This weekend was  probably a turning point as it was probably the first weekend that I truly felt somewhat settled in Hong Kong.  I don't know if its anything specific, but I think its been these past few weekends (including this past weekend) where I finally appreciated the fact that I'm living actually living here.   I guess its the unpredictability of living abroad or it could be me finally appreciating how dynamic HK can be.... Good thing its not too late eh?

I still miss the states though, especially family & friends.  But I guess part of settling down also means feeling less and less nostalgic on missing events in SF.  Maybe its because that we've made friends here in Hong Kong or maybe things feel a bit more stable that I can enjoy living here.  It could also be that I realize that I'm lucky that I got a chance to live in Hong Kong, meeting new people and experiencing new things, that I need to make the most out of it.

Anyways,  I thought this quote was fitting as it was sorta inspirational to me back when I was trying to decide to move or not.  I actually understand it more now!

"You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.” Paulo Coelho

Things are so much more laid back and slower in Singapore than in Hong Kong.  I forgot how relaxed being in a city can be.  After being in HK were people push you out of the way, cut in front of you in lines at the MTR and close the elevator door in your face, I get impatient when I spend more than 2 minutes in the elevator and would also have to fight my way to get on a train.  However,  I felt so uncivilized the first 2 days in Singapore as I would cut infront of people at the MRT station, press the close elevator door buton.  I felt as if my time was more precious that everyone else and that I need to get to places quicker.   What have I become?

 I love the honest people and a number of good people that I met in Singapore.  People are so much more relaxed and I felt that I can trust a stranger.  I'm not saying that there's no bad people in Singapore.  Im sure there are.  I was just lucky that I met really good and nice people.

I wish we can take this back to HK. In a city where everyone's always in a hurry to get to places, to make more $, etc, I wish we all would take a step back and relax a little. 

 I 'm a huge fan of boutique modern design hotels and so I go to this site from time to time (the cool hunter).  I think smaller boutique hotels just has more characters than big chain hotels.  However, I love modern designed hotels and was excited to see this hotel up in China from the cool hunter site.  I went to the web to see how much it would be to stay there for 1 night. Hey a girl can dream right? =P, but couldn't find anything. I wonder if this thing is up yet. 

This is what the hotel's supposed to look like from the outside.  The designer, Atkins architecture group, won the first prize award for an international design competition with this entry. This is suposed to be3set in a water quarry in Songjiang, China.

Part of my job requires short trips to parts of China such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shunde, Zhongshan, and Chengdu.  Sadly, although I look Chinese,  I am a Chinese girl who doesn't speak Chinese.  So everytime I go to China, I get a confused look from everyone when they realize I can't speak Chinese.  However, I do feel there are some advantages being the only person not knowing Chinese.  Suprising no?

Whenever I travel, there's always a staff person with me, a driver, and someone from the client who would be with me pretty much 24/7 to translate for me, order food, carry my luggage and laptop, and making sure I was safe (for example).  I feel like a little child sometimes since I feel like they need to "babysit" me while I'm in China.  Most of the time, I do feel uncomfortable with the special treatment they were giving me just because I'm an expat.  It does feel akward at first when everyone's responsibility is to cater to you.  I obviously need a better "how to be a princess" training! hehehe.

China factory towns have its drawbacks though.  Coming from HK or SF, I've always been a pretty independent person.  I'm used to going to get my own food and going to places on my own.  In China however, we're always driven to the client office, at lunch time, and at night time.  Whenever I'm in China, they would always ask me what I would want to eat first, open doors for me, and make sure that I'm not bored at night (whether its through karaoke invitation or dinners).   I can bet that each night I have to stay over in China, there would be 2 hour lunches and a long dinner at 6:30 PM followed by incessant "baiju" toast by each person who wants to "gambei" (cheers) with you.  Baiju is a white rice wine that’s pretty sweet, but its deadly as well!  I would even try to use my limited Chinese to tell them that I cant drink much, but the gambei keeps coming!  (if any of you guys have a tactic that I can use to counter these gambei, please tell me before my liver malfunctions in a year or so)

So trips to china = unproductive days out in China.  Which is the opposite of what I thought going to China would be.  Sometimes I feel like I'm on vacation and when I make it back to HK, the real work begins!  The work keeps piling up and I have a ton of make up work to do since I cant get out of these social ōbligations at night =(.  I guess saying no to dinner or a night out is not polite especially when the owners of the Company request your presence.

 

My days in China consist of

8 30: picked up by driver at hotel

9 AM : start work

12-2:30 : lunch

2:30-3PM : Rest time??? (What are we in Spain now? The bosses in China take a rest/ naps at this time)

3-5: work

5: back to hotel

6: picked up for dinner

6:30 start dinner +toasting

8:30 : still eating and toasting

 

9:30 : pressured night out (ie. karaoke, bars, etc). This is because we just had a "hard" day of work apparently.  I think to myself… hmm I worked a total of 4.5 hours today and ate a total of 6 hours… yeaah.. that is hardwork.  Am I in Europe?

 

11 pm : back to hotel (slightly buzzed of course)

11-12: Try to work (unsuccessfully).  Reviewing files after baiju = Amelia being a bad manager =P.

12: AM : sleep

After being treated extremely well in China, I've gotten used to it now and somehow started to expect it.  I'm not sure if this is a good thing, because back in the real world, I would never expect my staff to carry my bags, open my doors, or cater to my wishes everyday.  Nor would I ever carry my boss' luggage or briefcase!  Although that’s not a bad idea hahaha! (the staff carrying my bags part).  Hmm too bad I'm not a dictator hee hee.   =)