Beach, book and blue skies. Another weekend in Hong Kong

What a lovely relaxing weekend in Hong Kong. I felt I deserved a break this weekend and shut my computer and headed to the beach. It was a glorious Saturday with temperatures reaching 36 degrees. I headed out for a Saturday morning run on Bowen Road, apparently with every other runner in Hong Kong. It is a beautiful road hanging in the tress above Hong Kong City. Surprisingly tranquil as it follows the city skyline from Central all the way round to Happy Valley.

I arrived back at the dark apartment to have some breakfast and to wake my housemate to head to the beach. The sun high in the sky and I was ready to relax with my book and a beer in the sunshine on the beach. We had planned to go to Lamma Island, but I couldn't find the energy or will to go all the way there, so we settled for Repulse Bay. The bus left from right outside our front door. A no brainer really.

A few hours of sitting in the sun, reading my book and drinking cold beers followed. A swim in the sea and some amusing conversations. We headed back to our apartment an early night ahead of an early Sunday start.

I went off to Lai Chi Kok to meet with Josh and head to the St Stephens Society church once more. Jackie spoke about the fruit you show to others. That what you show to others on the outside is a true representation of what is on the inside. I realised that one of the reasons I don't feel alone in Hong Kong or in general any more is I never am. I have found that the closer I am to my heart the less I feel alone. She spoke about iniquity and forgiveness. I made some notes to look up later. I find it fascinating how relevant and comparable the words of the Bible are in today's world. That over 2000 years ago, people still had the same thoughts, challenges and questions as we do now. I found this in Shakespeare too and equally find comfort in his words. It all helps to know that you are not alone in your thoughts and worries. That you are not the first and will not be the last.

I nattered to some new faces and made my way back to the apartment to have some lunch and settle into an afternoon of films and scrapbooking. I watched Oceans 11, Pi and The Perfect Storm. I contacted Paul, who I hadn't had the opportunity to see since he returned and I arrived in Hong Kong. Paul text to say pop over at half 8, so off I went, back to Happy Valley to the apartment my journey began in almost three months ago. We sat on the roof and caught up on our recent adventures around the world.

The most relaxing of weekends ahead of a busy week with an almighty important interview to prepare for. I have an interview for a large company, EuroMoney on Tuesday morning. The role is for a conference producer. Gabrielle at Feeding Hong Kong used to work for them and put me in touch with Pete who is conducting the interviews. Another big challenge for me. A friend has already interviewed for the position and said it was tough. I will do my preparation and go for it. I will give it my all based on the experience I have. I think I'm in with a shot. Wish me luck........Interview number four.........

The Hong Kong commute

The morning Hong Kong commute, it was eerie, very very eerie. It was strange passing through the MTR system in HK rush hour. Deadly silence. No sound at all.

Millions of people heading to their skyscrapers to sit behind a desk. But a silent journey there. Not a sound. It is hard to describe silence in this situation. I just expected with millions of people around, that there would be some noise, voices, laughter, music, anything. There was nothing. No one spoke, no music was heard, no sounds at all. Hong Kong is the city of sensory over load, apparently not at 8am, on the underground with a million other people. Strange strange strange.

Talk about the rat race. It reminded me of when we used to have hamsters as children, Rotastack I think it was called. Tubes upon tubes connecting different little houses that the hamster ran to and from on a daily basis. One to go and sleep, one to go and exercise, in this case, a hamster wheel, one to go and eat, and one for leisure time. A bit like the corporate world, tubes connecting office buildings, you have a building to go and eat, Starbucks, McDonalds etc etc, a building to exercise, the gym, a building to sleep, and a building to work. You can almost completely avoid being outside. It's all very strange. And feels as fake as anything can feel. Thinking these type of thoughts are not the best interview preparation, just for reference. Comparing your interviewer to a hamster, not totally advisable.

I like to feel the wind on my face, then sun on my back, the air in my lungs, the sounds of the world, the blue sky, hearing people talking, laughing. I don't like the thought of being cooped up in a maze of tubes and buildings for 45+ hours a week.

I'm not sure I have the strength to be a corporate rat/hamster!

Then again, it's a good way of getting training and money......

But it's soulless! I guess they are all human too, so maybe there is some soul to be found. Only one way to find out.

A visa, an ID card, some money and some training would all be good for my new start in Hong Kong.

I met a chap last night who has done every job under the sun, which got me thinking, it's all about not worrying where you will end up as long as you enjoy the ride. Means to an end and all that. You can never predict what each new experience will bring. We all focus on the end result far too much. Where will it lead, what will be the advantages, disadvantages, constantly weighing up each experience we do. Someone who just embraces the new is someone more employable that someone who tries to predict the consequences.

I have a certain set of skills. I am very adaptable. I have a heart. I can see the good in things. I can achieve.

I want to make a life in Hong Kong. I need certain things to do that. I am prepared to do anything. I like what I have seen so far, experienced so far of this beautiful city, so it can only get better as it becomes more and more familiar and feels more and more like home.

A job is a job. Experience is whatever you make of it. You absolutely do not know what opportunities come your way. Smile, stay truthful and good things will happen. It's all the same game.

I entered into the most corporate building there is in Hong Kong. The IFC. The International Finance Centre. Doesn't fit too well with my personality. I have big blonde curly hair for goodness sakes. Everyone was sooooooooo manicured. Not a place for the curls bouncing around all out of place. I headed to Exchange Square. Another name that just brings pictures of delight to your mind, rose beds, green rolling hills, a picnic table in the sunshine under a tree swaying in the summers breeze.......or not. Exchange Square, I mean really, they have named a building based on business. Exchanging deals and money. Money money money. I can't imagine having money as my only focus in life. How utterly boring.

Yes, I would like to make some money, enough to start eating again, and maybe treating myself to a new book on occasion, but I don't need much. I was intrigued to meet the guy who was interviewing me. I thought, if they let me be me, and want to employ me for my qualities, frizzy hair and all, then I'll think about working with the borings of this world, well for a visa and HK ID card at least. How much of life and the beauty that is holds are the corporate hamsters missing? To earn loads of money and to spend it all on gym memberships, Starbucks coffees, fast cars and clothes. If you don't need gym memberships, Starbucks coffees and fast cars and can make do with a run in the countryside, a cup of green tea and walking to and from your destination, then you really don't need to earn that much. Just enough to get by.

This has changed over the past 5 years dramatically. There was a time I believed that the more money I earned, surely the happier I would be. The more secure I would feel. The more opportunity I would have. WRONG. I have learnt over the past few years that broadening your mind and opening your heart gives you much MUCH more from life than a bit of cash in your back pocket. Money isn't even real. A wise friend once told me that. So why focus on something that isn't real? Money assists your life, love makes you come alive.

The interview was brief to say the least. I don't know anything about mortgages, life insurance and wealth management. Lets be honest, if you know me, you will know how against insurance I am. I have for many years refused to live in an 'IF' society. Preparing for the 'what if'. No thank you. I'll deal with the 'oh no' when it happens but I certainly wont put hundreds, even thousands of pounds away 'just in case' something happens, and quite frankly, very rarely does. I am a positive thinker, an optimist, I will leave insurance to the pessimists and the over worrying kind. As you can imagine, I had 25 minutes of, 'do you know anything about finance?', 'no'. 'Do you have an interest in wealth management?', 'ummmm honestly? NO'. I was always told to be 100% honest and truthful. I didn't want the job anyway.

He did make one very nice point, and one I keep hearing over and over again.

'You'll get snapped up quickly'

This is all very nice to hear. It boosts my confidence and so forth. BUT it really isn't actually getting me a visa. Back to my little bedroom to send some more emails and continue my work for Feeding Hong Kong. I feel alive when doing some work for this charity. Emails with meaning. Passion emails.

I have never been so busy when unemployed in my life. I'm doing more than I was most days at my last job. It's funny how hard you work when you have no steady income and how comfortable you feel when you have one, and tend to slack off periodically. It's almost, dare I say, a bit more exciting not knowing where the money is coming from, making connections and using my creativity to try and figure out a way of getting my hands on that visa I so badly need. I might regret saying that when I can't pay my rent in a month.

It's true there are pros and cons to any given situation. I'm fed up and bored of not eating, looking a bit boney now.....I must have lost nearly a stone in weight, but on the plus side, all my clothes fit me better, and as I can't afford new clothes right now, this is good.

I haven't found work, which means I can help Feeding Hong Kong.

I'm learning about budgeting. I'm meeting new people everyday, so I'm learning more about my people skills. I'm learning the true value of things, I haven't spent a penny on anything that's not essential for living in over a month now. I only wear make up when I absolutely have too, I chew one piece of gum the whole day, I have water with my porridge, I use soap not shower gel, I only buy food from the discount section, I drink black coffee and I live with an angry pant wearing German man who refuses to have any lights on, EVER, which means I pretty much live in the dark all the time.

I'm feeling strong and confident. I'm here on a journey and I'm alive with excitement. If it’s true, that there is a point in your life that is 'the making of you', then I really feel Hong Kong is it for me.

Let the games begin. I'm waking up a little bit more everyday to the possibilities of Hong Kong

Angry Germans and Chinese contemporary art

One of my flat mates is a very angry man. He shouts at me for everything you could possible shout at a new housemate for. I brushed it off with 'he's probably just having a bad day'. BUT really, does it really matter, and more importantly does it require raising your voice, if there are a few black feet marks on the bathroom floor, if my door occasionally shuts a little loudly because of the windows being open, if the bathroom door is slightly hard to close and therefore makes more sound than silence. I wont let there be tension, as it really is a very small apartment for four people to be living in. I think the whole apartment would fit into the living area of my flat on Swan Street. With four adults living in such close proximity you have to adapt very quickly to the other peoples living habits.

The angry German walks around in his very small pants and shouts at me. His small Filipino mistress is sweet but by the looks of it doesn't leave the bed, unless to fry up some chicken nuggets to eat with tomato ketchup at around 11pm. The other housemate is the saving grace. As I said, pros and cons to everything. Jonny is really sweet and we get along just great.

We escaped the dark apartment. The angry German doesn't like lights on, and as there is no internal windows, means the apartment is in pitch black. Another reason I stay in my room, I have actual windows. Going to the toilet or to the kitchen is quite a risky business with no light at all, in the middle of the day. You have to sort of sense your way there. He doesn't mind me putting the light on, well he hasn't shouted at me about it yet, if I am, for example in the kitchen, or in the loo, though he does, apparently try and open the door while I am in the bathroom to show me how to operate the door properly. Just a little side note here; the bathroom is so small you can't actually sit on the toilet facing forward, there is about an inch from the front of the bowl to the wall. You have to sit sideways, like ladies used to ride horses. Talk about squeezing everything in to a tiny space.

Anyways, back to Jonny and I escaping last night. Jonny works for a PR company. He invited me along, after mentioning art exhibitions to him a few days ago. The opening of a Chinese contemporary art exhibition was opening on 15 Elgin Street at the Culture Club. Jonny had promised free food and wine so I went along, obviously, to look at the art as well.

There was a room full of very 'arty' types all discussing 'the real meaning behind the word contemporary and art' and if a German painter could claim this statement if he was based in China but was born in Germany. I headed for the bar and had a look around. There was some beautiful prints and a very exciting flyer, posters section; great scrapbooking material.

I met some interesting people. An offer to do some marketing work in Bali for a lady who has a retreat there. A nice chap who wanted me to explain why I wanted to work in events, in order for him to pass my CV over to 'some people he knows'. This is the city of 'I’ll introduce you', 'I have a contact there', 'pass your info and I'll pass it on' etc etc.

There was no food. I had another cigarette. I had eaten very little today and was now getting quite hungry. Jonny said he would buy us a late dinner. I continued to have very random conversations with some very 'arty' 'creative' types and realised I really am able to pick conversations up about anything and run with them. I had an interesting conversation about empathy, a chat about creativity and expressing yourself through art, music and poetry, how to sell Singapore as a holiday destination to Hong Kongers and gave my very valuable opinion on some of the pieces. One really did remind me of Pulp Fiction, no one else saw this but me.

We left after a few glasses of free wine, hours of arty conversations we headed to Pisano’s, the largest pizza makers in town, famous for pizza's so large you can't walk through the door with it flat, but have to tilt it to one side to get it through the door. I am so ordering one of these when I get a job. We bought a slice each. I must say, pizza tasted good after weeks of boiled eggs and noodles.

Another culture rich day in Hong Kong. I even hung my laundry out of my window, very Hong Kong.