My last post... and it's LONG!!
I've started work already. It's been good. It's good to be busy again. Normally when we start work again, we're in training ("orientation"...just like a frosh!) for at least 2 days. They are so understaffed right now, I was given the first day to orient myself (ie. figure out what my extension is, find out how much they are paying me...), and today I was already sent out to the client's. I'm out by myself, so it's good cause I can essentially set my own schedule, it's a nice way of easing back into things... plus I have a rental car till Thurs. I've been on vacation since I found out about failing Masters in late August, so it's good to have a schedule, to need to get up in the morning cause I must get somewhere on time... though ask me that in two weeks, I might have a different answer =)
Overall, vacation in HK was good. I enjoyed getting to know my relatives, especially the ones closer in age to me. Kinda cool, Jacky's computer was broken while I was in HK, so when we started talking about keeping in touch, her father eagerly used that as an excuse to buy a new computer... and my Aunt can't exactly argue against me and Jacky wanting to keep in touch =) heheh =) Being with mom and dad 24/7 was challenging, but I survived, didn't I? =) Though honestly I can't see another 3 week vacation just me and parents. Maybe if Ga comes along, and maybe if it's within Canada/US, so that my parents aren't as paranoid about me getting kidnapped and/or lost in Asia. Having a functional cell phone in Vancouver gave me A LOT more freedom =) And Alexis and Erin were great about driving me places =)
Horror Flight
Our flight back from Vancouver was by far the WORST flight I've been on... and since October, I've been on 6 flights. We were delayed from taking off for about half an hour because there was "a problem with the indicators on the dash". Great, how comforting. When we finally got in the air, the captain informed us regretfully that the tail winds were in the wrong direction (I can't remember which way is good), so that would cause further delays. As we continued to fly, we hit turbulence for about 90% of the flight. I'm not kidding. I tried to sleep, but was constantly awoken by the stewards on the PA system reminding (and later almost yelling) passengers that when the seat belt light is on, everyone is to be seated and buckled in. (BTW, turbulence = seat belt light on)
The lady in the window seat (I was in the aisle) kept having to go to the bathroom right when the seat belt light would come on, so she'd wake me to get out, wake me again as the steward forced her to return to her seat, and then awake me again to actually go to the bathroom once the seat belt light was off. This lady was a riot. She assumed I understood Mandarin, so she asked me a ton of things... of which she spoke too fast, had a Beijing accent, and I was really tired, so I ended up just answering her in English "I don't understand". When we landed, but weren't at the gate yet, she unbuckled her seat belt and tried to open the overhead compartment to get her stuff... and was stopped by a VERY frustrated steward who again forced her to sit down and buckle up. She did it AGAIN before we fully docked, and you could tell the steward was about to explode. Finally when we docked, she, of course, got out of her seat before the seat belt light went off, and at that point, the man across the aisle from me was getting rather annoyed as well, but didn't bother saying anything. She practically climbed over me, grabbed her stuff, and pushed to get off the plane. Anyone who has flown knows how crowded the aisle gets as soon as the plane docks, and how wide the aisles are. This lady shoved her way to the door like there was a fire. But I think most passengers were tired of hearing the stewards yell at her (to no avail) so they just let her go.
Did I mention that I had a cold while on this flight? With a fever too, though Tylenol took care of some of that. Plus my nose wouldn't stop running, and cause my sinuses were congested my ears didn't pop till long after landing. Do you have any idea how painful it is to have ears not pop when the plane lands?
Amazing how much the overhead compartments in an airplane shake when landing...
And after 6 flights, I still agree with the West Jet stewards when Ryan, Adrian and I were on the way to Calgary... that pilot had the smoothest landing ever experienced!
So overall, aside from the last plane ride, I still love flying =)
What I love about Canada
- Not wondering whether the bathroom stall has a toilet, or if it's a squatter
- Not having to worry whether there is toilet paper in the bathroom stalls
- Knowing that restaurants and other places selling food will give you napkins free of charge
- Not needing to bring little packets of tissues everywhere
- Having patrons at fast food restaurants expect to throw their own garbage out, instead of leaving it for the cleaning lady, even though you walk right past the garbage can on the way out
- Walking down a street, instead of being carried by the movement of the crowd
- Waking up, opening your window, and not gazing directly into your neighbors dining room (sometimes it's close enough to touch!)
- Smelling freshly cut lawns (Vancouver still has grass)
- Others understanding my English without asking me to speak slower
- Ordering my own food, and knowing what I ordered
- Not having to stare helplessly at the vendor because I can't remember what the word is in Cantonese
- Having people think my Chinese is good!
- Not being stared at because I'm yellow but I don't speak English with a Chinese (or British) accent (BTW, the strangest sounding accent is a Chinese/British mix... it's REALLY funny!!)
- Seeing white people. And black people. And brown people. And green and purple and blue people. Anything other than just yellow people.
- Not having to wonder whether the Commies are going to kidnap me for my blog posting re: HK statutory holidays =)
- Looking to the left as I cross the street, knowing that a car isn't going to hit me from behind!!!
What I miss about HK
- Having an octopus Card that lets you onto any mode of transportation: MTR, KCR, db decker bus, single decker bus, green vans, star ferries, street cars, trams...
- Perfectly timed subway trains with interchange stations where the connecting train arrives right when or soon before/after your train arrives
- Cell phones that work in the Subway
- Good, cheap food everywhere
- Malls at every MTR and KCR station
- Photo labs whose standard cheap rate for developing is same day
- The beautiful landscape
- MUJI!!!! (that one's for you, Gladys)
- My relatives
See You Soon!
For those in Waterloo, I'm coming up this Friday, so hope to see you this weekend. For you in Ottawa, I'll be there in...10 days! And for those in TO, you'll be seeing lots of me =)
Thank Yous
This might sound like I just won an Oscar, but here goes:
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank...
Candy, for the waist pouch
Jo, for your pillow
Tim, for your digital camera
Ga, for calling me in HK, and on more than one occasion too!
Gladys, for always being my personal IT support
Jazy, for teaching me how to put pics up on blogger
Sam, for that MSN conversation (you know what I'm talking about)
Adrian, Alfred, Cal, Candy, Christine, Gen, Gladys, Jo, Lil, Mike, Pastor Tim, Pearl, and Tim for giving me LOTS of opportunities to pratice my English over ICQ & MSN so that I didn't return with broken English =) Heheh... thank goodness SOME people are on the internet at 11am EST =)
Pearl, Jasy, Ran, for keeping in touch through the guestbook.
Candy, Christine, Gen, Jo, Pearl, Tams, for your emails and ICQs of encouragement through your prayer support.
Ryan, Gladys, Ga, for participating in the interactive blog.
So many unnamed people for caring about me, praying for this vacation that I anticipated would be difficult, and even missing me!! =)
Everyone, for reading the blog. It was always heart-warming to see the counter increase! It's so nice to know people care how I'm doing, even when I'm on the other side of the world.
So in closing, always look *both* ways before crossing the street, remember to bring a pack of kleenex with you just in case, and please please please mind the gap when alighting.
Janey C Law
Tuesday November 26, 2002
posted by JCL at 12:47 AM
Feeling better today... enough to go out =) In my malady yesterday, I forgot to recount a story that will be interesting to Ryan and Yo, though I'm not sure how many others will care...
The last time I was in Richmond, Ryan, Adrian, and I stayed in the Ramada Inn on Westminister, near Number Three Road. On the way, we passed a ton of stores, including one called Big Crazy. Of course, with a name that absurd, you KNOW it's a store run by Chinese people. Since I can't read Chinese, the only thing I was able to translate for Ryan and Adrian was that the first two characters mean China.
Well, on Friday, in the middle of my sleeping in the car, I do recall waking up as my dad parked in the parking lot of... Big Crazy =) We went in.. and this is what I saw:
It's a Chinese dry goods store. And seems to be the reason it's called Big Crazy is because of the Big Crazy bargains you can get there... ai... oh well, at least the mystery is now solved =)
Bowling
Today I went to yum cha with my parents and their friends in a restaurant near Richmond Centre. I left before they were finished to meet Erin at the bowling alley by the Richmond Silver City. I took the bus all by myself =) The Richmond 403, to be exact.
Erin's a great bowler =)
She was there cause she's a counsellor for the High School youth group, and that was their outing today. Can you find Erin amidst all the Grade 8 girls? =)
Cactus Club Bathroom
I really should have taken a pic of the bathroom. Erin took me to the Cactus Club for lunch, the one on Broadway, near Cambie. Their bathroom... well, doesn't look like a bathroom. There was a leather sofa, with pillows, several other lounge couches with pillows. And the toilet stall! At first I didn't realize the door was to a stall! Then when I got in, there's a little red button that's labled press first. You press it, and the saran-wrap-like substance that's wrapped all over the toilet seat slides arounds so that there is fresh saran wrap for you to sit on. And on the floor is a handy-dandy button for you to step on that flushes the toilet! Of course the faucets are automatic sensors ones...
Food was great, we both got smoked chicken.
Unfortunately Alexis, Brian, and Dylan coudln't come out today, so I didn't get a chance to see Brian or Dylan at all.
Pacfic Centre
Erin dropped me off at the Pacific Centre mall (no, it's not a Chinese mall) on Robson Street. I met up with Joy during the afternoon. Since Joy lives in Coquitlam, Pacific Centre was most convenient, with the SkyTrain station nearby. We wandered, chatted, and finally sat down with a cup of hot chocolate from Blenz. It was really good seeing her again, it's been awhile! I didn't get a chance to find her last time I was in Vancouver, so I haven't seen her since July.
Dinner
I had to meet my parents for dinner, so I took the bus all by myself again (number 16, Arbutus), to 41st and W Boulevard.. again. Yes, back to the same restaurant for dinner. Had almost all the same dishes too!
Dinner was with three of the same aunties and uncle from yum cha that morning, plus Auntie Peggy (the one we're staying with) and her two kids Wendy and Jason. The kids were supposed to bring their girlfriend and boyfriend, but in the end only Wilfred came. Of course, I forgot to take a pic, sorry Ga!
HK Gentlemen in Canada
Remember the uncle in HK that I was saying is a real gentleman? I figured out part of the reason why. It's cause his ex-wife (Auntie Peggy) is like a little kid, expects to be served, etc. Even my parents call her "little sister" (siew mui mui) as that was what they called her when they were kids. My dad ended up serving her food, something that he seldom does even for my mom!
Jason is a real gentleman and I am certain will impress ANY Chinese parent. He serves his sister food first before getting his own, keeps an eye on the teacups and always keeps pouring (so Gladys isn't the only one with control issues about teapots!), and is able to carry on complete conversations in Chinese with parents. True, he grew up in HK, so his Chinese is still better than his English (which is rather poor), and he wasn't so great at carrying on a conversation with me, unless it had to do with (get this) accounting and the CA profession (standard -- Econ grad, not sure what to do with the degree now) and was conducted in Cantonese (can you picture me talking about accounting in Cantonese???).
But the thing that impressed me the most was how he greeted the adults. All Chinese kids know that when you give things to people, be it your business card, a present, or even a cup of tea, the proper way of doing it is with both hands. It's a sign of respect and cordiality. When I meet strange adults, I usually greet them with saying "Auntie" or "Uncle" and gently bowing/nodding my head down. Jason stood up, reached across the table (think huge circle table seating twelve), and shook their hand with BOTH of his hands!! (ie, right hands shake, his left hand also grabs the other's right hand, but on the other side, the back of the other person's hand). VERY impressive!! I haven't seen that since... well, Chinese movies where the characters can fly from all their martial arts skills!!!
I must say, Uncle Albert taught his son well!! Gladys, I'm interested in hearing your comments on his display of Chinese etiquette =)
Movie
Me and Wendy came home and watched Changing Lanes (I think that's what it was called) with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson. It was ok.
That's all. Church in the morning, lunch, then off to the airport. Due to arrive at Pearson around 11pm... I hope I don't freeze when I get out, I didn't bring my winter jacket!!
Sunday November 24 1:50am // Sunday November 24 4:50am
posted by JCL at 4:51 AM
