All kinds of good stuff

---

Another update from life in HK….

Since I last wrote, I have finished my teacher training. I was teaching P5 and P6 (10-12yrs) in the last few days. No more noteworthy random English names, but they were nice kids, and I was impressed by their English. We also had a P1 (5yrs) English funfair, with games for them to play in English, and that was great fun.


At the end of training, I now know lots of very random songs with actions, and ice-breaker games which I’m sure will come in handy at recess! And my colleagues all actually quite like being silly with these games too….some have already been sung/shouted in the local bars! We finished training on Wednesday, so we all went out in Wan Chai, and then in Central to celebrate! Those are the two main nightlife areas in Hong Kong.

On Friday (31/8) I made a preliminary visit to the school I will be teaching at. Everyone there was lovely, and I have a desk in the staff room. I saw the English rooms which we will be able to decorate, I met the principal, and it gave me a chance to figure out the bus route! So it all starts on Monday….back to school!


Before I visited school, I went to lunch with a friend, and there were no English menus and only about 5 pictures on the menu, so we just asked for something involving pork and noodles and hoped for the best! It arrived with boiled lettuce too which was a bit odd - just another example of the random stuff that seems to happen in HK.

On Tuesday (28/8) I went up the peak - for a spectacular view of Hong Kong’s skyline at night. It was lovely to see it for real finally, after seeing many pictures of it before I came to here. I could see the mall right next to where I now live as well. We walked along a trail at the top, to get a different view, and then got the very steep peak tram back down again, and crossed the harbour on the star ferry….just before a huge rain storm…the lights across the harbour were suddenly a lot less visible! When it rains here in summer...it really rains!


Last weekend a group of us went to Repulse bay, which was nice and relaxing, and then had dinner in Stanley.

I have been to the ‘Man Mo Temple’ (25/8) in Central, which was interesting, and fragrant with incense. I wondered if Buddha didn’t like me after some hot ash from the incense landed on my arm! It was a lovely temple though, and nice to see.


There was a shrine to Buddha at the ghost festival celebrations as well last week (24/8). There were fires where people burn paper money/clothes/goods as an offering to their deceased ancestors, in order to make them rich in their after life. At this festival, we also saw some Chinese opera. I’m glad I’ve seen it, and I appreciated it, but I don’t think I will be first in line when tickets go on sale.

Good news…I am now moved in to a flat and in possession of the keys. Waiting for the Ikea delivery on Monday though! I'm currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor, which we borrowed from a friend…that was amusing to walk down the street with! I’m living in Mong Kok, which is apparently the most densely populated square kilometre in the world?! Don’t know how reliable the source is, but I can say it is definitely densely populated! There are always people walking around, and when the market is open, the street is for pedestrians only. I live right by the ladies market, and it’s amazing how the market stalls go up and down every day - every single stall is taken down around midnight, and is up again by around 11am the next day! The only draw back to the new pad…..the very bad violin playing next door…and a lot of practicing! Maybe next time I write I will have bought a radio!

Today (1/9) I did some trekking in the hills, with a friend from uni who is here at the moment. We saw some very cute turtles/terrapins in the reservoir. It was very hot work, but the swim in Turtle cove at the end of the day was bliss! And then I was treated to dinner at an Italian restaurant - a bit of a luxury for me!


JHG

---

Photos

Mong Kok
...it's busy!

Man Mo Temple
All the incense burning

Comments

[Clare]

When I can I come??
Hi beautiful! Photos on facebook look amazing, I am very jealous. I really want to come out and visit now, so just let me know when would be a good time!! Miss you lots, take care (and send me your address!!) xxxxxxxxxx