Issues of Proportion and Defense

I've landed...well at least somewhat. My feet are back on U.S. soil for the first time in months and more permanently than temporarily. But for the time being, I still feel very confused. My emotions are a web of misdirection, brining joy at being back and close to family again, panic at being back and saying good-bye to Hong Kong, and mostly some disorientation. I find myself focused more now than ever on the differences of the life we've been living and the one we are moving towards, as well as defensive and supersensitive to all things worldy (and unworldly).

It's a Sunday afternoon and I type away at a Starbucks on the Plaza that looks little different from that of Lan Kwai Fong. But even here, I am struck by the small differences...the smallest size of coffee I can order in KC is the second to largest size in HK. In fact, the Starbucks there recently introduced a new super small size to cater to their clients. America truly is sipping on the big gulp. The buildings that appear through the mural-sized windows are urban in design but seem diminutive to me now. Even in it's most urban setting, KC is two-stories high and miles wide.

I've noticed since our move to Asia a certain sensitivity to discussions and topics which I was learning more about and experiencing daily. Like an withdrawling Asia junkie, the sensitivity has heightened. Yesterday, again at a Starbucks (I really do go other places), I had to bight my tongue when a man walked in and requested Chinese dim sum tea. He made his plea in a way that spoke more to the prestige he thought his "knowledgeable" question would bring in its utterance rather than as a practical use of words intended to get a good tea. I cringed. I am still cringing. While I have to give the guy credit for knowing the term "dim sum," dim sum is in no way a tea, but rather a style of food typical of the Hong Kong region, including dumpling and stuffed rolls.

sensitivity can be a wonderfully dangerous emotion. It awakens with it a line of other senses, good and bad, but in a world where we are hit with stimulants from all sides, coping and living often need to be done in a deadened (or at least slightly numbed) state. Gosh, that sounds pessimistic, but right now that's how I am feeling. I wonder when I will again get to a place where I don't notice some of these things. I want that and I fear that, the stability that comes from being comfortable and used to your surroundings.

I just found a site that makes me feel a little better:

http://www.expat-repat.com/inbound.html

Just the few things they said here make me feel less strange in my emotional flood. Coming back is much harder than going. I feel more different now than I have ever felt. All these things will take time and acceptance to deal with.

Jim Thompson House

Kristen reflects below the canopy of the Jim Thompson House in one of the many antique Chinese fish pots scattered throughout the garden.

Flying in from Hong Kong Saturday morning, Kristen and I went immediately to our hotel to get settled.
The Plaza Athene

After some sleep and rest, we walked to the train and went a couple of stops towards Siam Square with final destination of the Jim Thomson House.


Kristen stands outside the main portion of the house.

An American born entrepreneur, Mr. Thompson is famous for reviving the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and also for moving to Thailand and adapting many ancient Thai traditions and living customs to western way. Although he mysteriously disappeared while on vacation in Burma, his house and his stores remain intact and open to the public.


Mr. Thompson collected many antiques from across Asia and Europe. This traditional Thai carved panel is just one example.


Floating flowers, beaded water, and swimming streams of young fish.


This fish wasn't so young.


A Thai-style mini-house and offering sits quietly but colorfully at the entrance to the complex.

Do I make you cry?

Darcie and Greg's new baby, Kaiya, didn't know whether she liked me or not when I stopped by for lunch last week...



She is such an adorable and good baby!

Tiananmen Square

Smoky. That was the forecast on the Weather Channel website for Beijing when Kim and I woke up Saturday morning and began planning the day. It seemed more ominous a forecast than any I'd ever heard for our second day in China's capital.


Tiananment Square

Our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, was about 4 Beijing blocks (8 or more normal city blocks) from the Tiananmen Square area of Beijing that was made so famous by protestors. It was an easy walk, and while busy, wasn't as overwhelmed with people as I expected. The International Herald Tribune reported that 3000 local tourists got lost or became "missing persons" (70% being adults) in Tiananmen on Saturday when we were exploring.

Seeing the square across one of Beijing's broad and crowded streets, we entered one of the underground pedestrian crossings which were divided for directional flow and monitored with military officers. As we entered the square, the drone of a loud speaker quickly became more clear. From the IHT article, I now know that it was broadcasting the names of people who were separated from their groups, a fact that would have been more discomforting for me if I'd known it then. At the time, I found the square to be somehow less notorious than I'd imagined. Perhaps the whitewash of time and my memory has diluted the blood that was spilled that day.


A guard stands outside of the entrance to the Forbidden City.

With Mao's mausoleum sitting off-center in the Square but still balancing the Grand Palace, T. Square had echoes of the Mall in DC with it's open center surrounded by important governmental and museum buildings, but the Tiananmen was much less green and certainly more orderly than the Mall. As I just alluded to, Tiananmen Square sits quietly besides Beijing's Grand Palace, a remnant of past non-utilitarian dynasties that has been transformed like the modern Chinese economy into something uniquely Communistic and non-Communistic at the same time. With the Grand Palace (really the complex that is the Grand Palace) on the north, Tiananmen Square on the south, and many stately buildings (like a museum and the location where the congress of the Communist Party meets) on all sides, Tiananmen Square is the heart of Beijing and seemingly the heard of China.

The Other Bowling Photo

Just got this from Annie, who apparently is dangerous with Photoshop. This picture doesn't need any words. Wow.

Oh, the Places Eric's Been

Recently, it's been that fun time of year for taxes, and doing taxes these days for people that travel means itemizing where you were when and for what purpose. It's an interesting process to look at yearly because I don't think most of us get around to this. I thought it'd be interesting to post the list of cities Eric's made it to for work or play over the last year or so.

Austin, Texas
Bangalore, India
Bangkok, Thailand
Beijing, China
Guangzhou, China
Hong Kong
Honolulu, Hawaii
Kansas City, Missouri
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lisbon, Portugal
Los Angeles, California
Mumbai, India
New Dehli, India
Osaka, Japan
Park Rapids Minnesota
San Diego, California
Seattle, Washington
Seoul, Korea
Shanghai, China
Singapore
Sydney, Australia
Taipei, Taiwan
Tokyo, Japan
Vancouver, B.C., Canada

What a Crew!

Last night we had a royal Hong Kong send off in the traditional fashion - Bowling Bonanza! It was soooooooooo much fun! And a real treat for us to for the first time have in one room almost all of our best friends from Hong Kong. Bowling, pizza, and brownies made for a great evening!

Also, check out Kim's blog entry on the party...
http://kimchees.blogspot.com/2006/05/strikespareguttergood-bye.html

Front Row (left to right with a few random comments)

Brian and Annie-Annie is a fellow Stitch'n Bitcher and a total crack up. I will always remember our trip to Shenzen to do a little shopping with Annie and Kim in the lead. Annie had the most fun bargaining of anyone I've ever seen. She and Brian own their own street wear business and are the ultimate in serial entrepreneurs. Always fun to hear what they are up. We've only met Brian a few times but were so glad he made it out and represented well in the bowling lane.

Darcie (and Greg who is taking the photo)-Darcie just had a baby six weeks ago (hard to believe isn't it!). I was able to go see Kaiya and Darcie for lunch this week. Kaiya was super sweet and so adorable. There are some good photos from that I'll post when I get. Darcie is another S'n Ber with a specialty in children's clothing. Hadn't gotten to talk to Greg much before last night but really enjoyed discussing his school experience as he went to University of Chicago and a place in DC.

Kim and Xiaofeng-Hard to say enough about Kim. She's been a great friend here. Kim and Xiaofeng were the bowling organizers and pizza orderers (which is a bigger task than can be realized). Kim truly deserves the title of "queen" for this group as she silently organizes many of us in fun outtings and great adventures. I'll always treasure our photo from the South China Morning Post together. Kim and I met only two weeks after I arrived and it's been fun letting our friendship grow. Xiaofeng has always been so fun to play games with and on outtings and a great ambassador of Chinese culture.

Back Row (left to right)

Christian and Sara-Newer transplants to Hong Kong, we've had a fun time getting to know Sara and Christian the last couple of months. Christian writes some fantastic travel guides for China and is a killer cook. Good luck to him on his entrepreneurial ventures here. Sara became an HK veteran quicker than anyone I've seen and really tackles the city. We've had a lot of fun meeting for a salad at lunch time this last month at the JW Marriott...salad savior.

Brian and Heidy-These crazy kids have been like our ambassadors to Hong Kong, always taking thoughtful actions to introduce to local quisine, Japanese photo booths, or other randomness that I never expected but now can't imagine not having experienced.

Eric and Me-Wow, what a Hong Kong crew and it's been great to fit in with them. It's sad to say our goodbyes but also great to have enjoyed such a good time. Things really gelled here for us socially this spring, largely because of the friends you see here.

Tuscan Memories

I wasn't expecting to have Tuscan memories of Hong Kong, but earlier this week, two of our good friends, Heidy and Brian, gave me the most beautiful pillow. They designed and made it themselves, knowing that I liked the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and that I was into handicraft. The photo shows Eric and I examining the pillow and if you look clearly, you can see that they worked into the design my name in the clouds. It was really special. They are super creative.

So, a great memory of them and Hong Kong in the form of handmade pillow with the Tuscan landscape on it. You just never know...

The Greal Wall

A quick last minute trip to Beijing this weekend with our friend Kim made the Great Wall a reality for me on Friday.