Hong Kong ramblings have come to an end...

haha isn't Ah Mah so cute?!?! She's so jolly hahaha

You can see Aunt 3 in the window.

My Kim Jun Do...

...for now. I do plan to revisit Hong Kong in July 2009 though. Those of you that missed the picture invitations, here they are...

Flying back and forth between Seoul and Hong Kong makes me feel extremely lucky and fortunate. I feel free to travel and explore as I please, which is how I intend to live the rest of my life--with or without a family of my own. I know some of you are concerned about that, mother.

This second trip also reminded me that my home is really where my heart is...no, that's corny. My home is between Hong Kong and Toronto. I have the holidays and the money will be saved somehow. I'll go back and forth until I've had enough of the HK airport...and the funny thing is, now that I'm living in Seoul, I feel like I could possibly settle back here as well...once the air pollution clears up.

For once in my life, I feel free to think wider and bigger than where I grew up. This kind of independence is amazing because when you think about it...some people never left. I don't feel bad for those who stayed but at the same time, I wonder...why the hell wouldn't you?!?!

Since I've reconnected with my aunts, I understand where my rage, orderliness and spunk comes from...my mother who moved us here and my dad's sisters. They gave and taught me to be like this. So when you are frustrated, you should just remember that I'm like this because I watched you and imitated your behaviour. As an adult, I choose to be the same. Knowing who I am now...it would be a terrible waste for me to just settle in one place and nest right now...

I'm grateful for what I have now because I know what it was like to be a workaholic for the past two years. Anyone who knew me prior to Seoul would say that I worked too much and spent little time thinking beyond my Korea trip...Teaching and living here is the culmination of my hard work. I planned for this, I worked for it and cried for it several times...

I've diverted from my focus here but it's just occurred to me that Hong Kong was another goal and again, I am proud to say that I have accomplished it. I made Ah Mah happy when I landed and it was amazing to see Aunt 5 healthy and hear her scolding me for shedding hair all over the floor. I just needed to write this down for the record because I have worked hard...and I let myself and other people say things to make me forget that...

In celebration, I have decided to not plan the next five years, yet. I told myself that in Korea, I would plan the next five...but I realized that I couldn't do this and enjoy what I am doing now. Hannah often reminds me that this is her selfish year...to rest a bit. I'm definitely going to do that now.

But no actually, I do want my own house. I want real estate!!!!!!!!!!!!

Around here...there are no ordinary Fridays...

...what we do have are many fights about any given things.

I took it upon myself to capture some of these fights. At first, I wasn't sure if the Penguins would cooperate and give me something to giggle about, but then the girls stepped up and really delivered.

If you work with young students, you will completely agree and laugh hysterically. If you don't, it's serious birth control.

Hope these amateur videos find you well and that your New Year is going well. Stay tune for my trip during the Lunar New Year; it should be a blast.

Here you go, procrastinate!

Photo #5: Cable Car with Aunt 6 & Uncle Bobby

Aunt 6, Uncle Bobby and I in the cable car in Hong Kong.

There are seven towers that connect the cable car over mountains and rivers.

For seven towers and 35 some odds minutes...we were taking photos and waiting for the monkey camera. If you know them...we were waiting and getting ready at Tower 2.

More photos of Hong Kong Trip #2 to come...

Ah Mah

I've only been here for four and a half days and already, Ah Mah is killing me with her antics. I think that's the only word for it because senility is not quite it. The reason I say this is because she is still as peppy as ever.

Sandy, you'll love this. I really recording this 'cause you'd appreciate it. I'm dying just thinking about this one.

Friday night, we got home from Aunt Winnie's house and we're settling down, unwinding and watching tv. But like always Aunt Amy is calling to see when we got home and how everything is--even though she was there, on the subway with us...

Anyhow, Aunt Iris is talking on the phone and Ah Mah wanted to shower only she thought Aunt Iris was conversing in the bathroom. I stepped in and told her that she wouldn't do that because it's gross to use the bathroom while talking on the phone. But she wouldn't believe. I kept telling her for like 20 minutes only she wouldn't believe me.

Finally after the phone call sounded like it was coming to an end, Aunt Iris emerges from HER ROOM and Ah Mah's like I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THE BATHROOM! There was a lot of arguing between Ah Mah and Iris over how gross she thought she was and why Ah Mah couldn't hear that she was really talking from her bedroom. I just couldn't stop laughing hahaha

Coffee Prince

Since I've been here, I am catching up on some of my old hobbies...eating non-stop and walking it off down at the gym on the fifth floor...sitting...and sitting until the wee hours watching Korean romantic comedy/dramas. This holiday has been all about the Coffee Prince.

As I watch, I am amazed by how much more I understand the Korean culture. I am really proud of how I have adapted and will most likely continue to love that place. Even though I complain about lack of a lot of what I'm used to...knowing that I am learning and acquiring new life experiences is helping me cope with the fact that professionally, nothing new is happening.

I think I am doing a great job developing that personal growth part of my year...just like Karen says it's important to do--have a professional and personal goal as each new school year approaches.

Personally, I think it's pretty clear. Professionally, I've learned that education is not a business. Enough said.

Anyhoo, back to Coffee Prince...Korean romantic comedies are always hilarious...but it's even more hilarious when you understand what they do and why they do the things that they do. Even all the product placements are friendly reminders of my temporary home. And even though the storylines can be somewhat repetitive with gender roles and class divides...the story reminds truthful to life and romance in Korea. I definitely think you should buy this one Marcie! Check it out with your friend...you two will stay up to watch this for sure...

Until next time...