One Story

parting is such sweet sorrow

2009-08-13T05:30:00.003+08:00

thanks for reading.

the end.

back

2009-08-11T06:47:00.004+08:00

Don't look back.
Forget who you are for a moment.
only a moment.
remind yourself of your love, your worth.

it is no longer you who is
you are somebody.
simply.
beautifully.

no need for comparison
only compassion
slow down
take your time
tell an old friend of new joys

in a world of steadiness, readiness, harmony.
waiting for your swagger

living freely, hopefully, and forgivingly

embracing the good and the bad
not just in you
but in others
in him
and her.

watching the tree sway
its tenderness and comfort by you
standing near you

love yourself
love the God who made you, shaped you, loves you

be kind. its necessary.

in the event

2009-08-06T09:40:00.002+08:00

you don't hear from me until i arrive in the states, may these be yours and mine.

amen.

the usual

2009-07-28T12:32:00.005+08:00

in the last few days i've:

moved out of the dorm
seen a giant snake
understood prostitution a little better
encountered tons of stray cows
moved to a remote part of hk with people from Finland, England, China, New Zealand, and Ireland
slept only a couple hours each night
finished 3 papers
ate pb&j a lot
took almost no photos
contemplated the future
drank way too much tea
been emailed about two different jobs back in houston
been locked out of a flat for 4 hours
got really lost
went to mainland china for a night
got a 3 hour massage (dont be jealous, she broke my back)
prepared myself to be a victim of human trafficking (i'm fine now)
seen lots of rain
done 3 loads of dishes and cleaned a guys bathroom
ate a lot of bananas
thought about all the people quarantined in China that don't have the swine flu
dreamed of cooking

just like that, i moved from here

to here

and i'm moving again tomorrow.

perfect timing

2009-07-23T11:22:00.006+08:00

I didn't think it possible, but it happened; I fell in love and me and Hong Kong will never be the same. And yesterday was my last day of work. It's quickly coming to an end and I'm living up the moments I have left. Well, after I write 4 more papers...

"In the end, it’s our friendships that live in the spaces between our biggest life moments. It’s our friendships that hold the divide between life and love, fear and compassion, doubt and courage. And it’s our friendships that crack open our hearts to the light within ourselves waiting to be seen, to be born." - Kelly Rae Roberts

i represent that remark

2009-07-22T11:15:00.004+08:00

This is a sample chart from the Economist which is used as a guide to understanding currencies worldwide in relation to the BIG MAC. In America, the Big Mac costs around $3.57.

I am introduced by people here at work as "Jennifer, the American that doesn't eat McDonalds."

I'm lovin it.

Country U.S. Dollar Purchasing Power Parity

dorm

2009-07-21T19:27:00.003+08:00

summer motto

tell me it aint so.

2009-07-20T20:08:00.003+08:00

dear papers,

i want to thank you for allowing me to procrastinate as i approach you with great confidence and ability. i have one question for you, will you be the death of me?

sincerely yours for the next 48 hours,
jennifer in china.

p.s. i know where you live.

typhoon

2009-07-19T19:45:00.009+08:00

A hurricane hit Hong Kong two nights ago. They rate typhoons 1,3,8,9, or 10. Makes complete sense huh? This one turned out to be a 9.

It was a beautiful night with everyone rushing to get home.

It was quite uneventful after going through Ike.

beauty from ashes

2009-07-18T00:59:00.004+08:00

i truly thought that this blog would be about social work. turns out i like talking about myself a lot more. i wrote a 'piece' to make it up to you. its called

why i chose you social work

i see her face
i recognize myself in her
but i disclose only when necessary
so i play on her strengths

strengths the theory not the muscle
for she needs someone to listen
not a man to depend upon
not another baby at 16 years old

old she became as she entered the stairway of the school
the aching face with makeup full and bright
but with the questions of open and close ended
i see the real her, even if it takes years

years she spent feeding her grandfather
left overs
because her mother was at work
and her father was not around

around the time she failed math
but she was only in 5th grade
so why keep trying
5th grade is so young

young enough to see her mom get abused
by a man she called by his first name
not a man of example but a prisoner
needing to be released

released he was
at 58 years old
for selling cocaine
because a neighbor said it would make him feel good

good enough for who, he thought
good enough for myself
good enough for the moment
for the night

night falls and she has no electricity
because the county wouldnt accept her
she had already been helped one time before
that's when she got food stamps too

too kind when the ministry gave out cans
and school supplies
but she used them for her
not her son or daughter

daughter she once was of a mother
who died in a fire
because the apartment building
was not up to code

code of ethics we must follow
to counsel a woman such as her
with a life of complexity, pain, and fear
where to begin? what to work on first?

first, i'm here to listen
listen to you begin to unwind the last 15 years of life
life that seems to not go your way
and to bring forth beauty from ashes and maybe some new choices

g.f.

2009-07-17T23:15:00.004+08:00

good food. good fun. good friends. good fish. good fake.

hong kong at its best.

this article

2009-07-16T22:40:00.005+08:00

i read the new york times, chronicle, and various other news sources to keep up with the 'big' stuff going on in the world. i rarely make it through one article as i either have no idea what they are talking about, or it burdens me too deeply, or i have no interest. its very rare that i will finish a 10 page article, but this one i couldn't stop.

this article not only reminded me of my great love for life, but how we as humans have the capacity to care so deeply for others. again, heaven on earth. its not a short article but if you are curious about life, i say give it 20 minutes, maybe 30 if you read like me. i mean hey, screaming kids in the background, the pressures of facebook, or cooking for 15 people shouldn't be an excuse...

i am a vegetarian because of articles like this. im asked constantly about my belief in vegetairanism and honestly all i want to say is, "i love animals." I tend to add that i dislike suffering, i couldnt kill them myself, they produce a lot of pollution, and my heart thanks me. But the truth is, i just love them.
i love the mean ones and scary ones.
i love the snakes although i never want to touch or even look at one.
i love the ants that bite and the lions that nurse.
i love the fish that seem stupid and the dogs that provide love to hospital patients.
i love the horses that train and the bats that fly.
i love the ones that remind me of myself and the ones that i can't imagine being real.
i love that when i read the article i wept because in the end, i am just another animal trying to make it in this world.

This comment on the article sums up my thoughts.

“We need another and a wiser and perhaps more mystical concept of animals …. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man …”

hong kong up high

2009-07-16T20:37:00.005+08:00

before i sleep

2009-07-15T22:12:00.004+08:00

what amazes me about fear is that as it comes and goes, it never has more or less power. in this world, it has no power. only we can give fear power. there are times when i think fear has nothing on me and other times when i believe fear will be the death of me. what causes it? why do we let it get to us when we know inevitably, we are not even the ones in charge? is it because we are waiting for the next struggle, the next lesson? or is it because we don't trust? i want to learn to take life as it comes. to live in a world where fear cannot stop me. is this attainable? being far away allows me to see the big picture of my life and realize so much about it. she really is a beauty that i take for granted.

here's to life and all the fear that comes with it. may we be strong enough to face the next moment.

goodnight loved ones.

directions for the MTR

2009-07-14T20:17:00.015+08:00

step 1

figure out where you are going.

step 2

wait in line with the other thousands. both of these are places to wait. the ones with the glass are newer. the older ones are quite scary as the MTR comes racing through.

step 3

people watch.

step 4

remember that mcdonalds rules the world. and here's why.
step 6

eat your icecream before you get on the MTR (with your finger) or pay a fine.

why i write

2009-07-12T19:24:00.002+08:00

I write because of the surrounding poverty and made up wealthy
Because if I didn’t, all people would stay broken.
Because a sentence in a book can change my life.
Because our thoughts are 5 million stories put together as one.

I write because seeing is believing and sharing is caring
Because my formulated thoughts aren’t good enough
Because paper is my plunger and the pen is my toilet.
Together, we do our job.

I write because I love to follow rules and then break them before our very eyes
Because I love words and meanings and letters and the way my hand can shape them
Because as I learn new things I use them in the wrong way just so I can be corrected
Because for a moment I can control what is said and done. But only a moment.

I write because it truly means nothing at all.
Because my message really only lies hidden deep within my heart
Because I can escape to a place even I dont really know of
Because I can make up anything that is lovely and true

I write because a younger me was told my comprehension was very low.
Because I want to have something to show for myself and myself only
Because I didn’t read an entire book until I was 19 years old
Because ‘The Things They Carried’ makes me stay awake at night

I write because I can be myself and then share her with you
Because I feel as if the world cares for a short period of time
Because ideas are burning and circling around my head as if preparing to explode
Because when I write I can be you or me or someone else

I write because books are an escape and I owe them something
Because I dont want to be famous but long to be known
Because I can process and think and rewind and fast forward
Because I have questions and answers and more questions than answers

I write because I hear of pain and sadness and shock
Because joy and kindness and faithfulness outlast the others
Because of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists, Hindus and Christians
Because God’s creatures and earth need a voice to be heard

I write because I know I’m not good at it and I long to be better
Because I really have no say in anything at all
Because I shock myself when my pen touches the paper
Because I want to change my own life

I write because I have never written before
Because I was a coward without an Oz
Because I was devout without a place to worship
Because I was sorry I had never given myself the chance

I write because we need to remember the past
Because everyone’s got a story to be heard and understood and accepted
Because babies are dying left and right and their mothers are weeping
Because I need you to know as well.

I write because I still feel like I’m sixteen and forty at the same time
Because I have a new perspective every moment
Because I have so much information up there that its got to go somewhere
Because I want my heart to touch yours

adapted from this blog

i could get use to this.

2009-07-11T00:38:00.001+08:00

little poem

2009-07-10T11:28:00.003+08:00

Today
alive, well, spoken for
Tomorrow
non-existent, surrounding, creeping
Yesterday
empty, profit, appealing
Always
mine, yours, today

i believe in miracles, since you came along

2009-07-09T20:50:00.002+08:00

click on the picture to read about Dolomite's recent adventure.

say cheese

2009-07-08T22:51:00.005+08:00

I knew she looked young, but I just couldn't tell why she and 2 other women were carrying Asian babies on the airplane.

So I had to ask.

I walked up to the three white women right after we got off the flight in China and said, "This may sound really weird, but do you all have a blog?"

Lame, I know. I was really uncomfortable about asking outright, "why are you carrying Asian babies" because clearly that would be weird. So instead I opted for the blog route. Everyone has a blog these days, especially infants.

And I was right. The babies do have blogs and tonight as I remembered talking with these women in the airport I searched and found the blog.

These babies are not just any babies. They are orphan babies. I don't know the circumstances or their stories but I know that they have no parents and each of them has a cleft lip.

They were one their way to have surgery funded by Operation Smile. What a beautiful organization. I asked the women to tell me more about themselves because at that point I clearly couldn't keep it together if I knew the babies stories, so they began to share.

They were all volunteers. One of them had been doing orphan work in China for many years, another was a mom from England, and another was a college student. Like it was no big deal the young one said, "yeah, i am just on my summer break so I volunteered to take a baby to have surgery and stay with him in recovery". A college student, from Maine or something.

It was such a brief encounter, but life-changing. I walked away so proud, so thankful, so hopeful that people exist in our world like these women. If this story on June 19th doesn't redeem humanity for you, I don't know what will.

thought

2009-07-06T20:07:00.007+08:00

You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. -Thomas Merton

happy 4th america

2009-07-04T21:13:00.007+08:00

i'm more thankful than i've ever been to be american. may joy and laughter be yours today.

i celebrated by going kayaking with couchsurfers with a 90% chance of rain. and rain it did!

nothing like eating good soft serve icecream from creepy truck guy with foreigners on the 4th of july.

i always picture america celebrating the 4th like they did in the sandlot.
how did you celebrate?

did it make a difference?

2009-07-02T23:07:00.017+08:00

Maybe that's not the question I should ask.

Maybe I should ask if I got something from it?

And the answer is yes.

a friend. and a really sweaty back.

Ava went with me and 100,000 other people yesterday to protest.

Ava and I joined other social workers to plead for the rights of the disabled.

Disabled persons have harder times getting jobs, getting around, and getting benefits.

We marched for 4 hours through the streets of Hong Kong chanting, screaming, complaining, laughing and sometimes dancing.

Were we heard?

Maybe. Maybe not. But we stood together fighting for those who might not be able to fight for themselves.

Some critics may say that this protest did nothing at all and the approach was all wrong. And I may agree to a certain extent, but I learned some things as I united with other Hong Kong people to show the government that people are suffering and change needs to take place. People matter. Every last one of them.

There were a lot of causes displayed. It is a time for people to say what they want to the government of HK. You name it (within reason), people were fighting for it.

and the news people were all over it.

been to any good protests lately?

brave soul

2009-07-02T20:38:00.004+08:00

Haley has been around the world and back in the last couple years.
following her makes me braver.
take a look at what she is doing now.

years back i remember her telling me about problems with organizations that build wells. she said that often times when a well is built, the org. doesn't do anything to teach the people about proper sewage and waste disposal, therefore it runs into the wells and pollutes the new well water. now, she gets to do something about it.

p.s. we became roommates because of craigslist. and God.

2009-06-30T20:15:00.004+08:00

i was inspired

underrated:
grandparents
singing in the shower
taste buds
thumbs
sex education

overrated:
logic
shaving
fashion
professionalism
text messaging

yours?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously,

if you want to get things done,

go to a three hour meeting,

in a another language....

wrote a blog about food
check

wrote a list of suggestions for the next intern in HK
check

made a list of things to buy like deodorant
check

created a program for next years youth group called 'love actually'
check

went over some hebrew vocab i studied last night
check

created my activities for ethnic minority youth for the rest of the summer
check

laughed at my dream of flying on a broomstick with harry potter last night
check

decided what movies to rent from the library
check

chewed some gum
check

i'm sure you all care...

i, pictures

2009-06-28T13:45:00.017+08:00

i wash all my food in the sink with bottled water

i ride the subway everywhere

i appreciate that hong kongers dont use dryers (this is 30 stories up)

i try to add healthy to my microwaveable meals

i couldn't believe when a girl puked all over the bus that the driver took a bucket, splashed water all around our feet (thinking it would get rid of the barf?) and just moved the throw up all around the bus

i like to pet animals. did you know that?

i'm glad hk is trying to be 'eco-friendly'

i eat curry for lunch almost every weekday. this all costs less than $4

i play squash now, it's quite enjoyable. i think i had just been hit in the head.

her in all her glory

2009-06-27T21:32:00.000+08:00

Many years ago I began reading a book titled, "Life Together". It was written by a man who was imprisoned and eventually killed for his fight against Nazi's in Germany. One may never know of his background however, because he decided to write about things beyond himself. He was hung weeks before the wars end. His name was Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

He was a great Christian thinker and produced many books that are challenging and encouraging today. So challenging that I never finished his book, as my view and experience of "life together" with other Christians seemed like such a far cry from what he wrote about.

He wrote things like,
“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ”
“believers are privileged to live in visible fellowship with other Christians”
"the physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”

Some of the best friends I have are a result of living in community but some of the most scaring and challenging times in my life are as well. Living in community has meant two things to me the past couple years. One is the actual church in which I attend and give much of my time to and the other is living within the same household or at least nearby and truly sharing life together. These two have been seperate in my life as well.

The church is a place of great brokenness and great triumph. I have been disappointed and rejuvenated, hurt and helped, saddened and enlightened and thank God for my husbands job, because He knows how quickly I would just quit.

But I am in no place to put the church in my own little box like I have for years. I've been seeing the negative, the brokenness, and the weak in church and have wanted to create it in my perfect image. I don't accept her for who she is. I want her to treat me with respect and lovingkindness but when I don't find that, I give up.

Tonight, I have finally realized what Bonhoeffer was talking about. The quote, 'you don't realize what your missing until its gone' comes to mind. I don't have the church in Hong Kong because she is hard to find, and I truly miss her, even with all her brokenness. I'd take a punch in the gut every once in a while just to have the grace and love that also comes with her.

I met with other Christians from around the world tonight and I can't explain the impact it had just being in the presence of people who confessed Jesus is Lord. It was only then that Bonhoeffers words made sense about 'source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer'. Before tonight I took advantage of the church and used her for my own gain.

Again, things come full circle...It seems to me that when you believe in a God that transforms and redeems, things always come full circle.

The first thing I learned in Hebrew. Now I know why.

Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲלֹ֗ות לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טֹּ֭וב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד׃

stories untold

2009-06-26T20:23:00.000+08:00

I think I am beginning to adjust. It took me longer than expected, I believe due to the fact that I was here with a group of students in Hong Kong, traveled to China, and then came back alone. Life changed drastically as I was not staying in a fancy hotel nor was I able to rely on anyone else really. I miss my social worky friends...

victory at the great wall!

I wasn't (and still am not) sure how I can process such events as traveling abroad. I thought I would be able to blog about the incredible sights I see, the people I meet and maybe give a picture or two of poverty and struggle, but honestly when you're over here, the surprising struggle oneself experiences is enough to discuss. The only problem is that I am not sure what to discuss. All I know is that its been a struggle.

A struggle that picks you up in one place lonely, deserted and drops you off at another stronger, braver.
A struggle that sometimes makes you think that Jesus is standing right in front of you whispering 'keep going, i'm here when you fall'.
A struggle that you think may kill you when your in it, but when its over you think, ah it wasn't that bad.
A struggle that you may never be able to verbalize because words can't do justice.
A struggle that makes you want to tell all your friends what a gift they are...

Us humans are funny ya know?
Sometimes I'm thinking, I'll never travel abroad again, and other times I think, how in the world will I go back home?
Walking contradiction I say. My life's motto.

Work
I want to explain my job because I feel as if I have left much of what I am doing here up in the air. Perhaps?

I am working at an agency that services many different populations in Hong Kong. Think Catholic Charities, without all the money. They work with refugees, elderly, immigrants, ethinic minorities, children, and the likes. My job is to work with the ethnic minority youth.

Today actually was our first event. It was brilliant really. I did not however, come up with it. We took them on a "city hunt" (think Amazing Race) around Hong Kong to find opportunities for further education and work.

Ethnic minorities have fairly difficult lives in Hong Kong for several reasons. Simply put, they have major language barriers as they speak only their native tongue and english. They do not have ESL here in Hong Kong, therefore they are not forced in school to learn Cantonese. This is a very negative thing because to join the work force in Hong Kong one must speak both Cantonese and English. Social workers are pushing and have been for years to get policies that would change the way Hong Kong educates ethinic minorities. Also, there is discrimmination against the ethinic minorities because of their differences in culture. Thats another story though.

But today was great. I have been working 12 hour days this week to prepare for the event and out of the 100 people I called, 9 showed up! And this, I was very happy with. The youth were engaged for the entire activity and seemed as if they want to come back for more!

one our way to get the youth

One other thing I have been doing throughout the week is tutoring and playing with ethnic minority children. Here is an example of an interaction.

Me: Yes I will teach you how to country and western dance.
EM: really? I can't wait! okay, tomorrow I come get you from you office.

One Day later a EM walks into the office.
EM: Can Jennefer come out to play with us?
Me: I'm busy girls come back later on.

Ten minutes later.
EM: Can Jennefer come out to play?
Me: Tomorrow

Tomorrow's here.
Staff at our agency: The girls told me yesterday that you are there new dance teacher and that they will be performing for us at the end of the summer a dance from 'High School Musical'
Me: hahahahah
EM: but you promised....

all the summer interns (all different fields). the office is the size of my living room and holds about 17 staff!

This week has been great and incredibly busy. I think I am beginning to learn to process...

meet me

2009-06-24T22:11:00.000+08:00

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.

Cesare Pavese

a normal day in panorama

2009-06-23T20:05:00.000+08:00

i get up and go to work
anyone notice i don't have sheets?

i walk past all the dorms

i walk along a path and gaze at the mountains....

i walk to the subway station

and i arrive at the purple building called work

disABLEd

2009-06-22T21:50:00.001+08:00

My roommate the first week in Hong Kong rides a scooter. She is an all-star with an attitude of a saint. In Hong Kong, they do not have Americans with Disabilities Act, therefore the first day out on the town was quite the adventure. You see in HK you take the subway or train everywhere. Perhaps you get on a bus every now and then, but for the purposes of our visit the first week, we did not use buses.

When we got to the platform of a subway train, after going on about 9 lifts (elevators), we were 20 minutes behind everyone else and without a tool to get her on the train. There is about a 8 inch gap between the train and the platform and she was not about to be a daredevil.

Of course we died laughing, because humor we found is the best way to deal with these kind of situations, and it was just so ironic that we had worked so hard to get to that point and had not even considered how she was going to get on the train or that there would even be a gap. We walked around for a while to find someone to help us and 10 minutes and two trains later, we were on!

I could go on and on about what people with disabilities struggle with daily but instead I ask you to go rent a wheelchair, grab some friends, and take the ride of your life. You won't regret it! You could even make it a scavengar hunt.
Ex: How many people have we caught staring in the last 3 minutes?
How many bumps have I gone over since I got in?
Does my bum hurt?
Will someone pick me up if I try to hitchhike?

One Child Policy

2009-06-21T21:09:00.000+08:00

If you have been to Beijing or Shanghai, you get it. Being from Houston where I thought traffic was at its worst and people were in close proximity, I have now found that Houston has met its match. And then got whipped...

In '79 China's leader decided to make a huge decision for the born and unborn. They created a policy in which families could only have one child. The rules within the policy have changed over time and I am unclear as to whether it effected every single family back in '79. Today, it effects roughly 30% of China's population. They allow minorities, rural, and other small cultures to have more than one. The minorities need growth and the rural need growth and laborers as well.

The implications of this policy are monumental. You hear about babies needing to be adopted in China and you hear little tidbits about the population growth, but until you see the amount of people and hear the stories of life in China from a local, I'm not sure it sinks in. Our guide told stories of what they use to do back in the old day. She said, "yah, back in old day, we drown our baby girls. because you know, we want boy. hahaha. we don't do that anymore. no. we don't do that now. well, some people may, but mostly we just get abortions. yah, sad right? but we want boys." Before, insurance would even cover your abortion and if your employer found out you had another baby, you would be fired most likely.

So why are there now 18 million bachelors that are not married in China and girls still fill up the orphanages?

Because families want boys who will carry on the family name, provide better labor to the family, and take better care of the parents when they are old.

Now, China has a major problem on its hand and to be honest, I am not sure China realizes that. Maybe they do, but China keeps to China, if you know what I mean...

Today, I don't think insurance covers abortion and people have a mindset of having one baby. If you want to have two however, you must pay a large fee and everything that comes with having a baby. Education, medical, and all the likes. The government is not responsible for that child, in other words.

Orphanages are overloaded, men are without wives, the population is incredibly unbalanced, and grandchildren have huge responsibilities now on their shoulders because China does not have a great social security system. What ever will China do?

pakistani loves

2009-06-21T17:10:00.001+08:00

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."

pakistani's come because they seek refuge
because they have family here
because there's more opportunity
because they are possibly fleeing war, famine, violence, etc.
because there's better education
these kids know 3 languages and struggle more than i'll ever know. they are all out of school because of the swine flu. i've been having so much fun with them at night because i have been working until 10pm most nights. they are right there with me dancing, laughing, and playing. telling me all about bollywood videos, IM chatting, and everything muslim. i love every second of it. especially the little boy. he is a firecracker.

they gave me permission to show these pictures to my friends.

Buddha

2009-06-18T10:04:00.000+08:00

here, they love Buddha.

(which is really hard for me to spell

because i get my b's and d's mixed up,

so it looks like Dubbha. no disrespect)

they love him so much

they built the biggest one in all of Asia,

which sits on a large mountain in HK

he is really big

you have to take this to get to him

and the Buddhist Monastery that also is there

oh and the many tourist stands

but don't worry that it crashed about a year ago

because if i died, i was in good company

who, once she got her feet wet

walked around the cable car

to take pictures

like it was no big deal

even when it rocked

but i won't mention any names.

and then i took a picture like this

and someone said,

"this place is suppose to be sacred, how can she do that?"

and i screamed,

"yeah, cause they just sold me icecream like 3 steps away,

and there selling clappers 10 steps away"

ok, so maybe i didn't say that

but i thought since she was offering up her box,

i could offer up my icecream

but i guess i was wrong.

it is a gorgeous place and

when you come to visit

i'll take you there

and we'll go to starbucks

and talk all things religious

infection

2009-06-17T08:40:00.000+08:00

I had my first day of work yesterday! I made it through a two hour meeting then my supervisor made me go to the doctor. I've had some lovely stomach issues the past couple days and I guess they figured it out when I used the bathroom every 10 minutes during the meeting. New people would come into the meeting and say, "Hi, I'm _____, I hear you're sick". It was fabulous.

But then my body started to really ache and I was unable to turn my neck. I left willingly as I had resigned to believing that I had the swine flu. No joke. I had all the symptoms and I'm from America so most people think I have it anyway. I took an hour bus ride home, which may have been the loneliest bus ride to date. I thought of all the different ways I was going to have to contact people in Houston and let them know I was quarantined in a hospital in HK.

I get to the doctor who informed me with her wise stethoscope that I had a gastrointestinal infection with no fever. YAY! I kept being like, "but my gums hurt really bad and I can't turn my neck." And she was all like, "yeah you have a stomach infection." And I'm all, "oh, right, because that makes sense."

She said I probably got it from something I ate. Weird, me getting sick in a foreign country from something I ate? Never happened before, well except for the last time I went out of the country and almost died. But, I am better now.

could it possibly have been something like this?

or

Because we ate like this every meal. I'm not sure my body is use to consuming that much food, which is what I told the doctor was my problem and she said that I was wrong. Now that I am back in HK, my body is lucky if it gets a banana for dinner. That may change because I actually feel like eating again.

I slept about 10 hours last night and feel like a new person. By the way, HK has a rockin health system and I paid about $15 US to see the doctor for 30 minutes and get 3 different medications!

The Great Wall

2009-06-16T18:55:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong Haven

2009-06-15T18:04:00.000+08:00

In the words of James Taylor, I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain, I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end, I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend...

Hong Kong is China for dummies. Having it really easy the first week in Hong Kong and then moving to explore the Mainland was interesting to say the least. Because Hong Kong is Americanized with its clean toilets, nice hotels, malls, and wonderful subway systems one can easily be blocked from the poverty and struggle of its citizens.

Mainland China is a different story. Although we were on a government tour for most of the time, you can see and if your listening closely to the guides that equality is yet to exist. Smog and overcrowding however, exists in both.

Exhibit A

The whole time I struggled with feeling guilty, blessed, cursed, outraged and encouraged. There is joy in the people (as always when you visit poverty stricken places) but from what I have seen, their system relies heavily on the American people. With all our money, we buy what they make. Its simple economics really. They are brilliant inventors, hard workers, and daily sacrificers. As simple as it is, its very complicated because people are involved.

We were lead through a silk factory, jade factory, pearl factory, rug factory, tea factory and possibly others I cannot recall at the moment.

]

It was a great experience to see how things are made, but I can’t help but think this is not the real situation in China. This is the situation in which they want the foreigners to see, especially since there is a huge room in which to buy things at the end of the tour. So my dilemma continues, do I buy ‘made in china’ to support their existing situation in hopes that it will get better or do I refuse and stand firm in the belief that things still need to change and until they do I will not support them. If you get in deeper conversations with any person in China about economics they will probably talk about how things changed drastically 40 years ago when Chairman Mao left office and Deng Xiaoping took over. They say he led the Chinese people to have the economic system they do today, which most would argue is drastically better than what they had before, which can be described as communist hell.

What concerns me however is there seems to be a lot of things hidden. And unless you poke and poke with questions to the guides they will act as if China is a socialist heaven on earth.

I'm thankful that I was able to experience what I did and here is a little piece I wrote one night when we got back to the hotel.

From the sights of heaven to the smells of hell I could stay in this place forever and leave tomorrow at the same time. I could picture myself joining the movement to increase social workers impact here in China or I could head back to America to continue to prove our profession is worthy of something. Worthy I guess, to be acknowledged of being a real profession. A profession that has skill, talent, care, and impact in our society. Not to prove we are right, but to ask if there could possibly be another way. I could stay and learn the language, become rich and live in a 500 sq ft apartment that costs millions or I could go back home and enjoy the empty spaces that are left in my 1200 sq ft duplex with a yard. I could stay and continue being gawked at for my white skin and big eyes or go home and just be me. I could take a orphaned baby home or I could leave the millions of them here for their own people to care for. I could choose to see only black and white about China's economic and social system or I could take a deeper look and remember that God works in all the grays and blues and greens as well.

update

2009-06-08T21:37:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone,

This is not Jen. It is Jen's friend Ellen posting for her. Everything is ok, so do not worry. Jen wanted to tell all of you that at the moment her blog is blocked. She is still in China, visiting all sorts of fantastically enriching sites and is alive and well. Until the 15th however, she will be unable to blog because of the Chinese government and their censorship. But she did not want to leave all of you (and me) hanging. She presumes she will be able to blog again once she re-enters Hong Kong midway through the month. Until then, she sends her love.

Mainland

2009-06-06T07:48:00.000+08:00

I am flying to mainland China today. If you don't hear from me, assume the best.

Love to all.

History Happenings Here in Hong Kong

2009-06-04T09:51:00.000+08:00

Today marks an incredibly important day in China's history. Depending on who you ask, the response will change, but it will most likely contain the words communism and democracy.

20 years ago today in Bejing, China history stood still at the same time it was rushing past. Sacrifice was made on the part of the innocent and uneducated and those who were there, will never forget. Democracy was fought for and in a sense lost.

Please take time to read about this incredibly important event in history. The best article I found is below, written by a man who was there.

Kristof's Opinion

While I join 500,000 tonight to remember the ones lost, I will consider my own fear in this world and those who stand up for things I already enjoy. May they give us all courage to keep going and pursue justice and true freedom.

Its a rainy day in Hong Kong

2009-06-03T10:53:00.000+08:00

the view from my hotel room.

First Cultural Experience, 2nd hand

2009-06-03T09:57:00.001+08:00

A group of students from University of Houston, went into China (mainland) last night to get massages and shop. It's about a 45 minutes train ride from Hong Kong. They got a 1 hour massages for $5, but don't get too jealous just yet, because the trauma they experienced, might have just taken their massage buzz away.

Jetlag had taken over yesterday, so I opted out and went back to the hotel. Slept a good 11 hours and am thankful I now hear their story, 2nd hand.

The paperwork, because of the swine flu, was an overload and the difference between Hong Kong and the Mainland was unexpected. They were touched often, begged upon, and burdened by the need. They were in a mall type area and looked a couple stores over to see two teenage girls arguing very loudly in mandarin. A few seconds later, one began to run toward the escalators, them assuming that she was stealing something but before they knew it, the two were in front of them beating one another while the Chinese citizens surrounded them with cameras and phones to take pictures. As everyone laughed and cheered, many of those from my group began to cry. They were locked in the store and all they could do was watch. A man jumped in and beat the girl to the ground and for 30 minutes she was beaten.

No one knows the outcome, as their view became blocked and no one really wanted to watch anyway. Our teacher says its cultural, but cultural to us, doesn't mean okay.

A group of social work students at this conference didn't accept the whole "cultural" bit too well.

It's what our profession teaches however, and I will be the first to say, I struggle with the 'cultural' thing the most.

I realized this morning that my brain is like a box. When people do things outside my box, I question, I hurt, I often get very angry and it takes a lot to begin the process of understanding. Herein lies my professions work. Understanding. Not necessarily accepting and liking, but getting a glimpse into the why and how must be the first step.

More on this understanding later, as I have a conference to attend now. My session is titled "Social Justice Initiatives: Peaceful Solutions to Challenging Opportunities."

This is not uncommon

2009-06-02T07:08:00.001+08:00

because these things are everywhere.

History, at its finest.

2009-06-02T00:14:00.000+08:00

With such a brilliant past and recent historical change, one would think I knew something, anything before today about this great place we call Hong Kong.

I’ll begin with opium. Back in 1773, China was very self-sufficient and was not much into trading with other countries, like Europe. But Europe was addicted to tea that China had, so China got smart, some would argue, and brought over something even more addictive than tea, opium. Opium spread like white on rice all across China until they realized their silver was being drained. Then, this guy tried to stop it, but it didn’t work because of corruption and addiction. Then, another guy came and in one week (because he cut off the opium guys food supply) they surrendered it all. British did not like it and thus began the First Opium War of 1840.

British besieged a part of China which scared them so they sorta agreed to give Hong Kong Island to the British. oops.

Then the second Opium War began in 1856 and a lot happened but it ended by the British agreeing to sign a 99 year lease of the “New Territories” beginning July 1, 1898. This is one of the Hong Kong Islands.

The population in Hong Kong grew significantly, especially when China had wars and massive amounts of people fled to Hong Kong. Then Japan got occupation of Hong Kong for 4 years because the British surrendered to them on Christmas Day, 1941.

Years later, the working conditions were horrid (think ‘Made In China’) and people wanted things to change so they started riots. That ended because there were bigger fish to fry.

Communists got power of China and everyone thought they would take over Hong Kong, but they didn’t. They actually let Hong Kong function on its own, still as a British territory, and things like the brilliant Mass Transit Railway (that Houston needs) were built and housing was better and more affordable. They also got into the money making business and China had this ‘open door’ policy, which allowed Hong Kong to be a major trans-shipment point for China’s exports and imports.

Then many years passed and people migrated away from Hong Kong because they were scared what would happen with the 99-year lease agreement with Britian that was coming up. The plans were all wishy-washy and that clearly scared people. But just after midnight on June 30, 1997, Hong Kong was given back to China!

Hong Kong was ‘reborn’ as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, which it still is today. This means that Hong Kong still functions much like it did when British ruled for 99 years, therefore it has a very modern, Britian/American feel/look. Now, China has implemented policies as well. For example, all the children in school now have to learn Mandarin, as well as Cantonese and English. This may be a seemingly small change but it is a very big deal that this trade happened so smoothly and in my lifetime.

I mean really, where were you the night of June 30, 1997?

Thanks to the Lonely Planet book for helping guide me through this incredible journey to the past. Hope you enjoyed your first history lesson. Let me know if you want to read any books about Hong Kong.

I am officially delirious

2009-06-01T21:57:00.000+08:00

and when i saw this man petting a fish tonight, i could not stop laughing and crying because i loved it so much and i had just walked around most of Hong Kong (which has 7 million people, by the way) for 6 hours without eating.

one could have thought that this fish was his child. he was tickling it, petting it with both hands, and looking at it with much adoration. i had to be pulled away.

has anyone else ever seen someone pet a fish before?

Lesson Learned

2009-05-31T23:04:00.000+08:00

I made it! 24 hours later...

And nobody worry, i didn't pick up the swine flu on my way, because everyone looked like this!

In Tokyo, some officials came on the plane and asked anyone who had been coughing or had a fever if they would please raise their hands. I was not even about to look their way. Funny how they approached it. I wonder who came up with that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What not to do when you are flying to Hong Kong.

don't begin talking to the guy sitting next to you about politics. test the waters and make sure he is not the son of someone very important. oops.
also, don't tell him your views on north korea because then he will say something like this "i bet you believe the myth about aliens in Roswell, New Mexico." huh?
don't eat this

and think you won't throw up several times in the barf bag and in the restroom
and if you do throw up, don't put the barf bag next to the guy's foot where he can step on it. oops.
don't choose a seat in which none of the electronics work and then when your neighbor goes to sleep, plug you headphones into his TV and watch a movie....because he will wake up and find out what you have done. oops.
and one last thing, don't think that having the best neighbors in the world, who woke up at 4:30 to have tea and send me off, isn't the greatest thing in the world!

Off to bed at 10:31 a.m. Houston time.

Tyranny of the Urgent

2009-05-29T06:58:00.000+08:00

It all comes together at some point.

The bags are packed, the flight info is printed, i've said goodbye, i've accepted all the things i have forgotten, and i'm prepared to stay awake all night with anticipation.

A couple days ago I was not ready and I was quite panicked. A friend, whom Jennifer loves, said to me, "don't get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent." I was so caught up in it last week that I found myself in the middle of panic attacks, some in which i actually lost my lunch.

What would one do without friends I often asked myself? I'd love to post pictures of all my friends here, but I'd probably forget one and then that would be sad.

So, here I am, ready to go to China! and I'm thankful for my friends...

friends who give me quotes to put on my blog
friends who cook me meals when i just don't have the time
friends who listen as i pretend to be a realist
friends who embrace the spastic
friends who call because they are thinking of me
friends who watch my dogs
friends who make sure i keep going
friends who accept my veg ways
friends who trust me with their children
friends who i can sit on the front porch with and say nothing at all, just like that really corny quote.

i will miss

2009-05-27T10:05:00.001+08:00

houston, and you.

fyi: click on the pics to see larger version.

You May Be Wondering

2009-05-23T11:46:00.000+08:00

How in the world I got here? Sometimes, I wonder that too.

For years and years I have dreamed of taking off, going far away, learning a new culture, new language, and letting it change my life. I didn't think it would be in this capacity, but alas, my dream has come true. Well, it will in 8 days, if they can get me on that plane.

It's a miracle story, really.

I had a couple days to decide if I was really going to pursue this and a true miracle happened. My mom called the next day and said she got a random letter from Texas Tomorrow Fund (how my undergraduate work was paid). She asked me to phone them because it was quite suspicious. So I did. This is when the miracle happened.

The woman told me that I had 15 credit hours left on my account.

excuse me, did you just say that i had 15 credit hours left?

I quickly reminded myself that it had been 2 years since I graduated with a bachelors and both my parents and I were pretty sure I used every penny. Where in the world did this 15 hours come from?

Finances was going to be the main reason I didn't go to China, so with this incredible phone call, one day before I had to make a decision, I thought I'd just take the clue and say YES!

I'm so thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity and truly feel like it is a gift.

Some may say it was serendipitous, I call it a miracle.

First Email from Hong Kong Gov

2009-05-07T11:47:00.000+08:00

What they wrote:
"Dear Jennifer,
Hong Kong has instituted procedures for border authorities to screen for the possibility of influenza among passengers on arriving international flights. Arriving travelers will be required to fill out and return a health declaration form and pass through a thermal-scanning checkpoint. Temperature readings are taken from fixed-position infrared monitors that do not make any contact with the traveler. Travelers found to have a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, or who exhibit flu symptoms will have their travel history and symptoms assessed and will be taken to a hospital for further examination if necessary. Because of these measures, processing of arriving passengers may take longer than usual.

In addition, the Hong Kong government may impose a quarantine of up to seven days for any person who has come into close contact with persons with confirmed cases of H1N1 Influenza."

What I read:
Dear Jennifer,
We can't wait for you to get here and be quarantined immediately, for at least 6 months. See you May 3oth.
Much love,
Hong Kong government