Shabu-shabu, the fattening kind

My visit to Hong Kong this year is more pleasant. The last time I was here my mom and I used to fight and argue about almost anything and I showed my rebel side by smoking in front of her. But that was a good couple of years ago and while the buildings here remain the same, I have changed. I quit smoking and after coming out to my mom she has understood me better. So now we're just enjoying our time together, like pigging out on buffet hot pot or shabu-shabu and snapping greeting card worthy poses at the Christmas displays in Central. I love my mom and tis the season to be merry. I Can't wait to be back...and do some serious shopping.

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Just Like Family

It's very rare that you find friends who make you feel at home. And with a bunch composed of virtual orphans and stowaways, it's not hard to instantly form a bond that's almost as strong as family. It's touching enough to know they'll miss you when you leave...wait til they cry. sniff.

Gonna miss you guys. Just hang in there, I'll see you again soon.

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Red Team

It's not often you get to see 15 year olds in a 4th grade class, so when I entered P4 at UMAH International Primary School as a substitute teacher I didn't know whether to be shocked or be pleased with the potential hahaha!

The kids' teacher resigned so I had to take over. I asked them what they were doing before I came in and they said they were busy preparing for the coming sportsfest. Then I asked them which team I belonged to and they shouted "Pink!" hehehe kidding! Red team! Cool, I'm pitted against Diane and Espie. Anyway, the children proved to be a tough bunch so I took out the camera and started taking team photos just to calm them a little bit.

Seriously though, it's my first time to handle a class and even though there are only 18 of them it was hard. It's hard because most of these kids know little English. Even harder because P4 is notoriously the nastiest batch in the whole school (Teacher Zoe, the Cantonese teacher, broke her glass in anger while teaching the kids Chinese lessons that day!) Well, I survived my first day anyway with a little strain in my throat.

I taught them comparatives '-er'. And here's the best example and my tactic for the rest of my stint here: 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'

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Green Team

Dianne and Espie. My mum's pals. They're teachers at UMAH primary school and they're proud to announce that they're members of the school's green team (for the sportsfest), that they once met and were amused by Ariel and Maverick este Anthony and Derf, and that they have Brit national husbands.

Amazingly patient folk, these two waited for 30mins in the resto. The Chinese waitress brought in a different dish and they had to wait 48 years more. No thanks to the language barrier...else the waitress would've gotten the 'award' of her life. Ü

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Burger now, bar later

Antonio's restobar may not be Yeric's but I have faith that we'll soon have our own merry place. With Antonio's burger biz in its peak even Spongebob will give up flipping burgers and dine in Yeric's fancy resto...soon.

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In good hands?

I know it's not clear but the TV in the background was playing Doraemon my favorite cartoon ü

We were eating in this Chinese restaurant (of course here in HK they drop the Chinese part and just call it a restaurant) when I noticed my familiar blue friend popping gadgets out of its pocket. Suddenly I'm all smiles! Never mind the dirty utensils and sloppy service, never mind the long wait and the overpriced food, and never mind the smokers because Doraemon will find ways to make life easy. If only they didn't put it on mute, I've always been curious of Doraemon's real voice.

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Fly then boy

The flight to Hong Kong was the start of the journey into the unknown. Unlike my previous trips this one was the one I was least excited about.

In a little over a week I'll be in a strange land with sand and oil and no one to run to in case temporary insanity kicks in.

On the plane, the only thing that kept me in the comfort zone was Tori Amos' Sleeps With Butterflies on loop..'You say the word you know I will find you, or if you need some time I don't mind. I won't hold on to the tail of your kite. I'm not like the girls that you've known but I believe I'm worth coming home to. Kiss away night this girl only sleeps with butterflies. So go on and fly then, boy.' Well, it's really a song FOR me not BY me.

Oh, if the blog entries seem short, it's because I'm doing this on my phone. Multitap can be so discouraging ü

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Fare thee well...

...trading all our words for tea and sympathy...

Or coffee. So this was how we looked like on my last night out in Davao City (the last few nights before my departure we hung out in more 'grown-up' places, more talk less bump and grind). It was a confirmation of sorts--friends are family, family will be less friendly, and destiny does not know the meaning of 'perfect timing'.

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Cofi guys

Yeric and ezer hangin out at D'Barista,a new coffee shop in Davao City.

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