Our stay in Hong Kong will last for two months, I am quite overjoyed because last time I stayed here this long was before I was married, that was 13 years ago! Hong Kong has changed a lot, however, it is still crazy busy with lots of people, various modes of public transportation, and many many tall buildings. The other day Dan and I went out for dinner with Kioni. After a tasty and inexpensive (6 US for two people) at a local fast food restaurant, we both sit back and ponder at how convenient for us to get to a restaurant (about a 10 minute walk from where my parents live), and how wonderful the food tasted. Nothing quite compare to the choice of food and the amount of money that you have to spend on it. At least, throughout my travel, I have yet to find a place quite like Hong Kong as far as food is concerned.
We are also impressed by the Octopus Card, this is the most innovative way for payments. Not only can you take the subway, buses, mini busses and such with the Octopus Card, you can pay with your Octopus Card at the supermarket, fast food restaurants, pharmacies, etc. Kioni has her own card and it makes her feels like a super big girl.
All in all, it has been wonderful being back. I hope Kioni will be able to remember her time here. She is having a bit of a cultural shock with the language, hopefully she will find it easier each day.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Last night in Cebu
Going back to read the first blog entry that I wrote 19 months ago when we first arrived in Cebu, it seems like not much that I felt then has changed. It is just as hot and humid, the poverty still is on display every corner we turn. The music is still loud, the traffic is still like a big confusing net.
However, something happened inside us. We are not the same person anymore. We have understood the Filipino culture much deeper than just the heat, the poverty and the loud music, and in turn, the Lord has taught us how, though all these, to understand ourselves.
Tomorrow we are flying to Hong Kong, we will stay there for two months. Dan will fly to China in two different periods of time to teach.
I have already started to miss Cebu, not for the heat and the poverty, but I miss the people I know here. I miss Maris, our faithful and loyal helper, who has saw us through thick and thin while we were dealing with cultural difficulties. I feel sorry for Kioni that she is feels sad for the first time because of having to have to say goodbye to people she knows. She does not remember America, all her memory is in Cebu.
I just hope that I won't cry too much at the airport. Maris and her best friend, Dolor will come and see us off. Saying goodbye is so hard, but we have to do is all the time. Wish that Jesus will come back soon, so there won't be anymore goodbyes.
Typhoon #3 signal is hoisted in Hong Kong, there are strong winds and rain in Hong Kong. I hope the plane will not delay, sleeping in Cebu airport with 5 large suitcases and 6 carry-on bags with a 4 year old in tow is not exactly an adventure.
However, something happened inside us. We are not the same person anymore. We have understood the Filipino culture much deeper than just the heat, the poverty and the loud music, and in turn, the Lord has taught us how, though all these, to understand ourselves.
Tomorrow we are flying to Hong Kong, we will stay there for two months. Dan will fly to China in two different periods of time to teach.
I have already started to miss Cebu, not for the heat and the poverty, but I miss the people I know here. I miss Maris, our faithful and loyal helper, who has saw us through thick and thin while we were dealing with cultural difficulties. I feel sorry for Kioni that she is feels sad for the first time because of having to have to say goodbye to people she knows. She does not remember America, all her memory is in Cebu.
I just hope that I won't cry too much at the airport. Maris and her best friend, Dolor will come and see us off. Saying goodbye is so hard, but we have to do is all the time. Wish that Jesus will come back soon, so there won't be anymore goodbyes.
Typhoon #3 signal is hoisted in Hong Kong, there are strong winds and rain in Hong Kong. I hope the plane will not delay, sleeping in Cebu airport with 5 large suitcases and 6 carry-on bags with a 4 year old in tow is not exactly an adventure.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Split household
In two days (this Wednesday), most of our belongings will be taken by the shipping company and put into storage in Cebu for 5 months, plus the one month it takes to ship the boxes to Aberdeen, Scotland, we will have to part with our belongings for 6 months.
We didn't think of it as too unusual at first because Dan and I have been moving with the Air Force many times in the 10 year time when he was in active duty. However, there is a major difference is, this is the first time we have our belongings split in three different parts of the world.
1) We have a storage unit in Michigan filled with our furniture and household goods, we couldn't bring everything when we came to Cebu.
2) In a few days, we will have another part in storage with the moving company in Cebu.
3) Then we will carry whatever we can with us so we can live for the next 6 months until we see our belongings again.
This will be an interesting year, doing without most of our stuff, that makes me wonder if we even need them in the first place. (A lot of the boxes are books, so I guess we do need them.)
Last time I lived in the same place for more than 9 years was the time after I graduated from Taiwan to the time when I married Dan and moved away. Since then, life has been one transition after another.
I miss the days when I can have all my baking supplies, knitting supplies, books and coffee maker all together, it will be a long while before I have it again. We cannot ship all our household goods in Michigan to Aberdeen, because the cost is high, and flats in Aberdeen is small but expensive. So we will again live a "temporary" life for the next three to four years. I wonder what next after Aberdeen.
This kind of life style actually has taught me the right attitude towards our life on earth, even if I stay in the same house from birth to the day I die, this is just one big transition, it is temporary. The permanent life, the one that I should look forward to, is yet to come. Though I don't see it now, like I don't see how or where we will live after Aberdeen, I know God has prepared a place for us, just like he has prepared a place for us in heaven. This is the most comforting thought amidst of boxes, bubble wraps and hours and hours of traveling ahead of us.
We didn't think of it as too unusual at first because Dan and I have been moving with the Air Force many times in the 10 year time when he was in active duty. However, there is a major difference is, this is the first time we have our belongings split in three different parts of the world.
1) We have a storage unit in Michigan filled with our furniture and household goods, we couldn't bring everything when we came to Cebu.
2) In a few days, we will have another part in storage with the moving company in Cebu.
3) Then we will carry whatever we can with us so we can live for the next 6 months until we see our belongings again.
This will be an interesting year, doing without most of our stuff, that makes me wonder if we even need them in the first place. (A lot of the boxes are books, so I guess we do need them.)
Last time I lived in the same place for more than 9 years was the time after I graduated from Taiwan to the time when I married Dan and moved away. Since then, life has been one transition after another.
I miss the days when I can have all my baking supplies, knitting supplies, books and coffee maker all together, it will be a long while before I have it again. We cannot ship all our household goods in Michigan to Aberdeen, because the cost is high, and flats in Aberdeen is small but expensive. So we will again live a "temporary" life for the next three to four years. I wonder what next after Aberdeen.
This kind of life style actually has taught me the right attitude towards our life on earth, even if I stay in the same house from birth to the day I die, this is just one big transition, it is temporary. The permanent life, the one that I should look forward to, is yet to come. Though I don't see it now, like I don't see how or where we will live after Aberdeen, I know God has prepared a place for us, just like he has prepared a place for us in heaven. This is the most comforting thought amidst of boxes, bubble wraps and hours and hours of traveling ahead of us.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
What is history?
All that we call human history -- money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery -- [is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which make him happy. ~ C.S. Lewis
We see all these happen everyday around the world, no matter which culture you are in, which level of society you are in. It is astounding though to see all these displayed so plainly in the Philippines, which is supposed to be a Catholic country. A lot of Filipinos are "religions", today we attended church service, we drove to the mall to make a few last minute purchases before we leave Cebu. On the way, we passed a large Catholic church. The church was so full that there were about 100 people standing outside of the church to attend the service. Filipinos are religious.
However, something is wrong with being just "religious", without Jesus Christ as the center of their worship, man still tries hard "to find something other than God which make him happy." The Bible explained it very clearly, in Romans 3:23-24, it says " for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Life is tasteless and hopeless with Jesus.
We see all these happen everyday around the world, no matter which culture you are in, which level of society you are in. It is astounding though to see all these displayed so plainly in the Philippines, which is supposed to be a Catholic country. A lot of Filipinos are "religions", today we attended church service, we drove to the mall to make a few last minute purchases before we leave Cebu. On the way, we passed a large Catholic church. The church was so full that there were about 100 people standing outside of the church to attend the service. Filipinos are religious.
However, something is wrong with being just "religious", without Jesus Christ as the center of their worship, man still tries hard "to find something other than God which make him happy." The Bible explained it very clearly, in Romans 3:23-24, it says " for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Life is tasteless and hopeless with Jesus.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Give us the words
I just found out today that my aunt (my father's older sister) died. She had battled dementia for many years and didn't recognize anyone in recent years. She walked out of the house once about 7 years ago and went missing for about a week. My mom called and asked us to pray that she would be found, a few hours later, she called again and told me a nurse reported to the police that she took care of a patient whom was taken in by some strangers, because this woman was stealing bread and she didn't look right. My mom told me that my God did 'work'.
My aunt's funeral will be on the night when we arrive in Hong Kong (April 19, Saturday). My mom think that us being Christians will reject going to a Buddhist funeral, my sister told her we do not reject Buddhist, we just reject the belief. My mom was surprised that we are so 'welcoming' to other religions. I would very much like to go to show my dad that I respect my aunt, though I am sure he understood that as Christians, we will not participate in any Buddhist rituals in the funeral.
My dad took the news quite badly, after all, my aunt was the third oldest of the 7 children my grandparents had, and she was close to my dad because their age difference is small. Now that this aunt has died, my dad might think he will be next.
Since my brother and sister are both Christians, we have been trying to share the gospel with our parents for years but to no avail. We sense that my aunt's death is going to open up a window that allows us to talk deeper into the meaning of life and death.
Jesus, give us the right time, give us the right words. May all glory be yours.
My aunt's funeral will be on the night when we arrive in Hong Kong (April 19, Saturday). My mom think that us being Christians will reject going to a Buddhist funeral, my sister told her we do not reject Buddhist, we just reject the belief. My mom was surprised that we are so 'welcoming' to other religions. I would very much like to go to show my dad that I respect my aunt, though I am sure he understood that as Christians, we will not participate in any Buddhist rituals in the funeral.
My dad took the news quite badly, after all, my aunt was the third oldest of the 7 children my grandparents had, and she was close to my dad because their age difference is small. Now that this aunt has died, my dad might think he will be next.
Since my brother and sister are both Christians, we have been trying to share the gospel with our parents for years but to no avail. We sense that my aunt's death is going to open up a window that allows us to talk deeper into the meaning of life and death.
Jesus, give us the right time, give us the right words. May all glory be yours.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Feeling blue
15 days from today, we will be in Hong Kong. I start to feel a bit sad. While we struggle a lot in the Filipino culture, I am starting to miss our friends whom we might not see for an extremely long time. Particularly, I miss Maris, our faithful helper. Without her, I will not be able to homeschool Kioni and handle the stress that the environment presents. If it is not Maris but another helper, she might actually add to our stress. I will miss her so much, she is the only woman whom I can talk to everyday.
I am feeling blue that this phase of our life will be over soon, we have a difficult time here, however, we have learned so much about ourselves, about interacting with people from other culture and about how diverse cultures can be. We will forever bring with us this experience, and will always look back and draw on the discoveries in Cebu.
I am feeling blue that this phase of our life will be over soon, we have a difficult time here, however, we have learned so much about ourselves, about interacting with people from other culture and about how diverse cultures can be. We will forever bring with us this experience, and will always look back and draw on the discoveries in Cebu.
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