Another week has passed. Not much progress has been made in my job-hunting. I went to several job interviews as scheduled and was told to wait for the results upon finishing those written tests, as usual. Contrary to my feeling last week, I feel a bit more confident this week. I've come to accept the long and seemingly endless procedures of recruitment. Simply saying that I'm not competent enough when I heard nothing after weeks is just unfair. More importantly, doubting myself only pulls me down but not helps me out.
After all, I'm just jobless for the moment, not hopeless! ;)
***
Although I've been warned by a number of people, it wasnt until these days did I come to admit that part-time learning requires a great deal of disciplines. Long prided myself to be a task-oriented, focused, and highly disciplent student, I now have to admit -- I'm no better than anyone else engaged in part-time learning!!!! This mode of learning gets me excited in the first place 'cause the intensive lectures have pulled me to the subject matter even closer as I had to catch up with the teaching progress daily. Yet now as I'm done with the first subject, I've found myself left with a 400+ -paged coursebook, over 300 cases, and piles of untidied lecture notes!!! That really sends my adrenlin level to a rocket high!!! I've been trying to clear off a bit of my reading but this task often gives way to numberous scheduled job interviews and trivial matters... To make it worse, I become one pathetic victim of procrastination!! Which explains why I'm still blogging here...
Monday, September 17, 2007
Three weeks already. Three weeks after I came back, I'm still job-hunting. I can't believe the process of job-hunting is so painfully long and boring. Very often I sent out my resume, waited for a phone call for invitation to interview, met the HR Manager, did several aptitude tests, but then was told to go home and wait for the result. Ugh.
The entire process is just long and frustrating. At some points I even doubted if I'm adeqautely equipped to face the "real world". I got a feeling that my knowledge and skills are not helpful (if not useless) for me to get a job in this highly commericalized society. I'm just tired of this.
But for better or for worse, I gotta get going. I can't give up ... after all, opportunities are everywhere- when I'm ready to take it. Wish me luck. ;)
*****
It wasnt until lately did I realize I'm stepping into another stage of life- the stage when one's aging parents become illness striken. Just last week I learned that family members of two of my friends have passed out. Despite having undergone the same kind of loss not long ago myself, the news left me speechless. Again I was caught up in the grief and reminiscence of my own family history, which has a lingering influence on how I see myself in relation to the family. Honestly I didnt know what I could say, nor what I could do for them. I guess when it comes to life and death, we lose our words. The feelings deep down is way more profound than what we think we comprehend.
The entire process is just long and frustrating. At some points I even doubted if I'm adeqautely equipped to face the "real world". I got a feeling that my knowledge and skills are not helpful (if not useless) for me to get a job in this highly commericalized society. I'm just tired of this.
But for better or for worse, I gotta get going. I can't give up ... after all, opportunities are everywhere- when I'm ready to take it. Wish me luck. ;)
*****
It wasnt until lately did I realize I'm stepping into another stage of life- the stage when one's aging parents become illness striken. Just last week I learned that family members of two of my friends have passed out. Despite having undergone the same kind of loss not long ago myself, the news left me speechless. Again I was caught up in the grief and reminiscence of my own family history, which has a lingering influence on how I see myself in relation to the family. Honestly I didnt know what I could say, nor what I could do for them. I guess when it comes to life and death, we lose our words. The feelings deep down is way more profound than what we think we comprehend.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
On any given day, you'll find me ducking my head into newspapers, reading books borrowed from the local library, checking off items from my things-to-do list, or simply, sitting and daydreaming.
But these are long gone now!
Looking at the calendar a couple days ago, I realized it's only a week or so building up to the day of my departure. All of a sudden, I got so much to do!
Going back to Taizé is definitely like taking a break for me. I've been longing for the return like crazy. But anything that comes before that is not without sweat. At the moment of speaking, I got credit card bills to pay, pay-checks to be cleared, laundry to do, courses to enrol, some last-minute shopping to do. Just last night a Hong Kong guy who is in Taizé now asked me to buy him a pair of flipflops 'cause his are already worn out! god... i dont wanna be their supplier...
But these are long gone now!
Looking at the calendar a couple days ago, I realized it's only a week or so building up to the day of my departure. All of a sudden, I got so much to do!
Going back to Taizé is definitely like taking a break for me. I've been longing for the return like crazy. But anything that comes before that is not without sweat. At the moment of speaking, I got credit card bills to pay, pay-checks to be cleared, laundry to do, courses to enrol, some last-minute shopping to do. Just last night a Hong Kong guy who is in Taizé now asked me to buy him a pair of flipflops 'cause his are already worn out! god... i dont wanna be their supplier...
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Having spent two fruitless hours on a couple of job search websites, I've decided to give up the hope to secure a job before going back to Taizé. I'll be out of town in like a week anyway, so why waste the effort?
Speak of the interview this morning, I think I did fairly well. Well-versed. Confident. Quite unexpectedly, I was able to deliver some of my pitched speeches fluently. In the 20-minute-or-so interview, we talked about things ranging from my college life, group projects, what I've done since I graduated, to my opinion on working in mainland China. Upon hearing my responses, the HR Manager often returned with a contented smile. The atmosphere was pretty laid-back until I told her my plan to volunteer in a community in France and wouldn't be back until August. All of a sudden, the muscles on her face tightened, her smiles replaced by a series of smirks, with occasional serious looks...
'Oh, I see... we'd like to wrap up the interview process as soon as possible, so if you're away and can't make it for the second round interview, we'll save up your application information for futute recruitment,' she said.
Damn. Perhaps I should have zipped my mouth about the plan this summer... I smiled back somewhat uneasily.
When I walked back to the waiting room to inform the HR assistant that the interview was over, I was greeted by him with a see-you-next-week. I returned with a nod, knowing that my application profile would go straight to the 'unsuccessful candidites' database.
When am I gonna land my first real job???
Speak of the interview this morning, I think I did fairly well. Well-versed. Confident. Quite unexpectedly, I was able to deliver some of my pitched speeches fluently. In the 20-minute-or-so interview, we talked about things ranging from my college life, group projects, what I've done since I graduated, to my opinion on working in mainland China. Upon hearing my responses, the HR Manager often returned with a contented smile. The atmosphere was pretty laid-back until I told her my plan to volunteer in a community in France and wouldn't be back until August. All of a sudden, the muscles on her face tightened, her smiles replaced by a series of smirks, with occasional serious looks...
'Oh, I see... we'd like to wrap up the interview process as soon as possible, so if you're away and can't make it for the second round interview, we'll save up your application information for futute recruitment,' she said.
Damn. Perhaps I should have zipped my mouth about the plan this summer... I smiled back somewhat uneasily.
When I walked back to the waiting room to inform the HR assistant that the interview was over, I was greeted by him with a see-you-next-week. I returned with a nod, knowing that my application profile would go straight to the 'unsuccessful candidites' database.
When am I gonna land my first real job???
Friday, June 29, 2007
I'm back after more than a year. Opening another blog over a year ago was for the sake of convenience. At that time, not a single college friend of mine used blogspot. So later I signed up the one that they were using just for leaving comments but eventually I moved all over there.
A year has passed. As I was reading all those entries, it surprised me that very often, I wasn't writing what I think, or feel, but sth more, or less, than what I think and feel. Perhaps knowing that somebody I know is reading my blog makes me think twice before writing. And for me, thinking twice means trying to fabricate stories to entertain, to appease, or to portray myself in a better light.
I don't like it when I can't be myself even at what I thought to be the least scrutinized place. There is enough hypocriscy surrounding me and the world doesn't need me to expand on it. I'd try to be honest to myself from now on, at least here at my own blog. :)
Welcome back to my blog!
A year has passed. As I was reading all those entries, it surprised me that very often, I wasn't writing what I think, or feel, but sth more, or less, than what I think and feel. Perhaps knowing that somebody I know is reading my blog makes me think twice before writing. And for me, thinking twice means trying to fabricate stories to entertain, to appease, or to portray myself in a better light.
I don't like it when I can't be myself even at what I thought to be the least scrutinized place. There is enough hypocriscy surrounding me and the world doesn't need me to expand on it. I'd try to be honest to myself from now on, at least here at my own blog. :)
Welcome back to my blog!
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
One-man-one-vote is the only way to go
23. July 1, 2003. 500, 000. These are the numbers I can never take out of my head. They are the numbers that first make me feel truly connected to where I am now. Two years after the July 1 protest against the legislation of Article 23, I took part in the protest last Sunday. Just like the speculation before the march, less than 500, 000 people were in the protest this time. The number concerns me not. True- that I was awestruck by the number 500, 000. True- that I was proud of myself as well as the rest of the 499, 999 people. I still am! But after two years, I think this particular time is when the determination and desire of Hong Kong people for a society with full democracy is genuinely tested. Unlike last time, the purpose of the protest is a display of how much we really want a universal suffrage in the next chief executive election. It’s more than just letting the steam out, which may apply to the protest two years ago. Rather, it’s about how much we want to be part of it and thereby initiate a movement for a long-term progress in the election system of our government in years beyond. Therefore, my taking to the street was by no means an anti-government action. I was there out of my conscience—the obligation I feel I have as a person who live here and the sense of responsibility I have for my grandson, my grand-grandson, my grand-grand-grandson.
In the immortal words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Get your brain juices flowing, look at the world beyond the perspective that you read on the computer screen, get out there, and have your voice heard. Be part of it. If you don’t, you get what you deserve. It’s that simple.
More about the Dec 4 protest:
BBC- "Thousands march for HK democracy" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4496556.stm
CNN- "Thousands march in HK" http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/04/hk.march.ap/index.html
新加坡聯合早報- "香港市民大游行争取普选" http://www.zaobao.com/gj/zg051205_502.html
Le Monde. fr- "Des dizaines de milliers de Hongkongais dans la rue pour la démocratie" http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3216,36-717336@51-715568,0.html
23. July 1, 2003. 500, 000. These are the numbers I can never take out of my head. They are the numbers that first make me feel truly connected to where I am now. Two years after the July 1 protest against the legislation of Article 23, I took part in the protest last Sunday. Just like the speculation before the march, less than 500, 000 people were in the protest this time. The number concerns me not. True- that I was awestruck by the number 500, 000. True- that I was proud of myself as well as the rest of the 499, 999 people. I still am! But after two years, I think this particular time is when the determination and desire of Hong Kong people for a society with full democracy is genuinely tested. Unlike last time, the purpose of the protest is a display of how much we really want a universal suffrage in the next chief executive election. It’s more than just letting the steam out, which may apply to the protest two years ago. Rather, it’s about how much we want to be part of it and thereby initiate a movement for a long-term progress in the election system of our government in years beyond. Therefore, my taking to the street was by no means an anti-government action. I was there out of my conscience—the obligation I feel I have as a person who live here and the sense of responsibility I have for my grandson, my grand-grandson, my grand-grand-grandson.
In the immortal words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” Get your brain juices flowing, look at the world beyond the perspective that you read on the computer screen, get out there, and have your voice heard. Be part of it. If you don’t, you get what you deserve. It’s that simple.
More about the Dec 4 protest:
BBC- "Thousands march for HK democracy" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4496556.stm
CNN- "Thousands march in HK" http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/04/hk.march.ap/index.html
新加坡聯合早報- "香港市民大游行争取普选" http://www.zaobao.com/gj/zg051205_502.html
Le Monde. fr- "Des dizaines de milliers de Hongkongais dans la rue pour la démocratie" http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3216,36-717336@51-715568,0.html
Sunday, October 23, 2005
For several times last two weeks, I woke up midnight in panic sweat. Two months after my return, I realized that all those images of the incident still have an impact on me and how defenseless I am when they come back.
It all started with a scream…
By the end of my trip this summer, I decided to stop by Taizé and work there for three weeks before heading back to Toronto. One evening, I went to the evening prayer after working as a coordinator for children’s animation as usual. Working in children’s animation has proven to be so so(!) demanding and exhausting. It’s like today you have headache getting Polish and Spanish translators and then tomorrow you’ll have to worry about getting other programs fixed and informing other translators. That day as I was heading to the evening prayer, I was so upset to find myself being so inadequate for the job and would die for anytime just for myself.
Candles lit, people be seated. As music was played in the church, we were all in silence and some were in meditation. Silence was broken by occasional coughs and sneezes. The screen showed which song we were singing and I looked down, didn’t feel like turning to the page of the song in the hymn book. I didn’t sing along the music. I was incapable of singing as days I worked as children’s animation coordinator flashed across.
“Awwwwwwwwwwww... ”
A scream suddenly interrupted the singing.
I looked up, first seeing all the kids looking scared and all other people were in panic as the kids made their way back to their parents. Those who were sitting beside the bushes stood up, with their eyes fixed at the center of the church-- all in shock, while some brothers stood up and tried to pat onto the shoulders of some people, telling them to remain seated. Before I figured out what happened, the guy who was sitting behind me has already rushed out of the crowds, running as if he was hitting the finishing line.
One thing that I noticed seemed to be unusual...
There was a woman standing right inside the area reserved just for the brothers.
The rhythm of the evening prayer was suddenly intermitted...
(to be continued…)
It all started with a scream…
By the end of my trip this summer, I decided to stop by Taizé and work there for three weeks before heading back to Toronto. One evening, I went to the evening prayer after working as a coordinator for children’s animation as usual. Working in children’s animation has proven to be so so(!) demanding and exhausting. It’s like today you have headache getting Polish and Spanish translators and then tomorrow you’ll have to worry about getting other programs fixed and informing other translators. That day as I was heading to the evening prayer, I was so upset to find myself being so inadequate for the job and would die for anytime just for myself.
Candles lit, people be seated. As music was played in the church, we were all in silence and some were in meditation. Silence was broken by occasional coughs and sneezes. The screen showed which song we were singing and I looked down, didn’t feel like turning to the page of the song in the hymn book. I didn’t sing along the music. I was incapable of singing as days I worked as children’s animation coordinator flashed across.
“Awwwwwwwwwwww... ”
A scream suddenly interrupted the singing.
I looked up, first seeing all the kids looking scared and all other people were in panic as the kids made their way back to their parents. Those who were sitting beside the bushes stood up, with their eyes fixed at the center of the church-- all in shock, while some brothers stood up and tried to pat onto the shoulders of some people, telling them to remain seated. Before I figured out what happened, the guy who was sitting behind me has already rushed out of the crowds, running as if he was hitting the finishing line.
One thing that I noticed seemed to be unusual...
There was a woman standing right inside the area reserved just for the brothers.
The rhythm of the evening prayer was suddenly intermitted...
(to be continued…)
Saturday, September 24, 2005
On anti-Disney
One of my fellow classmates gave a presentation about the grand opening of HK Disneyland yesterday. In her presentation the working condition of factory workers who make Disney products in mainland China was given special consideration. It was followed by a series of discussion about the factory workers not being treated fairly, how the situation could be improved so on and so forth.
I’m not trying to do any justice to this particular corporation ‘cause their factories in mainland China where low-skilled, cheap labor- especially young women who are considered to be more compliant and reliable- are really plentiful. I don’t think I need to mention how those pitiful young women working more than 18 hours in sweatshops to get you to have a clue of how it’s like.
But why Disney?
We have sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas which constantly make trendy and cool sport shoes to add more colors to our collection of sneakers at home. Any given minute in a Nike outlet in Hong Kong, a mom is probably buying her 10-year-old son a new pair of running shoes—made by a 9-year-old boy with bare feet in a factory in Pakistan or Bangladesh. And then we have GM putting down their factories in Michigan, leaving the entire town unemployed, while setting up 11 factories in Mexico. And … and don’t forget our worldwide success McDonald’s, which is a perfect model to those in a variety of leadership positions. McDonald’s is playing the key role in the ever-expanding process of “McDonaldization,” which put numerous employees to work in dehumanizing jobs.
Below-subsistence wages, hazardous and stressful working conditions, forced overtime, long working hours, and abusive management—all these are not rare in developing countries where western transnational corporations set up factories for their business. When we talk about how Disney mistreat their employees in mainland China, it’s wiser to see it as a tip of a larger iceberg—one that is created as transnational corporations extend and enlarge in the global market—than just pick it out to criticize.
One of my fellow classmates gave a presentation about the grand opening of HK Disneyland yesterday. In her presentation the working condition of factory workers who make Disney products in mainland China was given special consideration. It was followed by a series of discussion about the factory workers not being treated fairly, how the situation could be improved so on and so forth.
I’m not trying to do any justice to this particular corporation ‘cause their factories in mainland China where low-skilled, cheap labor- especially young women who are considered to be more compliant and reliable- are really plentiful. I don’t think I need to mention how those pitiful young women working more than 18 hours in sweatshops to get you to have a clue of how it’s like.
But why Disney?
We have sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas which constantly make trendy and cool sport shoes to add more colors to our collection of sneakers at home. Any given minute in a Nike outlet in Hong Kong, a mom is probably buying her 10-year-old son a new pair of running shoes—made by a 9-year-old boy with bare feet in a factory in Pakistan or Bangladesh. And then we have GM putting down their factories in Michigan, leaving the entire town unemployed, while setting up 11 factories in Mexico. And … and don’t forget our worldwide success McDonald’s, which is a perfect model to those in a variety of leadership positions. McDonald’s is playing the key role in the ever-expanding process of “McDonaldization,” which put numerous employees to work in dehumanizing jobs.
Below-subsistence wages, hazardous and stressful working conditions, forced overtime, long working hours, and abusive management—all these are not rare in developing countries where western transnational corporations set up factories for their business. When we talk about how Disney mistreat their employees in mainland China, it’s wiser to see it as a tip of a larger iceberg—one that is created as transnational corporations extend and enlarge in the global market—than just pick it out to criticize.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Back
Everything is getting in full swing as the new school term started 2 weeks ago. But no matter how much I KNOW I'm getting used of schoolife again(sooner or later), I still feel as if my spirit is left somewhere else but not here. I realized how much I miss all the wonderful people I met the past 4 months and how my life was turned around drastically by the unexpected situations that life brings.
Perhaps that doesn't make much sense to a lot of you as I have virtually lost contact with people toward the end of my trip. But I would like to thank you all who have asked, whether by emails or phone calls, about how I've been up to. THANK YOU ALL!
It's a bit hectic here as school kicks off. A lot more to do! But I hope I'll be able to share what happened to me about the part of the trip that I haven't mentioned since my last entry (and pictures as well! ). Give me a bit of time and space to re-orient myself and reorganize my life. I'll be blogging verrrrrrrrrrrry soon...
very soon.
Everything is getting in full swing as the new school term started 2 weeks ago. But no matter how much I KNOW I'm getting used of schoolife again(sooner or later), I still feel as if my spirit is left somewhere else but not here. I realized how much I miss all the wonderful people I met the past 4 months and how my life was turned around drastically by the unexpected situations that life brings.
Perhaps that doesn't make much sense to a lot of you as I have virtually lost contact with people toward the end of my trip. But I would like to thank you all who have asked, whether by emails or phone calls, about how I've been up to. THANK YOU ALL!
It's a bit hectic here as school kicks off. A lot more to do! But I hope I'll be able to share what happened to me about the part of the trip that I haven't mentioned since my last entry (and pictures as well! ). Give me a bit of time and space to re-orient myself and reorganize my life. I'll be blogging verrrrrrrrrrrry soon...
very soon.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
At His Funeral, Brother Roger Has an Ecumenical Dream Fulfilled
New York Times
By JOHN TAGLIABUE
August 24, 2005
TAIZÉ, France, Aug. 23 - Brother Roger Schutz pursued many ecumenical dreams in his long life, but in death one of them came true: At a Eucharistic service celebrated Tuesday by a Roman Catholic cardinal for Brother Roger, a Swiss Protestant, communion wafers were given to the faithful indiscriminately, regardless of denomination.
Members of the monastic order founded by Brother Roger Schutz carried his coffin at his funeral Tuesday in Taizé in eastern France.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Vatican's council for the unity of Christians, who celebrated the Mass, said in a homily, "Yes, the springtime of ecumenism has flowered on the hill of Taizé." Beyond religious divisions, Brother Roger also abhorred the division between rich and poor. "Every form of injustice or neglect made him very sad," Cardinal Kasper said.
Brother Roger's community and friends, including President Horst Köhler of Germany and the retired archbishop of Paris, Jean-Marie Lustiger, attended the liturgy in the vast wooden monastery church at Taizé, while thousands more followed it on a huge screen in fields outside the church.
Brother Roger was 90 when he was stabbed to death by a Romanian woman, Luminita Solcan, 36, during an evening service in the church one week ago. His successor, the Rev. Alois Leser, a Roman Catholic priest from Germany, prayed for forgiveness: "With Christ on the cross we say to you, Father, forgive her, she does not know what she did."
The gathering here in the hills of eastern France under leaden, showery skies reflected the spirit, and also the popularity, of Brother Roger, the son of a Swiss Calvinist pastor, who first gathered followers here in 1940. The monastic community here encompasses about 90 members from 20 or so countries and virtually every Christian denomination. Four Roman Catholic priests from among the members celebrated the funeral Mass with Cardinal Kasper.
Brother Roger's simple wooden coffin, a wooden icon lying upon it, was carried into the church by brothers. It was followed by a group of Romanian children who had been visiting the community when Brother Roger was killed.
Brother Roger founded Taizé as a monastic order only a 10-minute drive from Cluny, the site of Europe's largest and best-known monastic abbey before its destruction during the French Revolution. In the 1970's, Taizé developed into a pilgrimage site where people from different countries and faiths gathered annually at Easter. Many returned, in sadness, on Tuesday.
Holding candles, they followed his coffin in procession to the Taizé cemetery.
Petra Simmert, a schoolteacher from southern Germany, came with her husband and two children. She is Protestant, he Catholic; one child is Catholic, the other Protestant. "We're an ecumenical family," she said, with a laugh. Watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II on television, they saw Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, give communion to Brother Roger, even though he was not Catholic. "That struck us," she said.
New York Times
By JOHN TAGLIABUE
August 24, 2005
TAIZÉ, France, Aug. 23 - Brother Roger Schutz pursued many ecumenical dreams in his long life, but in death one of them came true: At a Eucharistic service celebrated Tuesday by a Roman Catholic cardinal for Brother Roger, a Swiss Protestant, communion wafers were given to the faithful indiscriminately, regardless of denomination.
Members of the monastic order founded by Brother Roger Schutz carried his coffin at his funeral Tuesday in Taizé in eastern France.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Vatican's council for the unity of Christians, who celebrated the Mass, said in a homily, "Yes, the springtime of ecumenism has flowered on the hill of Taizé." Beyond religious divisions, Brother Roger also abhorred the division between rich and poor. "Every form of injustice or neglect made him very sad," Cardinal Kasper said.
Brother Roger's community and friends, including President Horst Köhler of Germany and the retired archbishop of Paris, Jean-Marie Lustiger, attended the liturgy in the vast wooden monastery church at Taizé, while thousands more followed it on a huge screen in fields outside the church.
Brother Roger was 90 when he was stabbed to death by a Romanian woman, Luminita Solcan, 36, during an evening service in the church one week ago. His successor, the Rev. Alois Leser, a Roman Catholic priest from Germany, prayed for forgiveness: "With Christ on the cross we say to you, Father, forgive her, she does not know what she did."
The gathering here in the hills of eastern France under leaden, showery skies reflected the spirit, and also the popularity, of Brother Roger, the son of a Swiss Calvinist pastor, who first gathered followers here in 1940. The monastic community here encompasses about 90 members from 20 or so countries and virtually every Christian denomination. Four Roman Catholic priests from among the members celebrated the funeral Mass with Cardinal Kasper.
Brother Roger's simple wooden coffin, a wooden icon lying upon it, was carried into the church by brothers. It was followed by a group of Romanian children who had been visiting the community when Brother Roger was killed.
Brother Roger founded Taizé as a monastic order only a 10-minute drive from Cluny, the site of Europe's largest and best-known monastic abbey before its destruction during the French Revolution. In the 1970's, Taizé developed into a pilgrimage site where people from different countries and faiths gathered annually at Easter. Many returned, in sadness, on Tuesday.
Holding candles, they followed his coffin in procession to the Taizé cemetery.
Petra Simmert, a schoolteacher from southern Germany, came with her husband and two children. She is Protestant, he Catholic; one child is Catholic, the other Protestant. "We're an ecumenical family," she said, with a laugh. Watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II on television, they saw Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, give communion to Brother Roger, even though he was not Catholic. "That struck us," she said.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Hitchhiking 1
I’ve never thought of this way of traveling and I’ve never done that before in my life. It sounds exciting but also frustrating because one may get stuck on the side of the road to nowhere with nowhere cheap (or just plain nowhere) to stay. But after meeting travelers who are doing hitchhiking along my way, now I’m interested in trying it some day. J
This German girl called Hanna who I met in France has been hitchhiking ALONE through France since the beginning of May. Like many other people, my immediate response after hearing that was “Is it safe?”
“What if somebody really stops his car and offers you a ride but then you don’t feel like getting into his car?”
“What if nobody stops and you don’t have any place to rest your head that night… and then it starts to rain…”
“What if …”
A long list of what-ifs came afterwards. She didn’t answer promptly. Instead, she looked right into my eyes, finally broke into a smile and said “But that has never happened to me before!”
“Really?”
“Yup. You just need to be careful.”
True. One just has to be careful. Anything can happen even if you’re in the safest place on earth. I think most people should be able to use their common sense and distinguish who to trust and who not to on the road.
Hitchhiking 2
My host in Warsaw, Chris, has several hitchhiking experience. Few years ago he traveled through Lithuania and Estonia by hitchhiking and last year he hitchhiked from France to Spain.
Whilst in Provence he worked at a vineyard picking grapes.
“Provence! It must be nice!” I was getting excited as I recalled what I’ve read from Peter Mayle’s Provence series and Van Gogh’s “what an intensity of colors, what pure air, what vibrant serenity” exclamation upon his arrival in Provence.
I trust that the nature there must be beautiful.
“Yup it’s nice,” said Chris.
“Wow.” Eyebrows raised.
“But the people are not so nice.”
“… why …”
“When I was in Marseille, I walked down the streets and everybody smiled at me. But in Provence everywhere is wealthy people and they don’t greet people as warmly as people in Marseille do. Provence is nice, but I like Marseille better.”
“…” We walked back home quietly, both falling into contemplation.
Once again it proves my people-take-more-of-your-heart-than-just-the-place philosophy stand!
Hitchhiking 3
Petr is an outstanding architecture student in Prague. When students care more about their social lives and think studies can wait, he tries to have a balance of both. One day when he was studying, there was a point where he came to know exam was gonna drive him nuts. What am I doing here? I don’t wanna study anymore! He thought. So he took his backpack, blanket, sleeping bag and tent and left for Norway THE NEXT MORNING!
You can imagine he left Prague without knowing where to sleep at all.
But he wasn’t worried.
“See. This is Norway. They have large fields everywhere. You can sleep here, here, here, here, there, anywhere you like!” pointing at a picture of green fields in Norway.
One time he had nowhere to sleep in Finland.
He wasn’t too worried.
He climbed up to the top of a tower (probably not too high)and spent a night at the terrace with his friend.
“We got a nice view from there. That can compete with a pricey hotel!” said Petr.
Yup... and it must be mighty cold and windy too…
Again when Petr was in Paris he didn’t have a hostel to stay.
He wasn’t worried.
Actually this time he had a place more than just a grassy field or hard ground on a terrace. It has proven where he stayed is so nice that everyday he got many unwanted visitors to his place. Perhaps they are all jealous of him to have such a cozy place to rest his head. It caused hassle to him, though and sometimes they really got on his nerves.
You wanna know who these visitors are?
They are the homeless!
because …
he was CAMPING UNDER THE EFFIEL TOWER!
I’ve never thought of this way of traveling and I’ve never done that before in my life. It sounds exciting but also frustrating because one may get stuck on the side of the road to nowhere with nowhere cheap (or just plain nowhere) to stay. But after meeting travelers who are doing hitchhiking along my way, now I’m interested in trying it some day. J
This German girl called Hanna who I met in France has been hitchhiking ALONE through France since the beginning of May. Like many other people, my immediate response after hearing that was “Is it safe?”
“What if somebody really stops his car and offers you a ride but then you don’t feel like getting into his car?”
“What if nobody stops and you don’t have any place to rest your head that night… and then it starts to rain…”
“What if …”
A long list of what-ifs came afterwards. She didn’t answer promptly. Instead, she looked right into my eyes, finally broke into a smile and said “But that has never happened to me before!”
“Really?”
“Yup. You just need to be careful.”
True. One just has to be careful. Anything can happen even if you’re in the safest place on earth. I think most people should be able to use their common sense and distinguish who to trust and who not to on the road.
Hitchhiking 2
My host in Warsaw, Chris, has several hitchhiking experience. Few years ago he traveled through Lithuania and Estonia by hitchhiking and last year he hitchhiked from France to Spain.
Whilst in Provence he worked at a vineyard picking grapes.
“Provence! It must be nice!” I was getting excited as I recalled what I’ve read from Peter Mayle’s Provence series and Van Gogh’s “what an intensity of colors, what pure air, what vibrant serenity” exclamation upon his arrival in Provence.
I trust that the nature there must be beautiful.
“Yup it’s nice,” said Chris.
“Wow.” Eyebrows raised.
“But the people are not so nice.”
“… why …”
“When I was in Marseille, I walked down the streets and everybody smiled at me. But in Provence everywhere is wealthy people and they don’t greet people as warmly as people in Marseille do. Provence is nice, but I like Marseille better.”
“…” We walked back home quietly, both falling into contemplation.
Once again it proves my people-take-more-of-your-heart-than-just-the-place philosophy stand!
Hitchhiking 3
Petr is an outstanding architecture student in Prague. When students care more about their social lives and think studies can wait, he tries to have a balance of both. One day when he was studying, there was a point where he came to know exam was gonna drive him nuts. What am I doing here? I don’t wanna study anymore! He thought. So he took his backpack, blanket, sleeping bag and tent and left for Norway THE NEXT MORNING!
You can imagine he left Prague without knowing where to sleep at all.
But he wasn’t worried.
“See. This is Norway. They have large fields everywhere. You can sleep here, here, here, here, there, anywhere you like!” pointing at a picture of green fields in Norway.
One time he had nowhere to sleep in Finland.
He wasn’t too worried.
He climbed up to the top of a tower (probably not too high)and spent a night at the terrace with his friend.
“We got a nice view from there. That can compete with a pricey hotel!” said Petr.
Yup... and it must be mighty cold and windy too…
Again when Petr was in Paris he didn’t have a hostel to stay.
He wasn’t worried.
Actually this time he had a place more than just a grassy field or hard ground on a terrace. It has proven where he stayed is so nice that everyday he got many unwanted visitors to his place. Perhaps they are all jealous of him to have such a cozy place to rest his head. It caused hassle to him, though and sometimes they really got on his nerves.
You wanna know who these visitors are?
They are the homeless!
because …
he was CAMPING UNDER THE EFFIEL TOWER!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Lost
The more south I go, the harder I find to get by given the fact that I don’t speak other European languages. In Barcelona, I didn’t have any difficulties in understanding Raul and Natalia as the Catalan that they speak sounds a bit like French. So a lot of time even if I don’t speak the language itself, I could still pick up a few words and had a clue of what they said depending on the context. But I think I’m more like a mute when I was in Madrid and Valencia. Though Catalan is spoken in the region of Catalonia in Spain, the different accents sometimes cross my legs. At dinner tables, I was often lost when following what people say.
BUT that didn’t prevent me from getting to know what people say, for Spanish people are far too expressive to let you miss it. It’s fun to see them talking! ‘cause there’s so much energy, gesture, and facial expressions in their talking. Stories like a bank teller being hassled by a gay man, or guys peeping girls who are in aerobics class through windows while working out have more to offer- watching them talk is like seeing them ACT! Yea… I love the language. It’s so lively!
Somehow I think Spanish people are just as noisy(or even nosier) than Chinese people while dining at restaurant…
Last-minute decisions
It’s not surprising to see something unexpected popped up along the journey. After all, it’s part of my adventure! But going to places which were not on my way initially is totally a crazy idea for me. This city Stuttgart where I am now is definitely NOT a place where I would visit had I not met Petra. Petra is a German lady who I met in Tazie. She invited me to go stay with her if I travel to Germany. I didn’t take it that seriously at that time. The thought of visiting Stuttgart didn’t come to my mind until I was in Barcelona. I was having great time with Rual and Natalia in Barcelona and I thought it would be neat to stay with friends. So I emailed to Perta and later Susana. Both of them replied! So there I was in Spain!
Then started my search for plane flying to Stuttgart. It wasn’t an easy thing! I was nearly desperate as I saw all the exorbitant prices!!! Oh I’m gonna go broke if I pay for that. I thought.
Fortunately, I managed to get a more reasonable-priced ticket with Sus’ effort, but then the date interrupted my entire plan!!! Instead of July 9, on which date I wanted to leave, the date available for the plane was July 14! So … I was kind of “forced” to stay longer in Spain (actually I enjoy the type of lay-back life in Valencia… I don’t mind staying for longer haha- if I have a vacation which lasts FOREVER!).
That afternoon when I was flipping through the travel guidebook, I thought “okay now I got a few extra days in Spain why not go to Madrid?” I don’t wanna leave Spain without seeing Madrid.
A second round of search began. We got into internet, looked for place to stay and later went to the train station and checked the train schedule with the ticket office. Everything went fine. I’ m glad that I was able to find one nice cheap hostel and get the ticket.
All these were done the day just before I went to Madrid. Everything is just impromptu- I was going a place where I had NO idea of where to stay and whether I could get there or not.
It's hilarious and...
it’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done! :-P
Susana
I know I’ve kind of mentioned that before. Still- I wanna say I enjoy my stay with Susana SO much. I’m grateful for EVERYTHING that she and her family did for me. It was a truly make-yourself-home experience. I’m grateful this family is so generous in sharing EVERYTHING with me. Their bed, their laundry, their fridge, their food, their clothes, their beach, their language, their Valencia, their Spain!
The other day when I was talking to my mom, she said I MUST treat Susana like a queen when she comes to Hong Kong. True. I guess I’m gonna owe this family everything that they share with me until the day that they come to Hong Kong.
Or else…
they would be like my credit card- I can never pay them back! ;-)
The more south I go, the harder I find to get by given the fact that I don’t speak other European languages. In Barcelona, I didn’t have any difficulties in understanding Raul and Natalia as the Catalan that they speak sounds a bit like French. So a lot of time even if I don’t speak the language itself, I could still pick up a few words and had a clue of what they said depending on the context. But I think I’m more like a mute when I was in Madrid and Valencia. Though Catalan is spoken in the region of Catalonia in Spain, the different accents sometimes cross my legs. At dinner tables, I was often lost when following what people say.
BUT that didn’t prevent me from getting to know what people say, for Spanish people are far too expressive to let you miss it. It’s fun to see them talking! ‘cause there’s so much energy, gesture, and facial expressions in their talking. Stories like a bank teller being hassled by a gay man, or guys peeping girls who are in aerobics class through windows while working out have more to offer- watching them talk is like seeing them ACT! Yea… I love the language. It’s so lively!
Somehow I think Spanish people are just as noisy(or even nosier) than Chinese people while dining at restaurant…
Last-minute decisions
It’s not surprising to see something unexpected popped up along the journey. After all, it’s part of my adventure! But going to places which were not on my way initially is totally a crazy idea for me. This city Stuttgart where I am now is definitely NOT a place where I would visit had I not met Petra. Petra is a German lady who I met in Tazie. She invited me to go stay with her if I travel to Germany. I didn’t take it that seriously at that time. The thought of visiting Stuttgart didn’t come to my mind until I was in Barcelona. I was having great time with Rual and Natalia in Barcelona and I thought it would be neat to stay with friends. So I emailed to Perta and later Susana. Both of them replied! So there I was in Spain!
Then started my search for plane flying to Stuttgart. It wasn’t an easy thing! I was nearly desperate as I saw all the exorbitant prices!!! Oh I’m gonna go broke if I pay for that. I thought.
Fortunately, I managed to get a more reasonable-priced ticket with Sus’ effort, but then the date interrupted my entire plan!!! Instead of July 9, on which date I wanted to leave, the date available for the plane was July 14! So … I was kind of “forced” to stay longer in Spain (actually I enjoy the type of lay-back life in Valencia… I don’t mind staying for longer haha- if I have a vacation which lasts FOREVER!).
That afternoon when I was flipping through the travel guidebook, I thought “okay now I got a few extra days in Spain why not go to Madrid?” I don’t wanna leave Spain without seeing Madrid.
A second round of search began. We got into internet, looked for place to stay and later went to the train station and checked the train schedule with the ticket office. Everything went fine. I’ m glad that I was able to find one nice cheap hostel and get the ticket.
All these were done the day just before I went to Madrid. Everything is just impromptu- I was going a place where I had NO idea of where to stay and whether I could get there or not.
It's hilarious and...
it’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done! :-P
Susana
I know I’ve kind of mentioned that before. Still- I wanna say I enjoy my stay with Susana SO much. I’m grateful for EVERYTHING that she and her family did for me. It was a truly make-yourself-home experience. I’m grateful this family is so generous in sharing EVERYTHING with me. Their bed, their laundry, their fridge, their food, their clothes, their beach, their language, their Valencia, their Spain!
The other day when I was talking to my mom, she said I MUST treat Susana like a queen when she comes to Hong Kong. True. I guess I’m gonna owe this family everything that they share with me until the day that they come to Hong Kong.
Or else…
they would be like my credit card- I can never pay them back! ;-)
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Re: Cindy
You don´t know what yóu´re talking about when you see Paris from the point of view as a French! Haha... actually Ive heard that a lot of French say they HATE Paris ... except those who are NOT in France! LOL. National pride ?!
Anyway, thanks for your message. I hope you´re having a great time with your dad in Paris!
Re: Christina
You bet - Tim Hortons is a type of coffee dognut shop. Ah ... guess what? I went to a Chinese restaurant with Susana and her friend last night. yea.. here in Valencia... hehe.. ´cause i wanna know how they "Spanishized" Chinese food and they want me to see if what they are having is real chinese food or not...
Well well, we have rice, spring rolls, lemon chicken, beef with bamboo(?) with - Sangria(a sweet punch made of red wine, fruit and sprints) -- what do you think ??? *rolls eyes*
You don´t know what yóu´re talking about when you see Paris from the point of view as a French! Haha... actually Ive heard that a lot of French say they HATE Paris ... except those who are NOT in France! LOL. National pride ?!
Anyway, thanks for your message. I hope you´re having a great time with your dad in Paris!
Re: Christina
You bet - Tim Hortons is a type of coffee dognut shop. Ah ... guess what? I went to a Chinese restaurant with Susana and her friend last night. yea.. here in Valencia... hehe.. ´cause i wanna know how they "Spanishized" Chinese food and they want me to see if what they are having is real chinese food or not...
Well well, we have rice, spring rolls, lemon chicken, beef with bamboo(?) with - Sangria(a sweet punch made of red wine, fruit and sprints) -- what do you think ??? *rolls eyes*
Home sweet home
I still can´t believe where I am as I´m writing this- I´m in Susana´s place!!! I´m in Valencia!!! I´m now with a friend who left Toronto just a month ago!!! It´s hard for me to believe that we´re seeing each other just now. But it feels SO good. Visiting a place where I know somebody is expecting me makes me feel special, for in that sense, I feel I´m more than just a visitor or tourist to a place. Very often I find people take heart more deeply than anything else. Of course architectures, landscapes, attractions of a place can be fascinating, but if you know somebody from a place, that place means more than just a name on the map !
Having been traveling for a month, I feel a bit homesick - homesick for a place that feels like home. Staying with Sus´family helps a whole lot - ´cause here I can have homemade-style food, a bedroom where I can throw out whatever I like and not have to worry about it, a fridge from which I can take anything I like and a mom and a dad. As Sus puts it, " My food is your food. My fridge is your fridge. My house is your house. Whenever you feel hungry, just open the fridge and take whatever you want from it."
This make-yourself-home thing makes me feel truly comfortable to be here!
(Oh btw, another "homey" thing I can do here is to watch Roland Garros ((Spanish Nadal vs Argentine Ruperta)) this year! I miss it SO much! I hardly forget I´m one big tennis geek had Sus not asked ...and also one big soccer fan!)
*****
Blessed by the Meditterranean´s weather, Valencia is drenched with pleasane sunshine all year-round. The beach here in Valencia is just AWESOME! I don´t know how true it is that one doesn´t want to go anywhere after s/he has been to the beach, as Sus insists, but the time spent lying and just enjoying the sun this afternoon was great! I LOVE the beach now! ^.^
*****
Talking about staying here, I now find Spanish people are by far the most hospitable. This couple Raul and Natalia are my host in Barcelona. They are the BEST host I´ve ever had!!! They are such nice host who would like to do something togther with me and getting to know me. Unexpectedly, they prepared lunch when I first arrived, brought me out for dinner and went to places where I won´t go alone normally. I´m glad that they have a genuine interest in meeting and getting to know people. Natalia was so excited when I told her we had the cartoon "Heidi" back home (Raul and I laughed so hard when she was singing the theme song of Heidi in Spanish. Yea- Natalia ws high that time!!! ) and Raul was very impressed when he found me knowing so many soccer players in Real Madrid and Barca (Of course!!! Rual´s actually one of my favorite players!!!).
Being their first guest from Asia, I found them so interested in knowing about me. Sometimes even the most trivial and slightest matter can trigger their curiosity. One night when i was eating noodles with chopstickes , Raul was looking at me in awe. He didn´t say a word. Eventually I turned my head, feeling embarrassed to tell him that - the way that i hold chopsticks is wrong!
"Comment?" He looked in disbelief.
Then I explained that my mom isn´t that strict and she never really corrects me like other parents do by hitting their kids´hands if they don´t hold it right. And - actaully I find a lot of Chinese don´t hold chopsticks correctly!
He rolled his eyes , looking even more puzzled ...
I still can´t believe where I am as I´m writing this- I´m in Susana´s place!!! I´m in Valencia!!! I´m now with a friend who left Toronto just a month ago!!! It´s hard for me to believe that we´re seeing each other just now. But it feels SO good. Visiting a place where I know somebody is expecting me makes me feel special, for in that sense, I feel I´m more than just a visitor or tourist to a place. Very often I find people take heart more deeply than anything else. Of course architectures, landscapes, attractions of a place can be fascinating, but if you know somebody from a place, that place means more than just a name on the map !
Having been traveling for a month, I feel a bit homesick - homesick for a place that feels like home. Staying with Sus´family helps a whole lot - ´cause here I can have homemade-style food, a bedroom where I can throw out whatever I like and not have to worry about it, a fridge from which I can take anything I like and a mom and a dad. As Sus puts it, " My food is your food. My fridge is your fridge. My house is your house. Whenever you feel hungry, just open the fridge and take whatever you want from it."
This make-yourself-home thing makes me feel truly comfortable to be here!
(Oh btw, another "homey" thing I can do here is to watch Roland Garros ((Spanish Nadal vs Argentine Ruperta)) this year! I miss it SO much! I hardly forget I´m one big tennis geek had Sus not asked ...and also one big soccer fan!)
*****
Blessed by the Meditterranean´s weather, Valencia is drenched with pleasane sunshine all year-round. The beach here in Valencia is just AWESOME! I don´t know how true it is that one doesn´t want to go anywhere after s/he has been to the beach, as Sus insists, but the time spent lying and just enjoying the sun this afternoon was great! I LOVE the beach now! ^.^
*****
Talking about staying here, I now find Spanish people are by far the most hospitable. This couple Raul and Natalia are my host in Barcelona. They are the BEST host I´ve ever had!!! They are such nice host who would like to do something togther with me and getting to know me. Unexpectedly, they prepared lunch when I first arrived, brought me out for dinner and went to places where I won´t go alone normally. I´m glad that they have a genuine interest in meeting and getting to know people. Natalia was so excited when I told her we had the cartoon "Heidi" back home (Raul and I laughed so hard when she was singing the theme song of Heidi in Spanish. Yea- Natalia ws high that time!!! ) and Raul was very impressed when he found me knowing so many soccer players in Real Madrid and Barca (Of course!!! Rual´s actually one of my favorite players!!!).
Being their first guest from Asia, I found them so interested in knowing about me. Sometimes even the most trivial and slightest matter can trigger their curiosity. One night when i was eating noodles with chopstickes , Raul was looking at me in awe. He didn´t say a word. Eventually I turned my head, feeling embarrassed to tell him that - the way that i hold chopsticks is wrong!
"Comment?" He looked in disbelief.
Then I explained that my mom isn´t that strict and she never really corrects me like other parents do by hitting their kids´hands if they don´t hold it right. And - actaully I find a lot of Chinese don´t hold chopsticks correctly!
He rolled his eyes , looking even more puzzled ...
