Last Post

If there's anyone out there still reading my blog (and I don't really know who you all are), this will be my last post. I've been in the States for just over 2 weeks now. The same reverse-culture shock things still strike me: how big everything is (cars, houses, restaurants, portion sizes, etc), how big people look, how much choice there is in the grocery store (and how wide the aisles are and how big the carts are), how I can understand everyone's conversations around me (incredibly distracting and annoying), and how clear and fresh the air is. It's good to see family and friends and reconnect with people who know me well. It's good to be home in a place where I don't have to be making any more decisions. It's good to have summertime to be in the sun, sleep in, be in the mountains, and do all of the things I don't get a chance to do during the school year. People have been asking me how the adjustment is going, and I don't have a clear answer yet. Hong Kong was both a long and short 3 years of my life, and I don't regret any of it. But I think the permanence of being home in the States will strike me this autumn, when things fall into a routine and I'm no longer planning a long weekend to a neighboring country. I know this isn't the last of my travels, or even of living overseas, perhaps. I'll just have to wait and see how things go and how I feel. For now, I'm just taking it one step at a time. I have 3 weeks left before work starts (I'm teaching 3rd grade for Aurora Public Schools), and I'm taking a grad class in that time. So, when I can squeeze it in, I'll be soaking up the rest of summer.

Modern Toilet Restaurant

For my last meal in Hong Kong, I ended up at the Modern Toilet Restaurant. I stayed with my friend Michelle for my last few days, and we walked around the Kowloon neighborhoods one afternoon. Close to dinnertime, we realized that we weren't too far from the Toilet Restaurant. I've been curious about it for a while, but nobody else seemed too interested in joining me until now. I'm pretty sure this place originated in Japan, and there's one in Seoul, too. These kind of themed restaurants are relatively popular in other parts of Asia. The decor, serving dishes, and flushing noises were all part of the theme. The food was just normal Hong Kong food...a mix of noodle dishes, hot pot, and "Western" food. Michelle at the entrance
our table...a glass top over a sink, and toilet chairs

lovely urinal decor and toilet tables, as well as a wall of flag toilet lids. very classy.

my noodles in a sink bowl and drink in a tall urinal glass

posing at some of the larger tables...bathtubs

Junk Boat

For my friend Kathie's birthday, we threw a surprise "junk boat" party. Renting a "junk" for the day is a very popular thing to do in Hong Kong. You can rent a boat, get food and beverages catered if you want, and sail around the islands of Hong Kong, stopping to swim. It was beautiful day and a great way to spend one of my last weekends here.
views around Sai Kung

a smaller version of our boat

group shot

Church

For the past few years, I've been going to church services at a Lutheran Seminary, Christ's Temple at Tao Fong Song. They have English speaking services on Sunday evenings, and I have really enjoyed the small community and peaceful, contemplative nature of the services. It was a blessing for me to be refreshed every week. The seminary is located on top of a mountain, so the location is quiet and peaceful, a pleasant change from the rest of Hong Kong. The congregation is small, made of a few seminary students (from all over Asia), a few other expats (mainly from Scandinavia), and a few fellow teacher friends. Once a month, there is a Taize service. The seminary and Christian center here are host to many retreats, seminars, and conferences. Finally, on my last Sunday there, I brought my camera and took a few photos. Pilgrim's Hall, where the congregation eats a vegetarian meal together after church every week.
The view from Tao Fong Song: Shatin and the 10,000 Buddhas temple.

The bell, which is rung at the beginning and end of every service.

Inside Christ's temple

Church and Pastor John

"True Blue" HKIS Ball

My school, HKIS, has an annual fund-raising ball. Parents buy tickets for teachers, and I was invited this year. It was a jaw-dropping, over-the-top ,black tie event. Every man in the room was in a tux, and every woman was dressed in their best ballgown or dress. The decorations of the Hong Kong Convention Center were done in detail, keeping with the theme of "true blue". I walked in and was served a blue cocktail and mingled while people bid on silent auction items. After cocktail hour, we had an excellent dinner, listened to some music, watched a live auction (with vacations, jewelry, and LA Lakers tickets reaching outrageous prices), and then opened up the dance floor. I received a table prize of an expensive wallet and a spa gift certificate and we watched the silent auction prices rise on the screens around us. Each person was given a "smart card" so that they could bid at the table with a small electronic device and keypad to continually bid throughout the evening. I'm pretty sure it was the fanciest thing I've ever been to.

with my co-workers Mayen (from the Phillipines) and Betty (from Alaska)

impressed with our dinner and table decorations

International Day

Every year, my school has International Day. Hong Kong International School is truly International, with students from all over the world....dozens of countries and languages are represented at the school. The students wear their traditional dress, bring food from their respective countries, attend a big assembly, and have a parade to show off their outfits. HKIS hired dancers to showcase different traditional dances and had a few different acts to celebrate countries from all over the world. It was a truly unique event that isn't likely to be repeated in my future job!

2nd grade boys from Hong Kong
Some of my students from the US, Malaysia, and Japan

More students from Taiwan, Korea, Sweden, and the US. It's hard to take a picture of 2nd graders without someone giving bunny ears in the background.

Brazilian dancers and students on stage

A 2nd grade class had a "living museum" with students from England, Australia, France, Ireland, Malaysia, the UK, Sweden, the US, Canada, India, China, Japan, the Netherlands, Thailand, and a few others.

Happy Valley Races

Going to the horse races is a very Hong Kong thing to do. It's incredibly popular, and considering the Chinese view of luck, the weekly races bring in quite a bit of money for this city. In any guide book, going to Happy Valley to see the races is on the top of the lists. The equestrian events for the Olympics were held in HK as well this year (although at a different track). This week, we got together a few friends and went to the races. For most of us, it was our first time going. The setting is beautiful with the open field and air against the backdrop of the city. We didn't win big (because we didn't bet big), but it was a lot of fun. A few people commented that it felt like going to a baseball game in the States...the same feeling of an outdoor event, lots of people, beer, snacks, and spectators ranging from intensely engaged to purely social.

friends Rebekah, Michelle, and Salome

Taiwan: Day 1

Last weekend, we had Friday off for (another) holiday, so I took a semi-last minute trip to Taiwan with a few friends. I realized that it was a place I really wanted to go before I left Hong Kong, and with it being only an hour and a half flight, I should go while I could. It was a really easy trip in a lot of ways, partly because my friend Michelle speaks Mandarin and my other friend did a lot of the detailed planning for us.

Overally, I loved Taiwan and wished I had more time there. It's a place I could easily have spent a week or more exploring. Many people from HK go to Taipei for the weekend and report that it's really similar to HK, but I found it really interesting. Sure, it's reminiscent of HK, and also of mainland China, but it certainly has it's own unique feel to it as well. There was some really interesting food choices, a couple of extensive night markets, and a lot of history. We didn't have time to do everything, but we crammed a lot in. The one thing I missed was the museum...where a lot of ancient Chinese art is housed, as a result of the cultural revolution. Instead, we saw a lot of the city and ran into a couple of unexpected events as well, such as a protest and a Buddhist parade. Taiwanese people reminded me very much of HK-ers...very proud to NOT be from mainland China, and proud of their own heritage. Taipei is a modern city, packed with history and culture. I loved it. Then again, where in SE Asia have I had a bad experience?!

Oddly enough, there were crane games everywhere. Michelle and Tad are modeling the most interesting one...fishing for bread. Weird.

We ran into this parade on our way the first night and asked our taxi driver to stop. We're still not sure exactly what it was for.

Tall, frightening, masked parade marchers.

Night market snacks..candied fruit (and cherry tomatoes). They looked better than they tasted.

Night market food stalls.

In the late afternoon, we took a mini-excursion to the Maokong area, where tea is grown and packaged. We stopped at a tea house for a snack, watched the sunset and looked over the valley and the city, hoping to get a glance of some fireflies.

I loved this sign on one vending machine. At the same vending machine, you could buy Asparagus Juice. We found it at breakfast the next morning as well. It wasn't so good.

Changing of the guards...a very formal process.

Beautiful National Theater

We weren't sure what this parade/protest was for, but there were crews of policemen ready with shields and sticks.

Steaming seafood.

Playing carnival games...an unexpected find.

Snack choices at 7-11 include Slurpees, hot dogs, tea eggs, and char sui bao (steamed pork bun). I suppose this is similar to some HK 7-11's, but I've never actually stopped to take a picture of it.

Taiwan: Day 2

Today we took a day trip to Taroko National Park and Taroko Gorge (boasted as Taiwan's Number One Tourist Destination). We took a bullet train from Taipei early in the morning, and arrived in a small mountain town 2 hours later. We carb-loaded on a traditional Taiwanese breakfast of noodles with beef, waited for the rain to clear, and headed for the park. It was absolutely breathtaking. It reminded me a lot of some parts of Colorado, except it was much more green and lush. The gorge ran deep, with huge boulders in the river, waterfalls all around, the steep cliffs. We took an hour bus ride to the top, where there was a small village, home to a couple of youth hostels, retreat centers, and a couple of small restaurants. We did a couple of short hikes, ending at a water cave and near a couple of Buddhist temples. The day ended with another great meal. Michelle was able to read the Chinese characters of a local fast food restaurant, so we wandered in, were handed a small wooden box with some rice, and went through a small buffet table, loading our boxes with Taiwanese dishes. After a long day and a couple of Taiwan beers, we were all pretty sleepy on the late train ride back to Taipei.

Taiwan: Day 3

Today was another marathon day. We woke up, ate breakfast in the hotel, and then headed out to Dan Sui, just one train stop away. This little suburb was full of interesting things...a boardwalk area with carnival games, lots of interesting street food, and a market. After that, we went to the hot springs, which Taiwan is well known for. We went to the local springs in a National Park, and had just enough time to get a feel for it. It reminded me a lot of the ones at home in Colorado, actually. After that, we raced to the Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world. We had enough time to get some pictures and a clear view of the city before just barely making it to our flight (but without enough time for some Coldstone ice cream, a minor disappointment).

view of Taipei

from the other side....

Natural hot springs in the middle of the city... the whole neighborhood around here smells like sulfur, and it's easy to see the steam rising over the water, which has the effect of making an entire steamy valley.
hot springs

squid on a stick

lots of crane games

Dan Sui

super tall ice cream. i was very impressed by this