Hong Kong Haven

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

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

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

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

the view from my hotel room.

First Cultural Experience, 2nd hand

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

because these things are everywhere.

History, at its finest.

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

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?