Ocean Park

One of the big attractions in Hong Kong is Disney Land - err no - just kidding - yes there is a Disney Land but if you have been to the others you will be sorely disappointed by the one here. Fortunately, for about the same price $35Cad or $100 for a year pass there is Ocean Park. Big rides for the teens and Dolphin shows, and sea-life and panda and parrot centers. And the food isn't outrageous. The cable cars for me is worth the whole price of entry. Try to go on non Mainland China holiday days and before 11:am as they come to Ocean Park for vacation and it gets insanely busy. They do not understand Hong Kong systems of cuing and waiting your turn so while the line is roped off everyone pushes and shoves to get that one spot ahead. I am reminded of the drivers in Wenzhou except the people want to fit 9 in a space that is fit for only 2.

Still there is lots of space when not trying to line-up for anything so you'll be fine - and oddly some of the rides had very little wait times - Perhaps because there is no lesson to be taught to your 4 year old when on a ride but you can teach kids about Pandas and Sharks. No time for idle chit chat and fun when one has to get their 4 year old into the prestigious school of KinderBrainiacCollege institute. I am amazed more 12 year olds in Asia aren't taking ulcer medication - maybe they are and it's the secret ingredient in Milk Tea.

Anyway - here are some photos

From the cable car going up to the rides at the top of the mountain. The ocean part of the park is at the bottom.

A view of a couple of the rides - the one on the left is that ride that goes up and then drops really fast. Don't eat the churro until after you go on this ride.


Towards dusk and from the other side of the mountain top - another roller coaster on the left that juts over the ocean - don't look down. Oh wait - I looked down - eesh - why did I do that?

An advertisement in the subway. Yes if you don't have a 3D bust you need Bust Medicare.

This one is not Ocean Park. This mountain is right by my place - about a 45 minute hike up the mountain behind my building. This is the Tsing Ma bridge - yes it's bigger than the Golden Gate Bridge. It's the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Food...

So the Food in Hong Kong can be terrific. Aside from the Indian restaurant I already mentioned there is food here for every desire and budget.

This is a lovely Lobster Bisque Soup with puffed pastry keeping it warm - beats crackers. This soup followed by a main course (lobster/shrimp pasta or rice - or regular meat pasta) along with a salad and very nice coffee is under $10. It's really hard not to want to eat out all the time.


The local Thai restaurant serves this seafood dish with prawns, squid, mussels and shrimp in a coconut baked coconut. They have a big pineapple one with Thai rice raisins and chicken.


Just another view from the seawall by my place. The buildings are right on top of the Tsing Yi subway (MTR) station and three floor shopping center. The food above comes from restaurants in this mall. I am getting hungry as I type this so I might keep this short.

Unlike Wenzhou, China - there are rules here to keep the parks clean and kept well. I have actually seen the odd police officer around so someone is on duty to actually follow through. And the parks are clean and tidy. They have separate "pet" lanes around to let them do their business and you have to carry the little bags if you own dogs here.

The British Taxi-Cab pimped out. This was just an older fellow dropping off his wife (presumably). You never know what you will see from day to day here - so carry a camera at all times.

The Typical Day...

So what about the job?

So far the teaching job is going well. I leave my flat at 7:30 and arrive at school about 7:40. At 8:00 a song is played for about 5 minutes about love and starting a new day in a soft elevator muzak way that makes me think of "A Clockwork Orange" (I don't know why).

All the students line up in their designated locations based on their home room. The school Priest usually walks them through a morning prayer (usually on Mondays) and the kids give that criss cross amen at the end - they're forced to do this whether they are Catholic or not. Then the principal or another teacher will give them some sort of message. The kids stand at attention (more or less) for about 15-20 minutes. I have two strong English students who translate this for me. Sometimes I wonder if I'd rather them not - sometimes it's nice not to know what is going on so I can get surprised - like when I am sitting in my class wondering when my students will arrive - oh wait they are having an assembly? Oh okay there goes that lesson. Ha - I love the surprises.

8:30 classes begin. 40 minutes for each block. There are three 40 minute blocks before recess. Recess is 20 minutes. Then three more 40 minute blocks before lunch. Then three more 40 minute blocks after lunch. School ends at 3:40. I teach 5 blocks on Monday and Friday, 6 on Tuesday and Thursday and 7 on Wednesday. So I get at least 80 minutes of prep time each day.

Except...there are no substitute teachers here. If a teacher is sick other teachers have to pick up the block. Usually I have to sub a block on Monday. But it is different here. In Canada a sub is expected to cover the day's material. In Hong Kong you basically sit at the desk and let the kids talk or go to sleep. If the teacher is away the kids get a day to do nothing. I talk to them and give them some English conversation.

Fridays are shorter. The blocks are 35 minutes and the day starts at 9:05. I'd rather get off earlier than start the day later but so be it. Usually there is an assembly from 3-3:45.

Each class after a break is cut short. At the end of recess - a song is played the students line up and teachers stand at the microphone and give the student body more info. Then the teacher leads his/her students to the classroom. This also happens after Lunch. A lot of lining up and follow the leader. This happens more at my school because it is a band 3 school and we get more thugs. It's meant for discipline and consistent routine which makes sense. They need continual reminding of what is happening through the day. My 80 minute double blocks are usually 70 minutes by the time they get to class and books open. So be it.

Teachers are all expected to do extra-curricular activities - it is not a choice. You get some choice as to what you want to do but you have to do it. I am teaching choral speaking for a competition in November. Students are expected to show up and memorize a poem. The best students were hand picked for me - 42 students. 11 show up and only 3 pay any attention. Usually these things kids sign up and want to do. Here they're forced to do it. They have to come at Lunch time from 1:25 - 1:45. Usually the ones who come get there at 1:35. So ten minutes of practice! Oh well. the other teachers simply tell me not to panic that this is what all the schools are like. Still teachers will know how I feel. You have your class on stage to present a poem to an audience and you only get 1/4 of the students showing up to practice. At least with Drama - you generally get students who WANT to take drama. What's worse I am told is that many of them won't even show up on the day of the event. Oh well.

Classroom discipline is not really a problem in the violence department but most classes are noisy as kids talk throughout the lessons - they do this to their Chinese teachers as well. You don't send kids to the VP for discipline but a discipline teacher. One teacher is assigned to be the discipline teacher for given age group of students. You let them do the discipline/punishment for you. There is no punishment of course - just like in Canada/US/UK. I give them lines - at least they get some writing practice since they do nothing in the class. I give them the lines at the end of the day.

Still in general they're docile compared to the schools on the north island. No giant infants to deal with on a daily basis. Here I see one class for 80 minutes once per week. So a bad class or two I can handle since I am not seeing them daily. Unfortunately, the great classes I want to do more with and can actually teach some English to, I only see them once a week as well.

Teaching staff is easy to get along with and they've been nice to me.

Some more pictures

At the immigration center - this is presumably an immigration officer to avoid the lines. Skynet is real - just give it time.

The field near my place. To the left out of view is the high jump and long jump. My school will be here for their sports day on November 11 and 14th. I am running High Jump. I hate it when they give me the one kids can get seriously hurt doing. Why can't I get badminton? Figures.

Those massive apartment buildings are right on top of the MTR (subway) station and a 3 story shopping mall. All of this is about 6 minutes from my flat. Between the field and the MTR there is a big swimming pool.

Yes they were protesting here as well. New York was not alone. You can't see it too well but all the people are looking at other protesters in the distance. Lots of camera crews and Police just standing around. This is the difference between Hong Kong and China.

This is a daytime view out my bedroom window. Nina Tower is at far left. The bridge carries cars and the MTR train I can take to central Hong Kong or to the Airport. I am pretty much in the middle. People are out fishing in the water here and they're still alive. It actually looks not too bad. Air pollution is still so-so. There are 7 million people in Hong Kong which will create pollution but it's better than cities in Mainland China or places like Bangkok or Manilla. But not as good as Vancouver or Fukuoka. This photo is on a good day. Today it was considerably more yellowy but you can see the mountains. In Wenzhou most of the time you would not be able to see across the water.

Okay - I'm a guy. A couch and a TV. Give me time. I am going to get a giant plant to put by the window. I need a chair beside the couch so I can swivel the TV strait on. Still waiting for my next payment so I can afford stuff. I finally have my black leather couch. It is so comfy - It beats my bed in Canada.

The New Place

Moved into my new place October 6th. Bought furniture and the guys came and delivered the bed, put it all together in about 12 minutes - accepted no tip and left. Love it.

To the left is my dining room area - small but large enough for 4 chairs. It would be a good area for a stereo as well as it has corners. Where is Audio Note in Hong Kong? (hi-fi friends will get it). The right is my living room looks a bit larger than this photo. Straight ahead is my bedroom and second bedroom on the right, with the bathroom on the left. kitchen is behind me to the left. The ceilings are all nice and high maybe 11 feet.

To my Wenzhou teaching friends - look closely. Yes that is a Mattress! You can get them in Hong Kong. Sure beats the box spring we had to sleep on in Wenzhou. And it's very comfy. I lie back in bed and look out the window to see the boats going by, the MTR and airport express trains going by and of course the famous Nina Tower which has a lot of back story of intrigue behind it.

From my bedroom window with head on pillow. The Nina Tower with light display goes until about 11pm and then it's normal lighting after that. The colours change often with various designs.

My bathroom - it's so nice to have space. to the right is a full size bathtub. Yes yes put the toilet seat down - I know I know.

This is a view from the elevator. There are two elevators. This one is from the promenade to the second floor which takes you to the 6 apartment buildings. You then walk to your building where you take a normal non view lift to your floor. There is a faster route but I like this one.

GYM
To my P.E. Teacher friends. You would love the included Gym facilities. Yes it's free and so I have no excuse not to go. There are 11 nautilus machines, 5 treadmills, 6 stair masters, a rowing machine and 2 bikes. And full free weight sets up to about 200kg all look practically brand new and I believe we get a free trainer.

What else is part of the club. A games room for young children to play in with their parents that is really quite nice. A full size large air-hockey table and those quarter rides for kids. A study room, a gym that has 2 volleyball courts shared with basketball courts and fully padded walls (good for when I finally go off the beam), a squash court, sauna (free), billiards room and outside picnic tables with chessboards layouts imprinted into the table. There is also a lounge with newspapers to read or just relax. There is a fee to rent the squash courts and other rooms which is fair enough since people would book it and not show up. The fee is $10HKD which is $1.25 for half hour on the squash court. Can't really complain about that. The swimming pool is $10HKD and $30HKD for guests.

The pool is closed for the season because it's too cold. I have to laugh - it seems like a Vancouver summer here and it's too cold? Oh well it opens back up in March or April.

Also, for my PE teacher friends. Just outside my building is an outdoor mini-track with exercise bars and instructions on what to do. Within 5 minutes walk from my building is a football field and full track with long jump facilities in premium condition and stands. There is a public swimming pool right beside it with twisty water slides. The mini-track outside heads right into the stadium with the big track. Not far from all of this is a large outdoor tennis facility with about 12-15 tennis courts which are all in immaculate condition. It's nice when you don't have a bunch of people that make it their business to destroy public property because it's "fun."

And Tsing Yi MTR station is about 8 min walk from my place. This station is home to Maritime Square shopping mall with around 200 shops and is one of the bigger shopping malls. It has a full movie theater and of course Starbucks.

I shall take some pictures for a future blog but you can google "Tsing Yi" for better pictures of the area. My building is right on the promenade.

Fireworks

October 1 was a holiday though unlike in the West if a Holiday falls on the weekend they don't give you the following Monday off. Still, we don't get a day off due to rain so I won't complain.

A nice Fireworks show from my balcony in Kowloon. So this post is a conclusion to my time in the serviced apartment. The place was just too small to stay much longer than that. I am amazed that I saw a family of three staying in this size flat. Maybe there is a stow-away cabin that I never saw.

I will miss the local Indian Restaurant - terrific food and a low price. Unlike the Indian place in Wenzhou, Bombay Restaurant doesn't sell "H"omeless Chicken (my Wenzhou teacher friends will remember this), and I believe they change the oil here once in a whhh - well ever.

It's too bad it is located one block from Temple Street Market - the tourists pay the rather expensive prices for the mediocre Chinese food while Bombay is less money and a lot better. And they make it themselves - I see the owner buying the food at the grocery. The grandad is out handing out pamphlets to attract business and the sons are either cooking or waiting tables, while the owner's wife is out front trying to persuade people to give them a try.

The interior looks a bit like the back of an old taxi-cab with red linen (which is a nice way to say carpet) covers the seats and the booths which are a bit too low for the high tables. The ambiance inside consists of cramped dining for about 20 if packed and an LCD monitor showing the latest and greatest Bollywood music video. Strangely it is all very appealing and an escape from the fast paced non-stop flow of people and neon lights just beyond the doors. I usually make it a point to linger longer.

Yes, it's not exactly the most inviting of signs but the food is really good. I recommend the meal for one person, which two people can eat. For $11 Canadian you get Papadum, 3 large pieces of Naan, 2 Chicken Tika, 2 Samosas, some other deep fried vegetables (but not heavy), then one person would be full. The main course arrives which is rice with a bowl of curry (Lamb or Chicken - but if you ask for prawns or Beef instead they'll give it to you no extra charge). Then the bill comes and you wonder how they made any money.

Outside the restaurant and one block over is Temple Street Night Market. 5 watches for $10, Gucci purse for $5 (but only if you have someone like my friend Lawrence who will talk them down from $50. Every gizmo you could imagine and gizmos you thought were long gone like the dancing Coca-Cola cans and clocks that play Mozart or some other classical piece when the clock strikes the hour. If they had an A&W Rootbeer one and Vivaldi I would have probably been suckered. I did buy the 5 watches - it's been about 3 weeks and 4 of them are still working so all in all not too bad.

Temple Street also sells the food direct - so if you wish to cook a nice meal you can buy the hanging lettuce? Umm? Or the long mystery sausage or the - oh I just can't look anymore.

I have seen a number of these donation bins throughout Hong Kong and this one is close to my building. To the right, is a blue bin for paper recycling and two other recycle bins for plastics and metals. These are all over the place, in malls, on the streets, at school, and in my new apartment building. They also charge .50 per bag in the grocery stores. They're doing a good job here keeping it clean and recycling. I still don't understand why anyone here would want to own a car. I went from Central (the core of Hong Kong) to Tsing Yi where I currently live and considered a bit out of the way - it took 12 minutes by Subway. I can't see anyone driving that in less than 30 minutes and the pay parking is about $10 Cad after you spend 15 minutes trying to find a spot.

As promised some more pictures.


The view from outside my serviced apartment

A 180 shot.

Yes I managed to find a hockey rink - and where is it you ask? Drum roll... a Shopping Mall in Kowloon. Wow what a surprise. I watched a movie in this mall. I enjoyed the seats which rumble and shake along with the movie (Contagion). Parts of it were filmed in Hong Kong and possibly Macau. Makes me want to carry my hand sanitizer around with me.


I have no idea either.

Just a shot of the downtown area - JP Morgan building center.

Time has flown by. Three weeks in and still getting sorted. I bought a cell phone - a Nokia (again) as they seem to be the go-to phone for expats. A whopping $25 and I've been making several calls now on it and still have not used my $5 up yet. We sure pay a lot in Canada for phones.

I have a new place that I will move into either late September or October 1st. Details on that will come, but I think a lot of friends will want to come stay with me just for the amazing views.

But before I get to that, here are some pictures of the serviced apartment or "closet" that I am currently living in as well as some other photos.



The serviced apartment from the door. This is it. To the left is the bed and at the foot of the bed is the dresser that holds shirts, a small safe that doesn't work - or it probably does and it is beyond the hope of those regular non electronic engineer types. To the right is a small table with a TV.

This time a photo from the kitchen. There are no plugs on the kitchen counter area so I need to heat water or plug my coffee pot in beside the bed. That little box behind the bed is a bathroom.

See they spelled my name wrong - but the thought was nice.


My desk - there are 24 such desks in the room and a second teachers' room. All the teachers have similar desks. I am still figuring out the lingo. But to the teachers reading it works like this. There are 3 band high schools. There used to be 5 but Hong Kong changed to 3 bands. What is a band? A band is a form of streaming students from the best and brightest to the bulbs having a little more trouble lighting the room. I teach at a band 3 school or the "lowest" band.

Within the school there are grades called forms. Form 1 is roughly grade 8 in Canada and form 6-7 would be grade 12. Within the form there is more streaming. Form 1A, 1B, and 1C. Each year they pick a different letter to choose as the best class and one as the weakest class.

Unfortunately, whatever advantage there may be to streaming it does not really seem to be created on the back of their English level as I can see only a weak correlation between the supposed better classes and weaker classes. It is kind of sad to be written off in primary school because the hope for good jobs or attending university for a band 3 student seems very difficult and as such their motivation to improve is very low. Still the school is hopeful that a few of them can beat the system this year.

The students are mostly engaged with a few exceptions but we're trying to do things that will get them excited about learning English. We'll be running an English club with writing contests and there will be a choral challenge in November (which I will be running) and we'll compete with other schools in Hong Kong. The kids like some western artists. Avril Lavigne is popular, as is Lady Gaga. Naturally they would be hugely popular as it is a Catholic School. :-)

After my first two nights in the Walden hotel I moved into my new Serviced Apartment which is like certain friends, an apartment with benefits. I get weekly maid service and a small kitchenette with bar fridge. Once you put about 8 drinks in it, it's full. Then again if you put 8 people in this apartment the fire department would have something to say. Still the apartment is clean, quiet, and right near three different subway lines (the closest being Austin Station – they spelled my name wrong but it was nice of them to know I was coming) and the famous Temple Street Night Market and Nathan Road where if you want to buy any one of a dozen $100,000 CAD watches or a Million dollar ring for that special lady - well - you can. Rolex is positively cheap in comparison but then they don’t keep particularly good time and maybe people are figuring it out.

Speaking of cheap - most stuff is – there are no taxes on anything and there is no tipping. I left some money on the pillow for the maid – she cleaned everything but she left the money left on the pillow. I am now in the process of finding a new apartment. This is fine but astonishingly costly. Usually in Canada we pay half a month’s rent as a security deposit when moving into a new apartment. In Hong Kong, they want the first month’s rent. And they want two full month’s rent as security deposit. On top of that you have to pay half a month’s rent to the agent (the owner of the apartment pays the other half of the month’s rent to the agent). Now apartments in Hong Kong are expensive. $12,000 HKD is the one I am looking at and it’s quite nice but not at all considered expensive here. This gets you 610 square feet. If I get I will show pictures. The exchange rate is about $8HKD to $1Cad. So $1,500 for rent but the initial outlay will be $42000 HKD or $5,250 Cad. You get the deposit back at the end with 2% interest so it’s not all bad but you don’t get the agent fee back. Still, the rent is well under the amount the government provides foreign teachers so in the long run I save a bit of cash.

Anyway, here are some more pictures

This would be "The Lodge" where I am currently living. 4 flats per floor and separated from each other. No common wall. Apparently they count the hallway as part of the square foot rating - well 1/4 of the hallway. I still don't think it makes 400square feet. Pictures of the inside later.



Beer. You can buy a bottle of Guinness for $1.50Cad. I was out the other night having dinner and I decided to buy a bottle of San Miguel. A Philippines beer that is quite nice. $20HKD for a bottle or about $3.50. But what came seemed to be a jug. A huge 620ml bottle. And this at a restaurant. A lot of sloshed folks walking the streets. You can open the pictures and zoom in to see the prices - remember to divide the price by 8.


Double Decker buses and trolleys are everywhere here but I liked this one. A big black Double Decker trolley with the word Manifesto across the top. I am sure it's going to a mall.


A nice couple I had a chance meeting with. I could not place their accent but it turns out they're both from Cardiff, Wales. I said they didn't really sound Welsh at which point they really turned on the accent. They were both out to go dancing and drinking but I had work the next day.

I want you to imagine living a life in a giant air conditioned clean comfortable shopping mall. Imagine this shopping mall was the size of a small country. Can you imagine it? Well I don’t have to because I live in Hong Kong! Okay, it’s a bit of hyperbole but perhaps only a little bit. Getting off the plane and on your way out of the airport the thing to do is buy an Octopus Card. The card is about $6Cad and you can refill your card in subway stations so you can travel about HK on the fast impeccably clean subway system or use it for buses or ferries taxis – or to buy good at one of the million 7-Eleven chains, or restaurants or whatever else. Why does Hong Kong seem like a mall? Well every major subway station is in some manner connected to some sort of shopping usually massive 2-4 floor shopping mall. George A Romero would have a field day here. There’s really little to complain about. At least in China I was awakened by massive artillery fire outside my window at 5 am which once out of my tired stupor turned out to be fireworks. I noted then that in China they fire the fireworks because someone was getting married, or was it someone had died? Either way.

Hong Kong of course is much more than massive indoor shopping malls. It also has massive outdoor strip malls and markets and numerous entrepreneurs from India wishing to sell you a $30 Rolex or Prada or as one fellow said “anything you’re looking for.” He was all out of Uma Thurman – but I’m sure he’d do his best to find an “exact” copy if I showed more interest. This is a concrete jungle and a consumerist destination. And yet it’s all very well organized and “comfortable.” Everything is in English. I go home and watch for lorries as I cross the street, making sure to mind the gap when exiting the trains and walk home to take the lift to my flat and have a cup of tea. The English/Welsh/Scots/Irish and Chinese are a match made in heaven. No one likes tea more than these folks. And yet it all works. The malls offer air conditioning and when humidity approaches 90% and 34C – the thought of sitting down with a trusty Mocha Frap is quite nice as you watch the seemingly endless numbers of people walking by in some sort of expeditious determined pace to get to who knows where doing who knows what. I wonder why they don’t stop to smell the roses but of course in order to do that you would need to go to some sort of mall.

Gucci sign on the left. Just in case you left the mall for some strange reason - they want to remind you to go back inside and get your Gucci.

As most of you know I have taken a teaching position in Hong Kong for the next 2 years. Fortunately before I left I managed to connect with two colleagues and 2 former students I taught in Wenzhou, China. From left to right: former student X-man, Hans the Math Science teaching guru and my go to guy for all things Hong Kong, The handsome devil none of us can understand isn't married yet, Lawrence - Mr. Math and P.E. - he'd be perfect but he's a Yankee fan - you can start booing now, and former student Joe.

My flight was excellent - Cathay Pacific is leagues ahead of Air Canada - so anyone who thinks of visiting me - if it costs a few extra bucks - do it.

After a 13 hour flight and landing in the sweltering humidity I eventually landed in the Walden Hotel. Small but clean and the staff friendly. I may as well have jumped in a pool by the time I got to my room. Thanks to the Australian girl, the two Russian girls, a local Hong Kong couple and a fellow from Iran for helping me with directions.

For some reason I am not able to upload a bunch of pictures so my posts will be shorter. Tune in soon for another post.

This is my first entry as I prepare and pack for my new teaching adventure in Hong Kong. This time around I know a little more about what I am getting into having traveled to Hong Kong and toured the city. I will try and keep you all up to date on my travels over the next two years.