A whole new world

Well what a roller coaster I have been on over the past week. I have moved out of the angry German residence and back in to the Happy Valley flat. I have spent the week going round and round in circles and have finally started getting back into the swing of things.

I celebrated (a bit too much) for four days and saw an old friend from school. I was overwhelmed with feelings after my job offer came through; what was expected of me? How was I going to manage? Was this the right thing for me? After a few 'help' emails, my friends responded with comfort and support. I am very lucky to have people to turn too when I need some context applied.

After a few days I started to gather my thoughts and start putting my life back into order. I started writing lots of lists and booking in meetings. I arranged to go in to EuroMoney to see if there was anything I could do before I started to familiarise myself with the role and expectations and complete my visa application. The role is new to me in an industry I know very little about. I am anxious about getting my head around the financial and law world. I collected some magazines and left deciding that the only way to learn is to read and study. I headed to Hong Kong Park where I found a bench and started to read. It is not easy. The language is something I am not used to, and the pages are filled with companies and words not familiar to me. All I could think was 'I do hope after time this all starts making sense to me'.

I decided that I had to take it in steps. I still have three weeks before I start and all I can do is keep reading and researching. I spent the evening researching the role and found some interesting blogs written by top conference producers which helped me understand what role I would be undertaking. It is a huge step up from what I have done previously. My main challenge will be to ask for help. To ask questions and not feel like I am failing because I don't understand everything. I have already booked in another meeting with my new manager next week so I can ask some questions over a coffee.

I also started to catch up on my Feeding Hong Kong work. Emailing and arranging marketing material for the events I have organised throughout September. In addition to all of this I need to find a new place to live. I have a viewing booked in tomorrow to look around two places in Wan Chai. I do hope I find somewhere nice, as I'll be there for the next three months. The company I am using specialises in placing expats newly employed in Hong Kong so they know the market and I know people who have used them before. Fingers crossed second time round I find somewhere nice.

Each day seems to bring with it new challenges. My head is very busy at the moment and I am trying to keep myself occupied. I am daunted by my new job. It's going to stretch me in ways that don't always feel comfortable to me. My friend arrives tomorrow and I will be showing him around Hong Kong. It'll be nice to have a friend in town.

I have been told the first few months are the hardest. Settling into a new life, finding your feet, adjusting to the new and unfamiliar. I have been in Hong Kong for eight weeks and I am definitely still finding my feet here. There is so much going on and it's hard to comprehend how it's all going to work out at times. These feelings aren't new to me. I have a tendency to worry about big changes. I can find comfort in this. New things become familiar before to long. The more you practice the better you become at something.

I will continue to ride the waves that come my way. I may even learn to be a phenomenal surfer in no time..........You never know.........

Sheung Wan. My new love affair

Yesterday was another lazy day for me. I was still not feeling 100% well. I think after the last few weeks I have been pushing myself, adapting to a new environment and now I can relax my body is taking the opportunity to use any energy I had to repair and restore. I'm happy with this, I don't mind staying in bed and drinking tea and writing. In fact, writing, drinking tea and bed is suiting me just fine.

I went and met Paul for lunch in Sheung Wan. I decided to walk as I am still finding my barrings in Hong Kong. I walked down Hollywood Road to the very end where the Man Mo Temple stands just opposite Paul's office tower. We headed down some little streets lined with antique shops selling everything you can imagine. I instantly liked the quirky old feel. Hong Kong is so modern in so many ways it was nice to find a pocket with some history and I was in the best company to learn all about it.

We chose a nice little Italian restaurant for some lunch with an open front to watch the world go by. After lunch we set off on an after lunch stroll around the cobbled streets of Sheung Wan. Heading up little alleyways lined with boutique shops and tearooms. We even found a little organic restaurant where you chose the ingredients and then cook them yourself. I shall be heading back there for sure.

We passed many temples and Paul explained that Sheung Wan historically was a superstitious place once cursed with a similar disease matching that of the plague. Many people died and the bodies were kept in the temples so that the local community could go and pray. In order for spirits to enter the after life peacefully, the Chinese believe each one must be prayed for. This is also why Shueng Wan is full of antique shops. The Chinese believe that belongings carry with them the old spirits and if the previous owner had been cursed, that the objects carry this curse. This may be a contributing factor to the throw away culture.

We made our way to Wing Lee Street, which was just beautiful. Recently being redeveloped and the old buildings being restored to their former glory. I thought it had been done very well and I could imagine I'd quite like one of these as my home. Maybe one day.

I made my way back to Central to head to the shops to buy some office attire as I only brought enough to last interviews. I spent hours trying on and debating. After budgeting so hard for six weeks, it was hard to justify buying clothes that I A. knew I had in my wardrobe back in the UK and B. that I felt I didn't really need. I also started to feel unwell and the dread of heading back to the apartment started to overwhelm me.

The toilet block 

I felt very trapped in the apartment, anxious and at times scared. I have never dealt with confrontation very well and after more than an acceptable amount of times of being shouted at, I was starting to feel very uncomfortable in my flat in Wan Chai. Tip toeing around, in the dark with tension is NOT what I had planned for my new home in Hong Kong. It is important for me to have somewhere I can relax.

I headed to Happy Valley to collect the keys to move back into Richie and Paul's while Paul is away in Singapore. I would rather go back to living out of a suitcase than to carry on living with the scary angry German. I will start my flat hunt next week and I am sure I will find something soon enough with nice people. I am so grateful that Richie and Paul have come to my rescue (again). I think the current living situation has been a contributing factor to feeling unwell. I am a very lucky girl to have met such kind people in Richie and Paul. I will be eternally thankful to them both for all their support and help over the past few months. I definitely wouldn't have been able to come this far without them. I hope I have the opportunity to repay the kindness they have showed me.

I left my apartment and the Great Escape theme tune came into my head. I smiled and felt much more content knowing I could and would escape this weekend.

Richie and I went for a light dinner and I headed back to Wan Chai to shower and head out to spend my Standard Charter $20’s, which I have been saving for weeks. At a bar named the Devils Advocate they have an offer on a Wednesday that gives you drinks for $20. I was pretty tired so only stayed for a few heading home at 11pm.

This week has been very laid back (apart from the angry German) and I am enjoying some time to bumble around the city without time schedules. A much needed lazy week for me ahead of my friend coming to visit and starting a new job. Graham arrives next Thursday, and we will have 2 whole weeks to explore the city. I am excited to be a tour guide and show him the city I have made my new home. I am excited to revisit the places that I went to when I came on holiday here at the end of May. I will take him to the Peak, the ICC, we will go to Lamma and Lantau Islands. The horse racing, the Museum of History and the markets. It will be action packed and the perfect way to enjoy the city before starting work.