At Home in Hong Kong

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This is Tuesday, January 17th, 2006. I’m sitting in my office at the University of Hong Kong. My office is bigger than the one for the Centre for Advancement in Special Education (CASE), the entity that is hosting me as a Fulbrighter. I will share this office with one other staff member soon. They will probably be a visiting scholar as well.

Settling into Daily Life

As of now, my meals are being delivered three times per day by the Asia Pacific restaurant on campus. I’ve given them HK 500, and they deduct from my account every time they deliver to me. My most recent meal from them was quite good. It was rice with scrambled eggs and sausage. They make the most amazing cold and hot tea - absolutely delicious! When the meals are not as good, I eat less. So, either way, it works out.

I was in my dorm room today when the cleaning man came in. I had mentioned in my last posting that I was concerned about the cleanliness of my toilet. Well, all worries are gone! I heard him clean the toilet. So, I guess he cleans it daily! I think they just use chemicals that are different than what I’m used to. He also sweeps my floor, takes out my trash, and replaces my hot and cold drinking water.

Today, Alison is busy with Andrew and Dr. Lian. They are giving two visitors from the U.S. tours of the campus. Right now, they are in the Hong Kong harbor having lunch at the Jumbo Shrimp restaurant. Dad and I ate their with Dr. Lian a few years ago. But, before they went there, we met up with them and took some pictures together! When I get those from the Americans, I will post them to the site.

Libraries are Wonderous Things!

I have to tell about my adventure in the library this morning. Alison picked me up today from my dorm and took me to the main library at HKU. I applied for and have received a library card which allows me to check out books. There is a special room at the library for blind people! They even have a computer with JAWS and a braille display! That means, the computer talks, and I can read what’s on the screen in braille! Although the braille display doesn’t work right, I’m sure it’s a simple matter to fix it. The computer speaks each prompt in English and Cantonese! So, I can learn some basic Cantonese that way! It’s really exciting!

And Now The Adventures from the Bathroom

While Alison left me at the library to go attend to her other guests, I had to use the facilities. So, I decided to venture out by myself into the library! So, I tied a small pair of ear buds (miniature ear phones) to the door handle of the room I was in to identify that room when I returned. Then, I walked out of the room and put on my “blind person helpless face”. A woman came up to me, speaking Chinese. I slowly said WC, thinking that most people here would call a washroom the water closet. She took my hand and guided me to the elevator. So, I went down to the ground floor and put on the same face. A British lady asked if I needed help. She took me right to the bathroom. She informed me that the bathrooms here are generally quite clean. And, there was even toilet paper! That’s a nice change from the time Dad and I were in the Beijing airport! Anyway, she also told me that the bathrooms were generally on all floors. So, when Alison came back, I was able to confirm, with her help, that there was a bathroom on the 4th floor, where the room for blind people is.

Faith and Friends

I’ve left a message with the Anglican Church which provides English-speaking services. I’ve been in contact with the Consulate today via Cultural Specialist Lance Sung. I will apply for a Hong Kong residency card next week with help from the Consulate.

Perhaps the most exciting news of today: Alison has invited me to her home for the Chinese new Year. It’s called something like “Sen Neng”. Anyway, that was going to be a hard time, since all restaurants, etc. close for three or four days during that time. But, I can go to Alison’s house! I will sleep in the room with her maid. And, that’s fine for me! Her maid is from the Philippines, and she speaks English!!!

I am so thankful to God for how She/He has provided for me in Hong Kong. For those of you who are familiar with my stay in Germany in the past, this trip is completely different! Everyone is kind, truly! The only difficult thing I’ve encountered is remembering all of the twists and turns. The campus is very compact, but it is complicated to get from point A to point B. If you can see, you can easily figure out how to get from building to building. But, I have to memorize many different flights of stairs and sloping pathways. But, the Estates Office here (like a physical plant back home) has installed tactile pathways for me! So, I just follow the pathway on the flat parts to get to many important places on campus. I am simply overwhelmed by how thoughtful everyone has been here for me!

I’ll sign off now and do some actual work. My love to all.

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