Randy neighbors or earthquake?

I forgot to post this in my last entry.

Last night I woke up to some pretty heavy shaking near my head. My first thought was "omg, my neighbors are going at it at 4 in the morning!" And it's really loud too. So loud, that it's practically banging against my side of the wall. It went on for another 30 seconds and then it stopped. I couldn't tell but I thought I would have to move to another apartment if I had such randy neighbors. After waking up though, I wonder if that was my first earthquake experience or just really active neighbors...I'll have to confirm later today.

Drinking with colleagues (Kam Pai 喝采!)

This is where I get the name of my blog. Unfortunately, the URL was taken so I had to be creative with chrisintokyo. This is where you laugh.

On a Friday, I expected most people to leave work early around 3 or 4pm like we did in the States and then get ready for a wonderful evening. In fact, I stayed until 7:30pm and was one of the first people to leave! It was the strangest feeling to me. Friday night, everyone is still at the office, and in fact, meetings were still taking place everywhere! It actually made me feel more comfortable working late knowing that other people were also working late. I don't think I would mind this schedule, especially since most people don't come in till later in the morning anyways, which really is how I like to work. I'm a night owl at heart.

I'm glad one of my colleagues, Adrienne invited me to go out to dinner with him and two other Japanese colleagues. We went to a Brittany restaurant (province in France) and had really amazing crepes accompanied with chilled apple cider. It was nice to just chat outside of a work setting. It's so different outside of the office because the Japanese colleagues really opened up and were so honest. I was very fond of how they "let down their hair" over drinks. At our table, we had French spoken because Adrienne is from France and helped us order, Japanese between the ladies, and English when we all wanted to converge our conversation. Ah, I miss the international-ness so much. I felt like I was at the UN .

Near the end of the dinner, this was the first time I had another Asian woman who asked for more drinks while we're drinking. I hope I don't sound too racist or sexist but when I was in Philadelphia, I was never surrounded with women who could drink so it just surprised me. I get the feeling she could out-drink me....looks like I will need to practice more.

Kam pai!

A Hong Kong Wedding, Lan Kwai Fong, and more shopping

So during my trip to HK, my aunt told me about a wedding I have to go to because it is my distant cousin's wedding. I wasn't particularly fond of going to a wedding of whom I don't know the bride or groom or anyone else there but to behave on my best Cantonese behavior. It was really nice to see a HK wedding though and I made particular good use of the wine bar. I did not know how much they would feed us but it was like a 12 or 13-course dinner! I had a good time as my aunt Jeanette and I gossiped about everyone there. It was fun just catching up with my aunt over red wine and discussing the differences between American and HK weddings. Also, it was fun to just gossip about other people at a wedding. I noticed a few visual differences:

- the groom wears a lot of glitter...as much if not more so than the bride. Perhaps he liked how it looked on him?
- Weddings can be very casual...I saw many jeans and t-shirts from people my age. The shirts weren't even tucked in either!
- I was the only wine-o there

Afterwards, I met up with some HK friends in Lan Kwai Fong. We went to this one bar Fong, which resembled an Asian fusion restaurant but played really good music. C-club, for those who were in CUHK 2003 is still there but I didn't go in. I can't go back without you. :-) After Fong, we made our usual bar-hopping to bar 7-11 and just drank on the steps overlooking LKF. Ahh, the memories....


The next day, I went shopping with my aunt cause it was my last full day to go shopping in HK. My aunt and I didn't know it at the time but the mall in which we ate breakfast that morning had a G2000 outlet! It's really bad when you unleash me on an outlet beccause I cleaned out the store of clothes in my size. I bought another 5 blazers, 6 dress slacks, 3 more dress shirts, and various other items. I feel so guilty but at the same time, all cost me less than $300 for a week's worth of business attire. I like to think that I'm helping Hong Kong's economy grow; one business suit at a time. Also, I would never find a size 29 in America with as many options as I do in HK. I had to take advantage of the fact I was in HK.

That evening, I treated Aunt Jeanette, Aunt Christine, and a few of their friends to a good bye meal. It was partly to show that I'm now all grown up and can pay for others. I feel like this was my rite-of-passage into the adult world. Last time I was in HK, I was still a student and everyone pitied me (which was nice). Now, everyone's expecting me to play in the major league and hold my own (which is also nice) but it's quite a shift in mentality. I didn't mind as I did have the money and actually, I wanted to return the favor because of how nice they've treated me over the past 3 years. I even offered my mileage to Aunt Jeanette to come to Tokyo for all that she's done for me.

Afterwards, I got a chance to hang out with Wynne one last time. We went to her friend's apartment near Wan Chai. It was nice because all we did was chui shui (吹水）which literally translated means blowing water. I felt like we were in colleage again just chatting, and gossiping. I think my Cantonese improved so much so in HK that even her friends natives started to question my 'American' identity...it was a nice to know sometimes I can "pass" in HK as a HK'er. ;-)

Pictures to come soon...after I steal them from the other people who took them and didn't email them!

Cantonese all the way 没有不可能！

One of the best parts of Hong Kong for me is the fact that I can morph several identities at once and pull them out on demand. Most of that included switching languages when I needed to; so mostly Cantonese with my family; English with my American friends, and semi-Cantonese/English with my HK friends. I spent most of the day with Felix today with occasional breaks back at home with my aunt. We went suit shopping again today and bought another two sets of really cheapo suits. I didn't really have time to get a custom-made suit with all the works...next time, I'll have to spend a lot more time out here in HK to really make good use of my shopping experience.

I met up with three old friends today! Felix: American exchange student with me at CUHK; Adith: very nice local HK student from CUHK met on tour trips; and Vincent: my roommate who we would debate in Cantonese about societical norms. It was really cool and such an amazing flash back to meet up with them again.

Adith, Felix, and I met up first to go shopping in Sha Tin, an old CUHK favorite and in fact, one of the largest indoor malls in the world. She introduced me shops that were more upscale and places I should go to for real designer suits. We had a good time catching up over shopping ideas and let me know her bf knows how to shop for suits well. I'll have to hook back up with her for suit places next time with more time to do a better search. We offered Salsa dancing tonight but I think she was a little bit nervous about it. Next time, I'll have to use a better bait. :-)

I also met up with my former roommate at CUHK, Vincent. It was really nice to meet up with him again as I haven't talked to him in about 2 years but we caught up like we never left the dorms...we discussed everything from fashion, the job market, our own jobs, relationships, traveling...in Cantonese (with English words sprinkled throughout). It was fun to have someone who knows exactly what I'm saying with me feeling comfortable discussing fun topics in CATNONESE! The timing was almost too good as he was leaving tomorrow for mainland China and I got a chance to see him on mid-Autumn's festival. He's also planning to visit Japan sometime within either late this year or early next year which I'm so excited. I love hosting guests but after I can pretend like I know the area well. So I wouldn't let him come until at least the end of the year, but it's nice to know some more people who are definitely coming!

Felix and I were pondering why we liked HK so much and also the cultural differences we notice since we somewhat straddle the fence. For us, we agree that Mullets are out and shouldn't be a part of HK fashion. The bright colors with the Japanese influence can stay because on certain people, looks really good. The polite culture (ke qi 客气）is a little bit confusing, especially when it comes to money and who's supposed to pay for what but I think we have a gameplan in place. The desserts at Hui Lau Shan is still one of the most delicious places I've been to...and when I retire, I'd like to bring it to the USA. I found out that one of my favorite desserts today doesn't have grapefruit but instead pompello. Maybe it's the same fruit but I just realized they translate it as Pompello instead of grapefruit.

Oh yum!

Arrived in HK!

I just arrived in HK not too long ago. It was one of the longest rides I've taken...probably 28 hours total for an end-to-end cycle time. What I meant was 28 hours from boarding the plane in Philadelphia to getting off the plane in Hong Kong. ;-) I missed my Toronto -> HK flight because the Philly plane wouldn't take off. We waited on the run way for 2.5 hours! They transferred me through Vancouver which added some more time but I'm just glad I could make it to HK today. Btw, don't ride Air Canada if you can help it...I think there's better airlines with better service/equipment. On Air Canada, I felt like I was in a 60's airplane that could fall apart any second in the sky...

As I was taking the bus into HK, I just realized how much I miss the city. Tall skyscrapers, lights decorating the sky, and myself...riding a double-decker bus using an Octopus card brought back so many memories 3 years ago studying abroad here. My 5th aunt met me at the airport and we had what Margie calls "Yum Yum" at the Hui Liu Shan dessertie. I got the "Yang qi jin lou" which is a mix of Mango ice cream, tapioca, grapefruit, and cocunut juices mixed together. My first taste back in HK brought back so many happy memories. It's a shame I am only here for 4 days but I have to work next week so I have to cut playtime. Tomorrow's agenda: suit shopping, fall clothes shopping, meeting up with old friends, celebrating Mid-Autumn festival with my aunt, and perhaps salsa dancing at Wan Chai or watching the American version of the Infernal Affairs called Departed. My offer to you: if you want to come to HK and I'm in the neighborhood, let me know! I love coming to HK and would love to be a guide/host.

Btw, some friends in Philly got me an iPod nano right before I left to board my plane! It was really sweet and I've been listening to it all the time on the way here. There's no way I can forget you all. Thanks Ting, Francine, Vivian, and Will!

I'll write more later but let's just say I'm very excited to be here. At the same time, I miss my Philly friends a lot now and I wish I could have taken you in my suitcase with me. (of which, it's still in Toronto and will arrive tomorrow).

This is a great song for those who want to listen to it with me. I was listening to it the entire time and thinking of all of the great friends I'm leaving behind. I'll miss you...and I wish you could have flown with me.

Gigi D'Agostino: "I'll Fly With You"