northern Kowloon. Blocks and block and blocks of fresh flowers overwhelm the urban pollution. Rest at the Bird Market while watching old Chinese men gush over their caged beauties. Anytime after 4 PM hit the Temple Street night market in Kowloon for a dizzying array of knockoffs and Chinese gifts. Stop at one of the outside restaurants for some very fresh seafood with loads of MSG.

Day 3: Get ready to enter the belly of the beast. Take the seven minute ($0.27 USD) Star Ferry to Central. Walk to the Peak Tram and disorient yourself with a steep accent as skyscrapers fall behind. Hope for a clear day lending a most spectacular view from Victoria’s Peak. If you have the time and energy, take the one hour Morning Trail for more views of Hong Kong. Hop back on the Peak Tram and head to Maxim’s Restaurant on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Dim Sum anyone? They even have an English menu accompanied by a long line.

Day 4: Submerge once again into the MTR subway and head to Tung Chung. Transfer to the SkyRail for a 3.5 mile cable car ride overlooking Lantou Island. Arrive at Po Lin, home of the famous vegetarian monastery & cafeteria and giant Buddha statue. This trip is worth the commute because getting there is half the fun.

If you happen to be in Hong Kong on a Sunday, don’t miss the Kung Fu show in Kowloon Park. It’s a free show from 2:30-4:30. These amateurs put on a lovely show.

I’ve omitted dining options. Anywhere you go, it’s impossible to avoid a slew of restaurants in Hong Kong. However, expect MSG poisoning if you stick to Chinese cuisine.

Our first visitors enjoyed this schedule. They also got to visit Lamma Island (our home), however it’s a bit of a hike from Kowloon. If you happen to explore this eccentric side of Hong Kong, make sure you take a whole day to do it.

Teaching in Hong Kong

2007-05-06T11:45:35Z

Teaching in Hong Kong is rather hard to describe. It’s like explaining air travel. You could say, “It’s exciting but nerve wracking at the same time.” But that doesn’t provide the whole picture.

My dream job would have been at an international school. The pay is excellent, facilities are top of the line, and it’s good for networking. But most importantly the curriculum is loose and creative in comparison to local Chinese schools.

In mainland China it would have been easy to land an international position. Not many guilios (white ghosts) are willing to work in mainland. Frankly I just don’t have the proper credentials or experience to compete with Hong Kong ex-patriots.

So I work in Chinese kindergartens like other unqualified guilios in Hong Kong. And now that I’m with a placement agency, I’ve already been to four different schools in two weeks. Thus far my short experience as a teacher has spun me in circles.

Chinese kindergartens are much more strict than my own pre-school experience. For starters, there is the uniform. Every school has multiple uniforms that are required for different days of the week. This seems pretty hard to keep up with for the little ones. I always chuckle to myself when some of the kids are wearing the wrong uniform. Score one for diversity!

In kindergarten, the students are three to six years old. Once they turn six they can attend primary school. Kindergarten is like boot-camp for primary school. They beat the kids into submission with listening and rule-obeying skills.

The impression I get from the Chinese teachers is that fun is an after-school activity. Because this opposes my learning philosophies, I enter Chinese classes and get the kids moving and engage them in dramatic play. The teachers look worried. It’s like I’m the phys.ed. teacher in elementary school. Phys.ed. is the one class that EVERY student likes because thinking is not a requirement.

I often wonder how this strict environment effects these small children. Every class bows and chants in unison “Good Morning Miss Jenny” and the Chinese teachers are so proud. I wonder if these kids need to be making a mess with paints and getting muddy in the nearby creek.

The one reason that I appreciate this serious classroom style is because it nullifies any behavioral problems. Even three year olds will obey without a complaint. And they don’t pull the normal three year old trick of pretending that they don’t hear you. It would seem that respecting authority is drilled into Chinese from the womb.

But mostly I worry if the child-like spirit is drained at an early age. It makes me sad when I ask the students to play imaginary games and they look at each other in confusion.

Getting up in front of the class is also hard for these kids. They are used to collective games, not independent activities. I am sanding against the grain.

Over-obedient Chinese children make western children look like crazed squirrels. But Chinese children have trouble thinking for themselves. Although I prefer a western upbringing, when Maeli takes a fit in public I secretly praise what millions of Chinese mothers and teachers are doing.