SOCIALIZATION SCENE HEATING UP!

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Hello to my blog family! I’ve been meaning to update the blog with all of my recent goings-on, but life has become rather busy. So, without further ado, allow me to give you a glimpse of what I’ve been up to! Read on, for it’s all quite exciting!

Well, I’ve prayed that God would facilitate me making more friends here, and She/He has answered my prayers abundantly! Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were all glorious days in
their own ways.

In order to adequately explain Friday night, I’ve got to introduce you to another of my friends. Hazel is a Cantonese woman who kindly volunteers to help me with various things. She reads for me, sends mail, orders my groceries, and pretty’s up my PowerPoint slides. We share some commonalities. She is a Christian woman. Hazel’s son has a hearing impairment. She asks me about disability issues, and I learn from her perspective as a parent of a child with a disability.

I had told Hazel that I was looking for things to do on the weekends. I also told her that I enjoy teaching English. I offered to teach her son English. She accepted with alacrity. She asked if I would like to go to a Bible study with her and her family. I eagerly accepted her kind invitation. So, that is the background for last Friday night.

Hazel and her husband, Frances, picked me up in a taxi at 6:25 on the 8th of April. We went to the Jockey Club to have dinner. The Jockey Club is similar to a well-known, very prestigious country club in the States; Jockey Club. This was the second club of its type that I’ve been in in Hong Kong. I believe I wrote about my dinner with Richard Stites from the American Consulate during my first few weeks in Hong Kong at the American Club. Anyway, the Jockey Club is immensely popular with Hong Kongers.
As we entered the lobby, a lavender scent greeted us. We took a lift up to a casual dining area. We sat at a table and ordered drinks. I had an orange juice and water. Hazel and Francis’ son, Steven, was having swimming lessons at the Jockey Club. While we waited for Steven, we talked about a number of topics. Francis is an attorney in commercial law. He has been a partner in his firm for a number of years. Hazel and Francis met in high school and dated for ten years before marrying.

Francis and Hazel are both members of the Jockey Club. One cannot simply join the Jockey Club if one has the means to do so. One must be recommended by a member. The Jockey Club membership allows one to attend the horse races and watch from a members-only section. One can utilize the gym and sign one’s children up for sporting events there. Francis told me that the food and all other services are paid for through one’s monthly account statement. No cash is accepted by service staff, precluding the need for tips, etc.
Now for a word-tour of the food. It was self-serve. There were many mouth-watering styles of food to choose from: Australian beef, a Western salad bar, Italian cuisine, Indian curry and naan, Japanese sashimi and sushi, Western meats and French fries, and, of course, Chinese food. Desserts were present in abundance as well, but we decided to wait until after our Bible study for that part of our meal. Francis and Hazel urged me to tell them what I preferred. While we were talking at the table before we selected our meal, Francis had mentioned that he liked Australian beef. So, I suggested that we get some of that. We also got fish curry, naan, Basmati rice, cucumbers, French fries, California rolls, sushi, and our drinks. Needless to say, the food was delicious. The beef was more rare than I would have wished, but it was still delicious! The curry was quite nice, if a little mild for my tastes.

While we were eating Steven came back from his swimming lesson. He left his hearing aids out to let his ears dry out thoroughly. I smiled and waved at him. After our meal, I showed Steven my cane. He liked it, since one of the most famous Chinese movie heroes is blind and has a cane that conceals a knife. Steven played with my cane for a minute or two. Then, we descended to the ground floor and haled a cab to go to the Bible study.

Off to Bible Study

Hazel had told me that the couple who hosted the Bible study have a small dog. She said that the dog was very friendly. So, I was excited about both the Bible study and meeting the dog! Both were lovely. As we walked into the room, several couples were sitting in a circle and were praising God through English songs that I know! Since singing to God is my main way of connecting spiritually, I was over-joyed! I haven’t been able to really praise God through contemporary worship since I left home, for Emmanuel Church, where I attend services regularly is a traditional church. I was so happy as I joined my voice with those of my Christian sisters and brothers! Then, to top it all off, the dog, JoyJoy, jumped up on the couch next to me and licked my face! (Jill, if Grandpa is reading this to you, don’t feel envious, my love. You are number one in my book. But, since I can’t pet and hug you right now, it does make me happy to get to know another doggie.)

God spoke to me very poignantly during that study. After the singing was done, each couple was asked to tell what had been going on in their lives over the past week. The leaders of the study shared quite a lot at the beginning. Then, each couple was asked by the male leader of the group to recount something about their week. I was skipped at this time. I was just thinking in my mind, I wonder if I was skipped because I’m blind, a new member, or a female. I was trying not to resent the male leader who spoke more than the other participants and who judged one of the women in the group for becoming car sick in the bus when I learned that the topic of the study was having a judgmental heart. Boom! Boy, was I convicted.

You know, I’ve really got to resolve this spiritual war between the values espoused by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and sticking up for my and other people’s rights. Women, ethnic minorities, GLTB folks, and people with disabilities are all discriminated against much too often. Realizing these social justice problems makes me more aware of them in my daily life. In order to change these disparities in treatment of these groups, we have to change the current system. That means continuous consciousness raising and, when feasible, making others aware of their inappropriate ways of acting towards us. But, Jesus says to turn the other cheek. I keep praying that God will help me to resolve and integrate these two dichotomous ways of thinking soon.

Well, back to the Bible study. Apart from praying with a group of believers, basking in their unified support, and learning that I’m not the only one who longs to learn not to judge others, I did learn a very important idea, thanks to the leader I had previously judged. He suggested that instead of judging those whom we feel need some improvement, we should redouble our efforts to help them. So, if I spend the considerable amount of energy I now spend on judging someone on helping them to want to change their behavior, I might even, through God’s guidance, help make their interactions with others more positive. I think back on so many people who I have judged or been annoyed by over the years. As a Christian, I should have spent my time praying for them and helping them to learn how to be better people. I hope I can learn to apply this lesson to my own life.

After the formal Bible study was over, we adjourned to the kitchen, where we had cake, pastries, banana bread, and scrumptious fruit. They even had raspberries! I told Hazel of the raspberry bushes that Mom so lovingly tended in front of our house while growing up. I will always remember having raspberry shakes and just eating raspberries straight out of the bowl that Mom had just picked! After dessert, a very kind Christian couple from the Philippines drove me back to the Graduate House with Hazel’s family in a Land Rover. That concluded my incredible night. I slept well that night, assured of God’s love.

Meet Sauwa

Saturday dawned warm and humid as all days are now in Hong Kong. I ate my breakfast and went into work for a few hours. At noon I was to meet Sauwa, a friend I had made while climbing up to the Graduate House one day. Sauwa is exactly ten years older than me and lives with her 92-year-old father in Kowloon. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in early childhood education at Hong Kong U. She is interested in studying the fifth-largest minority group in China. I don’t know how to spell the name of this minority group, but you pronounce it just like you would pronounce the sound a cat makes. Anyway, Sauwa wants to study the difficulties encountered by these children in education and to set up early childhood education programs in their villages.

Sauwa is quite an amazing person. Her father lived in Canton Province and escaped sometime during World War I. Since both of his parents were killed, he doesn’t know his true birthday. He worked as a vegetable hawker in the market for many years. His wife had many children and died a few years after giving birth to Sauwa.

Sauwa got her bachelor’s degree from a small college in Oklahoma and her master’s from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She has worked with blind people in Hong Kong and in the States. What a comfort it is to speak almost normal English with someone who spent many years learning to understand us Americans. Sauwa’s sighted guide technique is flawless! What a pleasure it was to find someone in Hong Kong to walk with whom I can trust. She is the first one!

On Saturday Sauwa and I took the 573 bus from the Pokfulam Road bus stop to Stanley Bay. This is an area of town frequented by Westerners. But, the ex-pats come there, rather than the tourists. So, it’s a pretty exciting place! To hear American accents as I strolled down the street was a pleasure indeed.

Sauwa and I had yam tsa for lunch. This means that you sit down in a crowded restaurant, drink Chinese tea and eat dim sum (Chinese dumplings). To set up the scene even more vividly, no napkins are usually provided when eating dim sum. So, I either have to remember to bring my own tissues or ask someone for one of theirs. And, since I haven’t perfected the art of eating with chop sticks yet, I always have to ask for a fork or tsa.
Small Cantonese lesson
You may have noticed that the sound of tsa is used for many things, including the words for fork and tea. The distinction comes in the tone and length of the vowel you use when pronouncing the word. When saying fork, you must use a high tone of voice and clip off the vowel like you do if you are angry. When saying the word tea, you use a lower register of your voice; draw out the vowel sound more. I think this is correct. But, God knows, my Western ears are poor listeners to Cantonese idiosyncrasies.
back to luncg
During Sauwa and my thoroughly enjoyable lunch we had at least four different types of dumplings. Many of them had ginger slices in them. Some had bits of beef or pork. Some of you may have had these same types of dumplings. One of them is called tsa sui bau. It is barbecued pork pieces in a steamed roll. It is delicious! Apparently, many Westerners like this kind of dumpling in particular. We also had egg tarts. Egg yolk is baked in a delicate and wonderfully flavored round crust. Each tart is about the size of a mini muffin. We had some delicious pork fried rice to round out our meal. I had both milk tea and jasmine tea to sip as we ate. I must say that this was my favorite Chinese meal in Hong Kong so far. Sauwa’s conversation is interesting and relaxing. She treats me as an equal.

Oh, to Be a Tourist!

After lunch, I got to play American tourist! Besides the Fulbright conference trip to Macau, this was the first time since I’ve been here that I have been able to do so. We walked through the market easily, thanks to Sauwa’s superb guiding skills. She asked me what kinds of things I was looking to buy for my family and friends. I asked her to describe some of the merchandise at the market. We first stopped at a flower stall where the proprietor refused to let me touch her flowers. This angered both Sauwa and myself. We both agreed that this was discrimination and would not be tolerated in the States. But, I calmed myself down when remembering that I chose to visit here to learn about just such problems. We then went to a flower stall where the owner let me gently touch many of his flowers. Sauwa made my day by buying flowers for me. One could purchase ten roses for HKD50. In the four years that I’ve been doing my doctoral work, no one, including a former boyfriend of two years, has given me flowers. How very kind and thoughtful other women can be. I’ll have to return the favor for Sauwa sometime.

Then, the real shopping began! We looked at scarves made out of silk and Pashmina. I bought some things, but I’m not going to go into much detail, since some people who read my blog just might be recipients of my gifts! But, I will say that the things I bought feel so lovely on the skin! We bargained with the saleswoman - a skill that my sister, Sarah, and I perfected in Mexico just last November!

Plans

Sauwa and another friend of mine, Sally, and I will go to a Chinese music concert on Thursday night of this week. After you read this advertisement for the concert, I’m sure you’ll reflect with me on how very blessed I am to be able to have opportunities like these while in Hong Kong. Contents of promotional email for concert follow:
Message from Department of Music

13 April 2006 (Thursday)
7:30 pm
Loke Yew Hall, HKU

Pipa Virtuoso HO Kang-Ming & Friends

Joined by his longtime and newly-acquainted musical friends, pipa virtuoso Ho Kang-ming will enchant you will his silk-stringed instrument and a revitalized silk-and-bamboo sound world!

• Programme
  
• Song of Joy
  
• The Glamours of the Sui Dynasty
  
• White Snow in Sunny Spring
  
• Song at the Frontier
  
• Spring in the Pear Garden
  
• Grand Lang Tao Sha
  
• Five Variations on a Bangzi Tune
  
• A Chain of Buckling Rings
  
• Raindrops Falling on Banana Leaves
  
• Ambuscade
  
• Thoughts at the Trousseau Table in Autumn Flowery Moon Night at the Spring River
  

FREE ADMISSION
No tickets required. Seats are limited - first come first served.

HO Kang-ming

Born and educated in Hong Kong, Ho Kang-ming began learning the pipa at a young age. He has a keen interest in the ancient repertoire, particularly in the more lyrical and expressive wenban.

Ho was a member of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra from 1976 to 1980, performing in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Singapore, and on radio and television recordings. Ho is devoted to blazing new trails for Chinese instrumental music, and over the years has premiered new pipa works by Law Wing-fai, Chan Wing-wah, Richard Tsang, Lam Man-yee and Hsu Poyun. In 1981, he joined hands with Ms Chan Man-chong and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in premiering Chan Wing-wah's Symphony No.
2 for double pipa and orchestra. It was a milestone in the history of Hong Kong music, as it was the first time in this city that a traditional Chinese instrument shared the stage with an orchestra in performing a modern work.
Ho left the music scene in 1982 to pursue business interests.

Ho returned to the pipa in 1998 to form the 'Wind and Silk' ensemble with friends Yuen Shi-chun, Tam Po-shek and Yu Siu-wah. Their common aim is to revitalize the authentic timbre of 'silk and bamboo' and promote traditional Chinese music.

Before I close this blog entry, I’ve got to remark on how much fun going to church is now! Father Matthew has been sending me the songs and order of worship for our services for the past two weeks. What a blessing it is to be able to sing, albeit sedately, with my friends at church. I think that Palm Sunday is one of my most favorite Sundays of the year. This year was no exception. I arrived in my taxi fifteen minutes early for church, for we were to take a bus to Kennedy Town, where we would meet up with a Cantonese-speaking congregation for our service. The matriarch and patriarch of our congregation, May and Graham, walked with me from the church door down some steps to the bus. May and Graham have been married 49 years. May is Singaporean, and Graham is English. They met while May was a secretary and Graham an accountant at a firm in Singapore. Graham went on to be one of the most important accountants for Hong Kong U. They are a delightful couple, and I look forward to seeing them in church. May reads our Bible verses every week, and Graham often skips out on church to sail his boat! I love them both.

So, We were all carrying our palm branches with us. Let me pause here and explain the difference between palm branches that we received at services in Illinois and those in Hong Kong. My tummy still flips when I realize that I’m now living in the tropics. Folks, the palm branches we had in Illinois were substandard! These are big, really big! My palm branch that is still lying on my desk goes from my forehead to my knees, no joke! And, the ends of the fronds were not wilted when they were given to us!

OK, back to the processional. May and Graham escorted me down the stairs to the bus. The whole time we were walking down, we were singing:
SING HOSANNA SING HOSANNA
SING HOSANNA TO THE KING OF KINGS
SING HOSANNA SING HOSANNA
SING HOSANNA SING HOSANNA TO THE KING

We kept singing until the bus driver started the engine and drove us to St. Luke’s Church in Kennedy Town. After exiting the bus and fending off “helpful” people as I alighted, we went into the church. The pughs were so close together that I, being a person of differing girth than the Chinese around me, could not stand up straight when asked to stand. Well, my thighs got a good workout, anyway. The priests would offer a sentence in English and then in Cantonese. I was happy to discover that later, the Cantonese was offered first. The priests encouraged us to think about the actions we can do with our hands, (e.g., grabbing or giving; pushing or touching.) It was powerful, indeed, as Father Matthew’s sermons always are. We then sang Rock of Ages and said the Lord’s Prayer. My friend Suzannah helped me up to the altar for Communion.

After the service May, who had sat next to me during the whole service, took me to a bench to wait for lunch. Graham and I had a cozy chat about life in Hong Kong, how he and May met, how I’m faring in my research, and how Hong Kong is so meaningful because of the stories of it my dad used to tell me about it while I was growing up. I was deeply honored that May brought me food for lunch. And, Graham asked if having a table would be helpful for me. I said that it would but that I could manage without one as well. Members of the Congregation kindly brought me a table. Graham and I chatted through lunch. May exhorted Graham to keep eating, as he was prone to chat too much, according to her. I had pork, Chinese dumplings, tuna sandwiches, and some rice porridge with thousand-year-egg in it. This was my first experience of this all-important Chinese dish. We’ll leave my thoughts about thousand-year-eggs there. I had a mixture of strawberries, cream, and fluffy cake for dessert. A very satisfying way to spend my repast!

Goodness, how I can ramble on at times. I hope these stories are interesting to you, my devoted readers. In one sentence, I’m having a blast in Hong Kong, and I hope this blog encourages you to pursue your own travel dreams!

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Comments

[Tony Ferguson]

read your blog
Hi Krystie, I was looking for a Ruby Tuesday coupon and somehow got your blog. Sounds like you are having a good time in Hong Kong. Nice to talk to you the other day. Good luck on your dissertation. Tony Ferguson, University of Hong Kong librarian [e-mail]