Last week my blog had a Japanese influence, in honour of our lovely Japanese guests. This week we managed a quick change of the linen, mopped the floors and welcomed two lovely lasses from Hong Kong and China. In fact had you come round earlier I would have handed you a duster...
We are lucky we know both countries well, on account of living in Hong Kong for a few years, so there is much to talk about. The girls are with us for the three weeks of school holidays whilst they study for their Year 12 final exams.
We've turned the living room into a study hall, I've added a jug of lime juice and some jellybeans...
'You don't do that for us' the cry went up
'You don't study' I replied - touché.
So here we are, for the first time in a zillion years in a school holiday and I've no plans to go anywhere much... So I'm glad you've popped by, I'll put the kettle on. I'll get my special blue bird mug out.
Reminiscing about our old life in Hong Kong and China (oh sorry, were you expecting to read a blog about my best porcelain?) brings back many memories. A life where we...
- Never left the house without hand sanitiser and a handkerchief to mop our sweaty brows.
- Look forward to celebrating new holidays - such as Chinese New Year or Ching Ming tomb sweeping day, and even grow to like the taste of mooncakes!
- Find all our clothes are either tailor-made or at the opposite extreme from the bargain shops of Wan Chi.
- Never bat an eyelid as an 85 year old woman, pushes a hand cart with tons of rubbish through the streets of Central.
- Forget that entertainment can mean anything other than shopping, eating and learning to play golf.
- We get excited when Jackie Chan, the Movie Star comes to the kids school to celebrate the 10th anniversary, we smile when he is introduced to the other ten Jackie Chan pupils who also attend the school.
- We feel like a super tall super models, brought back to reality when the shop owner asks 'You want extra large?'
- We get offended when people admire our chopstick skills, and proud to have mastered the skill of slurping our noodles.
- We know to take a coat and scarf in summer to fight off hypothermia in the buses, ferries, supermarkets and cinemas.
- We are not surprised to find footprints on the edge of the toilet bowl.
- We never had the need for the ultimate status symbol - a lawn mower.
- We adopt the Hong Kong slow shuffle, walking slowly with the crowd and become adept at squeezing into the smallest of spaces in lifts and on the MTR public transport.
- We learn some local words but know when all else fails adding Ayyyiieeaahh every other word will get the sentiment of surprise, pleasure, pain or anger across.
- We experience the highs and lows of surprise, pleasure, pain and anger every day in discussion with our Helper concerning what she will cook for tea. Ditto when dinner is served.
Ah yes our Hong Kong life was a million miles away from our Aussie life. Here in Australia we are now into Spring. The blue flowers in the garden have burst forth this week and then being Melbourne we had our coldest September night for ten years!
Ayyyiieeaahh - Oh my goodness is that the time?
The crazy poodle is sitting patiently at the back door waiting for his walk - must dash!
This blog has been posted as part of Blue Monday - if you would like to pop over to see Sally and the other Blue Monday blogs I know they'd be pleased to see you.
All typos for the pleasure of those who enjoy finding!
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