Sounds

It strikes me today how for granted I take the sounds that place me in an environment or make me feel separated from it. It's the subtle things that can tie together a global life or make one feel disconnected from reality.

Surprisingly comforting. The murmur of announcements in a language I don't understand. The melodic, consistent music at Starbucks that brings together my breakfast routine across the world. The campanile on the church across the street which strikes out tunes like the bell tower on campus at the University of Kansas. Ding, ding, ding, strikes the hour of noon on Saturday. The honking of cab horns and low murmur of city life.

Surprisingly foreign. The barking of a large dog. A taped interview with President Bush. The same campanile, playing "Amazing Grace."

My Chinese Valentine - Pt. 2

So let's see where we last left off. Hua (our part time maid) was attempting to set me up on a date. She is Chinese (Hua and friend). I am American. Lack of understanding is the thing most common in our relationship. I am gay, although I am guessing anyone reading this already knows that but this whole situation has blown out of the water any reliability I can put in that fact. The maid is OURS (Eric and mine). My partner was upset because our maid had decided to set me up instead of him. Who needs Brokeback Mountain for a little unexpected gay-themed drama.



E.J. says:
oh my god
E.J. says:
hua just showed up with her friend
Eric says:
NO!
Eric says:
Shut up
Eric says:
you are joking me
E.J. says:
I am not sure who she is
E.J. says:
but she just invited me to eat an egg
E.J. says:
her friend is cooking
Eric says:
Oh my god
E.J. says:
i am so thoroughly confused
E.J. says:
We are going to have to have Heidy do an intervention
E.J. says:
I don't know what is going on
Eric says:
Do I need to come home??
E.J. says:
I am not sure if it is the same person from the pic
Eric says:
Her friend is cooking at our house??
E.J. says:
No, I think it will be all right
E.J. says:
but she has those sweet, cooked eggs
E.J. says:
that are dark
E.J. says:
and i am going to eat one
E.J. says:
she brought to show me
E.J. says:
I know it is well intentioned
E.J. says:
but ah!!!!!!!!
E.J. says:
I knew I should have stayed out today
Eric says:
AGHHHH!!!
Eric says:
I'm so sorry!
E.J. says:
Good change on your pic with IM
E.J. says:
It looks nice
E.J. says:
See what happens when you get an office
Eric says:
thanks
E.J. says:
I'll write once I've tried
E.J. says:
and I figure out how to make a polite exit
Eric says:
okkk
Eric says:
okkk
Eric says:
good luck
Eric says:
good luck
Eric says:
call if you need anything
E.J. says:
There is a lot of talk and work going on in the kitchen
E.J. says:
I feel paralyzed
E.J. says:
Almost like when that intruder was in the house
Eric says:
What are they doing!?!!?
E.J. says:
I don't know!!!!
Eric says:
Heidy wants to you know you want him to call...
Eric says:
her to call...
E.J. says:
I think I'd rather do the clean up on this when it's just me and her
E.J. says:
This could be really awkward
E.J. says:
and I don't want to sour Hua as she is really good
E.J. says:
Maybe we can try to do it tomorow?
E.J. says:
Maybe I am reading entirely too much into all of this,
Eric says:
Heidy is so worried if you accept the egg, and the cooking of lunch, then it's sending a bad signal
Eric says:
Heidy says you should RUN out of the house and come over here and we can go to lunch
E.J. says:
The eggs are in hand
Eric says:
and she can call and you can hand the phone to Hua and Heidy can tell her that you're sorry, but that you already had lunch plans with HER today.
E.J. says:
I've accepted
Eric says:
Oh ok ok
Eric says:
we'll leave you alone then.
E.J. says:
Hua brought it
Eric says:
and you can clean it up tomorrow
E.J. says:
not the friend
E.J. says:
I may still try to extricate
Eric says:
are they cooking you lunch?
E.J. says:
If you guys want to meet for lunch I wouldn't be opposed
E.J. says:
They brought those boiled dark eggs with them
E.J. says:
Still warm
Eric says:
ewwww
E.J. says:
Oh my gosh
Eric says:
what?
E.J. says:
I am not sure I can put this in my mouth
Eric says:
don't do it EJ
Eric says:
they're rotten
E.J. says:
I have to at least try
Eric says:
ok
E.J. says:
I got a picture
E.J. says:
Oh my god
Eric says:
what picture???
E.J. says:
what a strange thing
Eric says:
WHAT?
E.J. says:
It's like a super salty hard boiled eff
E.J. says:
egg
E.J. says:
Hold on
E.J. says:
I'll send it
Eric says:
ok
E.J. sends:
E.J. says:
Not actually as bad as I was expecting
E.J. says:
Hua just came wanting my review
E.J. says:
I don't know if I communicated
E.J. says:
so
E.J. says:
so
Eric says:
i don't even like LOOKING at that.
E.J. says:
You'd gag
Eric says:
I'm sure
Eric says:
we're going to lunch
Eric says:
do you want to go?
Eric says:
or...?
E.J. says:
Yes
E.J. says:
I need to get out

So without warning, Hua shows up today with her friend in tow. They bring me warm, rotten eggs. I freak out and IM for sanity and direction with Eric. Our fairy god friend Heidy offers counsel. Egg is eaten. I exit for a lunch, although I've already eaten (egg and actual lunch). Friend leaves at the same time I do, unintentionally, to go get a facial (yes, they knew this English word). End scene.

Now, what am I supposed to do? Heidy has counseled against any attempt to be open about my need not to be set up on dates unless in a very vague way. Her concern is ingrained bigotry and inability or undesirability of working after that comes out. I am a guest in this country and I want to be respectful, but Hua is a guest in our home. OUR HOME! I wish I had a nice ribbon to wrap around this and put it away, but I am really conflicted. I am leaning towards taking Heidy's advice if for no other reason than I just don't even know how I could be honest with Hua because of language barriers, and trying to be honest would I fear require some not so delicate translation by Heidy, which I don't feel comfortable with.

Mumbai's Exhaust Entrepreneurs

The poverty of India is striking, but not always consistently. There are places of complete isolation from poverty - foreign hotels, partial isolation - non-touristy streets, and near immersion - at a stop light in certain slum neighborhoods. When Eric and I were in India over Thanksgiving week, we saw many entrepreneurs at work in the later areas, taking advantage of the idle customers to try to sell a little something from a flower to a magazine. The International Herald Tribune had a really interesting story and photographic piece on Mumbai's street entrepreneurs that brought this to mind:

http://www.iht.com/slideshows/2006/02/19/asia/web.0219city.php

More often in the areas we were driven through, there was just begging, with young children knocking on the windows and staring in at us boldly. A couple used rocks or coins to slightly scratch the windows of the car and to peck away at the clear barrier between us, glass and cultural that it was. It was hard not to open the windows, but it was harder to open them. I had a real sense that the windows held out a tidal wave of people and that once opened, our car would be flooded.

Was this a real threat? It is hard to know. Our drivers warned us against opening the windows and reinforced a fear that I already had. I don't know that I've ever felt more privledged (and disgusted with that privledge) than I did as we traveled through India. Am I pleased with how I responded? Yes and no. I am glad that we went. I am glad that we saw. I am glad that we've learned. I realize and must continue to remind myself that self-preservation is usually a good instinct and that I am not directly responsible for the things that I saw on the street's of Mumbai. Do I continue to battle with the memories? Yes.

A Trekie in Hong Kong

At about 11:30 today, I sat down in front of the Hong Kong public library for a moment of sunshine and nibbling before entering the strict no-food confines of the public building. About halfway through my Pret-a-Manger sandwich, someone actually came and sat down across from me with the intent of talking! HK is such a business environment most of the time, this bold move of human exchange took me by surprise.


The HK Public Library

Peter is a HK native that studied for a while in Boston, although he said he played too much chess and ended up dropping out. I think I appeared to be a good opportunity for him to practice his English. Now, Peter is unemployed and waiting to start a technical school in April where he will study computer graphic design. As a 35+ person who has been out of the school environment for several years, he seemed fairly nervous about the year of study that awaited him but was anxious for further employment. Unemployment is something that you don't see often in HK. Although the rates are not much better than the US, homelessness and other visual signs of unemployment are much less apparent. This comes likely because the government provides fairly good assistance for many and homes for seemingly all. To meet and talk with Peter came only about 20 minutes after I saw my first "bag lady" in HK. With an American sized shopping cart, she was sitting in Victoria Park enjoying some sun.

Peter and I seemed to share many interests, but math, chess, and Star Trek were the ones that seemed to resonate with him. For me, math and chess are intricately linked as I learned to play and was most practiced in chess while in Math Club in high school. Eric forever laughs at me being Math Club President, but hey, it was fun. Growing up, I was also a large Star Trek: the Next Generation fan, watching weekly with my dad for years. Chess and Star Trek have long since left my daily routine, but who knows what the future may bring. Peter invited me to join a chess tournament that happens every Thursday at 6:30pm in Wan Chai. This qualifier for HK's official chess championship may be a possible stepping point to a renewed interest.

Rock Star - Dashan

Apparently, being white and living in urban but not Beijing or Shanghai, China makes one a bit famous. Children rush to you on the street to say hi. Managers and officials introduce themselves. Your anonymity is gone.

This has been the experience of a friend of mine, Lucas, who recently moved from St. Louis to Liaoyang, China. A city with more than 10 million people, Liaoyang is larger than HK, but Lucas finds himself one of two white people living there, at least that he has seen. Working at a small university/vo-tech, is certainly having an interesting experience and one very different from our HK adventure.

Apparently, the most famous westerner in China is a man name Dashan. As a student in China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, Dashan stayed unlike most westerners. This apparently cause Dashan to be catapulted into high regard by the Chinese government and now Dashan has made a career of being Dashan, China's white man. More information on his website:

http://www.dashan.com/

Lucas' students think he looks like Dashan, and he receives a smaller but similar rock star public reception. So, here I am with Liaoyang's Dashan. Lucas stopped over for the day in HK this weekend as he wraps up an 8-week vacation from school and heads back to Beijing and then home.

Take Care of Yourself so You Can Take Care of Those You Love

I've been going to yoga this week and loving it. It is such an amazing feeling. Sometimes I enjoy the tidbits of commentary and insight on life, like the title for this entry, but other times they make me want to scream. I decided to share this little bit of advice because it really resonnated with me when my yoga instructor said it. It's something I don't think I really realized until this last year, and everyday I realize more and more what a better friend and love one I am to those I care about when I take care of myself.

3 Pieces of Randomness

First, Hong Kong must have more delivery carts per capita than any other place in the world. I walked to the gym (about 3 blocks) and saw ten carts loaded with stuff. Each cart is about 2' by 4', metal, and built to fold flat. Very smart. Reminds me of another cool delivery invention I saw two days ago at the store. It was a Park 'n Shop (ironic that it's the biggest HK chain but no one drives) that was in the basement of a main street. At about 9pm, the delivery truck had arrive and the staff set up a massive chute to send packages flying down and thus to save their backs, though I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a 12 pack of coke on one of those things.



Second, I just made "silver" in the Marco Polo Club, Cathay Pacific's (HK airline we fly most) frequent flyer program. No longer "green", I will now get to go into the fancy dancy lounge that Eric raves about. It's a whole secret world of business travelers and the luxuries they use to stay sane on the road. I will report.

Lastly, I wanted to bring up sailors. From what that paper said another US ship is docking here for the weekend. These are big events in HK that happens a couple of times per year. Many US families that are involved in the formal expatriate community host sailors for dinner. What is more interesting to me though is how all of my friends with daughters talk of these docking sailors as all their parental concerns incarnate. You'd think they left the ship like a band of roving plunderers and that their daughters were powerless against them.