Dear Diary,
Success! I've managed to put another three months onto my passport! Yesterday, after finally rising from Saturday nights/sunday mornings drunken festivities, I managed to bath, have a small bowl of cereal and head out the door for Macau. From my flat in Hung Hom I took the ferry across the harbour to Central, then I made my way along the Sheung Wan promanade to the Macau ferry pier. Macau, like Hong Kong, is an SAR, and as far as I know it belongs to China right now, though it's history is deeply routed in with both China and Portugul. Macau is about the same distance from Hong Kong, as the closest docks between Ireland and England, and the ferry ride is quite fast (somewhere around two hours, round trip). Anyway, the reason I decided to visit Macau wasn't so much due to a desire to travel, as much as it was simply the means by which I could renew my tourist visa for another 90 days. This was the first time I've had to make the journey, and I'm happy to say that I didn't at all have any trouble getting back into Hong Kong. I wasn't even gone long either, and no one at customs on either side said a word to me about what I was doing in Hong Kong, how long I was planning on staying for (probably another year on top of this one) .........actually they didn't even say hello. I simply handed them my passport, they looked at me, I scratched my head, they stamped, and I left. HAHA GENIOUS!!! I may be writing quite a different story come the third or forth time I'll have to make the same journey, but that a risk I'm willing to make.
Gabe gets back from Canada today, so in a week or so myself, Gabe and Rob (we all live/ work together) should be speaking to our bosses about getting work visa's, instead of this sneaking around business. Interkids is notorious for screwing people around in regards to promissing, though never delivering work visas. They clearly have no idea how long myself and Rob (Gabe will probably move on to bigger and better things in Hong Kong) would stay in Hong Kong, at Interkids for if we were legel workers.
Aside from having to leave the country and worrying about whether or not I'll be let back in every three months, my life in Hong Kong is incredible. I am fully aware of how priviledged I am to be able to come to this beautiful city, make far more money than I ever could back home, especially considering that my only real "qualifications" are that I'm white, and I happen to come from an English speaking country. My flat this year is so much better than last year. Not that I would change a single thing about my life here last year, but it's just that this year it really feels like our home, not just a strange international rez. We live on the top floor of our building, which by HK standards isn't too high at all. The fourteenth floor lends a nice view, as well as the height to escape much of the noisy from the bustling streets below, though the real treat in that we have a fully accessable rooftop. Much of the rooftop is lined with large, leafy, green plants bought and taken care of by the buildings tenants, but the best part is the view we have of everything around us, including (on a clear night) the view of Hong Kong Island. Plus every single night at 8 o'clock there's (for reasons still unknown to me) a lazer show, that looks awesome from the roof, especially with a few beers in the belly.
So, I've finally decided on a name for my new guitar, Ho Wing Ka. Hahaha, oh man, to the few people who actually know who this little girl is, it's just the best name ever for a guitar. Ho Wing Ka is a little four year old girl that myself and Rob teach. She's absolutly adorable! She's so freaking studious, it's hillarious. She was actually in for a lesson earlier this morning, and when I first saw her she was standing in the middle of the hall with a newpaper unfolded in her hands. The paper was nearly the same size as her, so it looked priceless just seeing her standing there with an amused, however slightly confused expression on her face. I love my job! I get to teach little chinese kids all day long, and I don't even have to make any lesson plans!! Lesson plans last year were such a pain in the ass. After the first four months or so I started running out of ideas. I didn't have any sort of cirriculum to follow at all, and my only instructions were: "make it fun, but make sure you're teaching them." Yeah thanks! Anyway, tiz all in the past.
I've got to head out for another few lessons now, so I'll try and write again soon. It's nice to finally have an open form of communication to keep in touch with all of you back home. I hope everyone is happy and healthy, till next time.
peace and love
brendan
Monday, January 17, 2005
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Education anyone????
Having only a meager secondary school diploma under my belt, I have over the past few months begun to question the value of formal (institution based) education. I realize most of you reading this right now are in fact in Uni or college, so I'd like some feed back on this one regarding the potency, and value of your learning experiences to date.
The reason I'm bringing up the topic of education is. that just today I received an email from my folks of a letter from Canada World Youth. I applyed to the CWY programme sometime late August, and to be honest I pretty much forgot about it the moment I stepped off the plane in HK. I can't remember all the details but I believe the programme I applyed for would place me somewhere either in Africa, or eastern Europe. My position would be to live with a local family to experience first hand their culture, whilst doing my best to help build/rebuild said area's infastructure. The duration of the programme depends partly on how long I think I'd be able to last, as well as the area I'd be placed. Half of the programme (anywhere from three months to one year) would be spent in a foreign country, and the other half would be spent somewhere in Canada. From what I can remember reading in August it sounds like I'd be in a remote area of Canada, living with a family native to the area of placement.
I am interested in the CWY programme, but I'm also very comfortable where I am right now. It's easy for me to simply stay in HK for as long as I like.......providing I don't get deported somewhere within the next year. Before I came back to Honky town this year, I visted Meaghan and Chelsea in Vancouver. Much of my time there, especially during the day, I spent solo. I pretty much wandered around the city, walking for hours and hours each day. One day, during my week long stay, I set out to the Vancouver Art Gallery to check out the permenant Emily Carr exhibite; though the "permenant" collection wasn't available to me because of a special exhibite 'Global Change' (turned out to be awesome) I had the idea of visiting the Emily Carr Art Institute. With a bit of searching I managed to make my way to granville island, home of the ECAI, and wandered around the small campus for a while. Almost immediatly I could feel I was surrounded by people just like me, who were busy teeter-tottering between artistic self doubt, and blossoming creativity. Home Sweet Home! I was so excited that that night when I went back to my cozy corner on Meg's dorm room floor, I started filling out my application. Because I was on my way to Hong Kong without a job, I brought along a copy of my highschool transcript, which I quickly whipped open trying to figure out if I had the academics to even be considered for admission. I do infact have the marks (just barely.....what the hell did I do at sherwood?) so now I'm working on building an amazing portfolio that will shock the world!!!!!!! Well not really but there's no harm in trying.
Ah fuck, I'm losing track of what I meant to say. Right so, NOW after become warm and cozy with Honky Life I'm not sure what to do? I truely think that in the arena of the Arts, no one really needs to go to school, but I am not blind to the by products of being surrounded by devoloping artists.......Encouragement! Inspiration! Constructive Criticism!!
Anyway, I haven't really finished what I set out to say, but I'm really freaking hungry.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!! I bought a new guitar!! It's so nice.......and I couldn't really afford it, but who cares! I just won't be able to get too drunk this month. Plus I'm sick right now, which blows, but at least I have another reason to not party my health away.
Once again, let me know what you think about the whole value of post secondary education deal.
peace and love
brendan
The reason I'm bringing up the topic of education is. that just today I received an email from my folks of a letter from Canada World Youth. I applyed to the CWY programme sometime late August, and to be honest I pretty much forgot about it the moment I stepped off the plane in HK. I can't remember all the details but I believe the programme I applyed for would place me somewhere either in Africa, or eastern Europe. My position would be to live with a local family to experience first hand their culture, whilst doing my best to help build/rebuild said area's infastructure. The duration of the programme depends partly on how long I think I'd be able to last, as well as the area I'd be placed. Half of the programme (anywhere from three months to one year) would be spent in a foreign country, and the other half would be spent somewhere in Canada. From what I can remember reading in August it sounds like I'd be in a remote area of Canada, living with a family native to the area of placement.
I am interested in the CWY programme, but I'm also very comfortable where I am right now. It's easy for me to simply stay in HK for as long as I like.......providing I don't get deported somewhere within the next year. Before I came back to Honky town this year, I visted Meaghan and Chelsea in Vancouver. Much of my time there, especially during the day, I spent solo. I pretty much wandered around the city, walking for hours and hours each day. One day, during my week long stay, I set out to the Vancouver Art Gallery to check out the permenant Emily Carr exhibite; though the "permenant" collection wasn't available to me because of a special exhibite 'Global Change' (turned out to be awesome) I had the idea of visiting the Emily Carr Art Institute. With a bit of searching I managed to make my way to granville island, home of the ECAI, and wandered around the small campus for a while. Almost immediatly I could feel I was surrounded by people just like me, who were busy teeter-tottering between artistic self doubt, and blossoming creativity. Home Sweet Home! I was so excited that that night when I went back to my cozy corner on Meg's dorm room floor, I started filling out my application. Because I was on my way to Hong Kong without a job, I brought along a copy of my highschool transcript, which I quickly whipped open trying to figure out if I had the academics to even be considered for admission. I do infact have the marks (just barely.....what the hell did I do at sherwood?) so now I'm working on building an amazing portfolio that will shock the world!!!!!!! Well not really but there's no harm in trying.
Ah fuck, I'm losing track of what I meant to say. Right so, NOW after become warm and cozy with Honky Life I'm not sure what to do? I truely think that in the arena of the Arts, no one really needs to go to school, but I am not blind to the by products of being surrounded by devoloping artists.......Encouragement! Inspiration! Constructive Criticism!!
Anyway, I haven't really finished what I set out to say, but I'm really freaking hungry.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!! I bought a new guitar!! It's so nice.......and I couldn't really afford it, but who cares! I just won't be able to get too drunk this month. Plus I'm sick right now, which blows, but at least I have another reason to not party my health away.
Once again, let me know what you think about the whole value of post secondary education deal.
peace and love
brendan
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