Tourists

Tourists in Hong Kong, my parents. It'll be interesting having them here. It's been over half a year since I saw them, so it's also a welcome piece of home to see them. They will, in fact, arrive already tomorrow morning so I'll be quite busy as a tourist guide from now on. I asked to have some extra days off from work during their stay just to have more time to play a guide.

Also, for Chi this is interesting times, to meet my parents. She's having some mixed feelings about it, actually. Basically she is of course happy and interested to meet my parents - but it's also a bit terrifying experience for her to meet Gweilo-parents for the first time, not really knowing what to expect. The norms she knows from Hong Kong won't apply. I have, of course, tried to calm her down and told plenty of the way Finnish families function (or dysfunction), and that she has nothing to worry about. Well, we'll see tomorrow once the first introductions are made.

Talking about family meetings, I've also had the privilege to meet Chi's parents (and family) on several occasions now.

Last time was for the family Chinese New Year dinner. Present were most of Chi's family from her father's side, a total of 50+ people. All locals. No Gweilos, except me.

I was received very well, and as far as I've understood I'm now the "jolly Gweilo who speaks 'really good Cantonese' (thanks to my vocabulary of 20 words)." The dinner was very traditional in Hong Kong style. We had our own big room in a nice restaurant, and we were divided into several round tables of 10-12 people. Food (I think 6 sets) was served on a steady pace and no one left hungry.

Talking about the culture here, and how I perceive is starting be a bit repetitive topic, so I won't go into further details anymore. Let's just say, that family life and all that go around it here is very interesting - and like so many things about Hong Kong - complete opposite to that of Finland.

Of course everyone's experiences vary. Hong Kong is such a strong mixture of different sub-cultures and variations as to how closely traditions and values are followed. So, I can't say my experience would be anything universal - but just what I see as I've been taking part in the local family life.

During the dinner, I was received very well and no one seemed at all offended by a Gweilo taking part in their traditional celebration. In fact, seems I was more of a peculiarity (in a positive way), everyone surprised to see me there. Chi and her parents got some "face" (i.e. 'respect', 'personal honor') for having a foreigner boyfriend - something that is not common among the "normal people" of Hong Kong - and being able to speak such good English to actually talk with me actively. In local culture, even the strangest things can be thought of as a merit to a family. Never thought I'd be one of those things, a prize. Hah.

I received several laizhi's (red pockets; a small red envelope containing some small amount of money) as it is tradition, and actually even as the new guy, I totaled in around HKD 400.

The laizhi-tradition is (I don't know where it originates) a strongly established cultural feature of Chinese based cultures. During Chinese New Year, married couples give laizhi's to their children and to their unmarried friends and family. Individual red pocket usually contains only sums of 10 or 20 dollars (and 50 or 100 for closer family) but receiving them by the dozens will make it a nifty sum in total.

Anyways, I suppose I can close this post for now and continue later on, if need be. Life is sweet and changes lie ahead. Worries and high hopes. Let's see how it all goes. More to come, stay tuned.

Tchau!

proof of life

I've been rather busy lately, and will be for the coming few weeks. And for that reason, I have been neglecting my grave responsibility to write stuff here occasionally.

So, why have I been busy? Mostly work, and after work I don't usually like writing much. Maybe I should take that (writing my blog from home) into a habit, seeing these days it is quite impossible to do it other anyway.

Interesting times in Hong Kong, many things worth mentioning. However, since I'm lacking time yet again, I will leave those stories for another time (hopefully soon).

Basically I just wanted it to be known that this blog has not yet died, but is just catching some breath.

Until a later time, tchau!