Last Thursday (Jul 30) I offically ended my first year of teaching in Hong Kong, with the last class an intensive class on Monday and Thursday nights 7-10pm, altogether nine sessions. Intensive classes are killers for teacher and students. I do not know how students can endure it, especially attending classes two nights a week after their long day at work. I truly appreciate lay students. Two of them who work with drug addicts really impressed me. After 18 months of rehab themselves, they remained at the center as workers, what a story, One led the other to Christ, and they are now coworkers at the drug center.
Yesterday (Jul 31) was our major anniversary. I bought Chinese cakes from Yuen Long's 大同 for colleagues and invited relatives to join us for dinner at Tsing Yi. We are so blessed together. When Sister-in-law said grace and thanked God for the sweet, sour, bitterness, spice (甜酸苦辣) of life, we were amazed we could only recall sweet but not the last three taste.
Today (1st) I went to the yearly Hong Kong Revival Meetings in Kowloon City. The speakers, both from TEDS, were good in exegesis. I tried to call graduates to go with me but they said they have to work on Saturdays in Hong Kong, which is news to me after nearly a year here! Also, I noticed not many youngsters were in attendance. Christians are graying in Hong Kong as they are elsewhere in the world. Gone are the days when youth, college and young adults flock to these meetings, especially overseas.
Yesterday (3rd) my landlord informed me that my request to be released of my lease a month earlier, end of August instead of September, is granted as she has found a new tenant. We are excited because just a day ago Wife said she was praying hard for an earlier release. This Saturday we will check out a rental housing area that is less crowded and has better air. I have a friend who lived in the area and he has lined us up with a neighbor who has an unit for rent and another with a unit few blocks away.
I must be away for a long time, so much so that I am longing to see a former student from the States who will be visiting me next week. I have adjusted quite well to Hong Kong aisde from the weather, which makes me want to get outside my skin at times. Even so, I think my last sermon (Elijah) before my first anniversary here must be my strongest yet. It is not that easy to speak outside one's congregation although I have been preaching for the last 20 years. North Point's seats are in four columns, so focusing is terrible. My eyes are always focused on the audience to my right because I find it hard to turn my head left as well with my eyes are on the notes as well.
Hunting for rental housing on a hot day is no fun regardless of the place and its potential. Today (8th) is 35 C , which is 95 F, enough to drive a person crazy and any resident indoor. The good news is I went to the swimming pool four times this week - the first time in a year here - and even swim two laps with ease, but the bad news is I feel just as hot. There is way to cool down even if you are an ice pack when the sun came up after my swim in the morning. I hope tomorrow is better because the English worship at North Point is at noon and fellowship ends near at 4:30 pm.
Unfortunately the apartment we visited and liked yesterday was rented by today. The owner did not think we were interested and rented it at a higher price to somebody else. That means we have to find something fast because we have to move out of our current apartment as it has been rented out already. Now it is a race against time and yet we are so busy this coming week with a friend coming by and a birthday to celebrate. I couldn't call earlier to confirm our interest since I have church till 4:30 p.m.
The next apartment we's going to see is on Friday after work. This time we should do better since the owner does not come to open the apartment enough for viewing because he is so busy himself and does not live in the area, so less competitors are expected. If it does not work out, panic and sweat will set in. We may even consider staying in a serviced apartment, but I hate the idea of someone coming in to my apartment to do free cleaning, no privacy. Postscript: I received news today (13th) that a one room apartment with seaview is available, so we'll see it as well on Friday.
I have a lot of firsts yesterday and today (13th). Yesterday I boxed six boxes, getting ready to move out of our apartment. The earlier I get started the better, even though apartment viewing is moved to Saturday now. We brought to Hong Kong 22 boxes, I think. I wonder if we have gained more stuff since. For the first time, I have been to the pool for four consecutive days, which is an accomplishment to me.
My birthday celebration on the month's third weekend turned out better than I expected. First our rental application was accepted and we hope to move next week after we sign the formal contract coming Saturday (22nd). We have a good bargain and pay HK$1,000 less than what we pay currently. Today we made history by testing the first day of West Rail's extension all the way to Tsim Sha Tsui. It was a pretty good ride from Mei Foo but unfortunately this will also be our last week in this area. We had dinner in Woolloomooloo (Australian steak house) near the East Tsim Sha Tsui station and enjoyed dessert at the Starbucks by P2 exit. The dinner was okay, not great.
An old friend in Hong Kong always makes me feel special on my birthday. Before, he would always e-mail me when I was in US. Now that I am here, he invited me and Wife to Saturday breakfast. At least it forces us to see each other once a year, so thank God for friends and birthdays. I miss and like old friends.
I took three afternoons off to accompany a misisonary friend who was in town. After lunch at Jade and a trip to the Immigration Tower to obtain my visa extension, we went to the Peak; the bus ride there was oustanding and breathtaking. Taking the tram down was empty after the bus ride. At least I located the route from Hong Kong Garden. After that we went to Mongkok's Woman Street and Langham Place. The next day a student at my previous semianry called and the three of us had dim sum at Lai Chi Kok's 於滿人家, one of the best dim sum places few people heard of. After that we talked with Rev Ho before he caught a place back to China, a day earlier because he cannot change his ticket.
Since I have taken the next day off I may as well use it to get treatent for my foot. My right foot has been giving me problems, so lately I am seeing a foot masseuse in Shum Shui Po highly-reccomended by a pastor, but it's hard to schedule appointment, with my office in Yuen Long and my pending move to Park Island. I did try a different way to exercise in the pool today (19th) to work on different leg muscles, but it is so speculative I do not think it will work. Maybe all the walking in Hong Kong is taking a toll on me, though it does not stop me walking more for less, like needlessly visiting the new Pacific Coffee on the other side of Mei Foo today out of curioisty. It is huge. Too bad it is my last week here. Even if it is not, it is too far to walk. Anyway I am a Starbucks person.
I had the nicest day yesterday (19th) taking the half day off. Dropping off at the Nam Cheong station instead of Shum Shui Po, I walked ten minutes to my destination. The time was 2:15 pm by the time it was over. I ate some noodles, went home and rested, then did my half-hour pool exercise at 5 pm before it closed at 6p to reopen at 7 pm. This is the first time in Hong Kong I could exercise before the 6 pm break. Life sure is hectic here. If your health is none the better, you will sure to suffer because you don't have the time or the break to get treatment. Taking more half days off is nice but not an option because I need to save my holidays for mission trips.
We finally got our apartment but not before some misses. An owner showed us a two-bedroom but thought we were not interested, so he rented it the next day (10th), an hour before we called to confirm our interest. The reason we did not call earlier was because Sunday was church day and our activties did not end till 5 pm. Next, we were supposeed to see a one-bedroom apartment on the 15th, but the owner could not make it and had to postpone it to Saturday (16th). On that day the realtor scheduled another one-bedroom to show us but also told us the Friday turned Saturday appointment was also rented out, this time to owner's relative, so we were down to one apartment left to see, which turned out to be everything we were looking for. It is a 488 sq. feet, one-bedroom apartment in Park Island overlooking Noah's Ark and the Tsing Ma bridge. Wife says, "We can see the people entering the ark, reminding us that Jesus’ salvation is complete and our task is to bring people to the Lord." The best thing with the apartment is there are lots of closets and storage, and the rent is HK$1,000 less than Ching Lai Court. In retrospect, God knows and provides what we need.
