Week 10: Personal Blog (31/3/12)

“Birthdays only come once a year- so when they do, make the most of them”- Celine Dion.

Thursday marked Heather’s 21^st birthday, so armed with Celine Dion’s advice we decided to make this one, one to remember! We spent the first part of the week completing some assignments, and just enjoying the sunshine, as the weather this week has been incredible. I’ve been glad to get the chance to don the shorts and the sunglasses for the first time in ten weeks!

The summer clothes have been unpacked- I am loving the weather!

 

Our buddy Monique told us within days of our arrival, back in January, that Ocean Park offered free admission to people on their birthdays, so our plan to visit on the 29^th March was concreted from a very early stage. Ocean Park is a cocktail of a zoo, a marine mammal park, an oceanarium and an amusement park, all rolled up in one, and it boasts a world ranking of the seventh most popular amusement park across the globe. The park itself is actually split into two parts, on either side of a mountain which stands in the very centre of the park- access to the other part of the park is obtained via a cable car ride, which offers panoramic, postcard views of the south of Hong Kong Island. I never appreciated views and the beauty of nature before coming here, and I took the splendour of Northern Ireland’s scenery for granted. Developing a more eco-friendly attitude was also something which I gained from our visit to the park, as the importance of keeping beaches litter free and treating animals with respect were key messages which were emphasised at nearly every turn. This would be something which I would hope to develop within the children in my future class.



Heather and I having a blast at Ocean Park.



The views are spectacular!

The cable car system which attaches one part of the park to the other.

A sea lion with his trainer during a show at Ocean Park.

After our fun-filled day at the theme park, we travelled the reasonably short distance to Soho, a district in Central which is notorious for its abundance of Western food and restaurants, for dinner. The amount of western people was surprising to me, and it was clear that I’ve become so accustomed to being surrounded by Chinese people. It really struck me, that in comparison to the local people, I feel more insecure around the western tourists. Although I don’t see myself as an insecure person, I am not as confident as I can come across to others, but this realisation really made me realise the importance of appreciating myself, of  being more confident in my own skin and also emphasised not to place such an importance on what other people think about me.

We also spent some time this week preparing a group presentation with two of the Korean exchange students, for our ethnic identities class. It was great to talk with them more about the problems that they face in their country and also to share some details about ours with them. The topic of our presentation was about conflict in multicultural societies. I actually found it surprising how much I learned about Northern Ireland’s past during my research. This was a great opportunity for me to build on my own identity and to increase my awareness of the culture which I come from, and to reflect on how my ethnic background has shaped me into the person who I am today.

Heather and I with our Korean friends Kim and Semi.

This week actually marks our half way point. When we arrive home on June 11^th, we will have been away for 20 weeks in total. This means that we only have five more weeks left in Hong Kong, before we embark on our travels. These five weeks are going to be action packed, and we are certainly going to make the most of the time we have left here, in which plans to do the highest bungee jump in the world with the other Stranmillis students have already materialised. We are also looking forward to spending some of our last weeks here at the primary school located on campus: Jockey Club Primary School. The time we spend here will no doubt be extremely rewarding and we look forward to getting first hand experience in teaching over here.



I got the chance to ride a sea lion at Ocean Park- even though it was a plastic one!



過後談話!(Talk later!)

Andrew Scott

Week Nine: Cultural Blog (24/3/12)

“Broaden your horizons- they’re the only ones you’ll ever have”- Jennifer Crusie.

This week, armed with a double entry visa, Heather and I travelled to Guangzhou to visit the Stranmillis students who are studying there. After a reasonably stress free passage through immigration, for me anyway, we boarded our train. I was expecting China to be a completely different world in comparison to Hong Kong. I imagined, rather naively, that it would be surrounded by people working in rice fields, and that it would be the opposite of the busy, cosmopolitan city that is Hong Kong. So naturally, it was a complete surprise for me when the train stopped in the midst of towering skyscrapers and city lights, and consequently when “this stop is Guangzhou East” sounded across our train. This was China.

All six of us managed to squeeze onto the back of this  motor-taxi.

My first impressions of the city where we would be spending the next five days, was the stark contrast in hygiene with Hong Kong. I had never really appreciated how clean and litter free the streets of Hong Kong where until I had something to compare it to. Also, it was clear that tourists aren’t as common in Guangzhou as they are in Hong Kong. This was evident from the number of stares which we received, and even from the odd person taking photos or videos of us on their cameras. This was very strange and difficult for me to get my head around, but the Chinese society is very a singular one on an ethnic basis in comparison with other countries, and honestly, I do have to say, that I loved being in the spotlight! I loved how the culture in China hasn’t been diluted like it has in Hong Kong, and it was great to compare in my head how the two places differ and indeed how they are similar.

On Sunday we celebrated Dan and Keith’s 21st birthday. We attended an international church in the morning. The pastor announced at the beginning of the service that, due to the church’s license, Chinese nationals were not allowed to attend. It really struck me just how much I take my faith for granted at home, and how hard it must be for people here to be suppressed to practice their religion over here. After church, the guys’ Chinese friends joined us for a well-deserved massage, and we headed out for dinner with everyone. I was really amazed, and touched, at the kindness of the Chinese people at the meal, as not only did they offer Dan and Keith typical Chinese gifts, but also Heather and I! 

Heather and I with our new Chinese friend, Kane.

All of the group celebrating Dan and Keith's 21st birthday.

We joined Jim Nelson, a former Stranmillis student for dinner on a cruise of the Pearl River on Monday evening. It was great to chat with him about his experiences in actually living here, and in being submersed in the culture every day. After the cruise, Jim took us on a walk around the city, through the back streets of Guangzhou. Robert Frost’s famous line “I took the road less travelled by, and that has made all the difference” could not be closer to the truth. Taking the chance to get away from the more concentrated areas where tourists are, and where sometimes it feels like locals put on a show for them, it is great to see what life is really like for the people that live here.

The view of Guangzhou from the Pearl River- very similar to Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.

Stranmillis past and present: we met up with Jim for a boat cruise.

On Tuesday we joined Dan, Dani, Sophie and Keith in a Mandarin class at their university. The class was very interactive, and as the only students in the class, the learning was more tailored to our individual needs, and more time was able to spent on areas which we were struggling most with. Language is a defining part of any culture, and it was great to engage in conversations with each other and to put what we are learning into practice. Unfortunately, the Cantonese class back at HKIEd was cancelled before we arrived, so our Cantonese is very minimal, and rather frustratingly, Heather and I can now speak more Mandarin than Cantonese! The language barrier is far more evident in Guangzhou than here, and Heather and I can get by easily by just speaking English. It still feels however, like we’re missing out on such an important part of the Hong Kong culture by not learning the language.

Having a go at Chinese calligraphy.

Chinese calligraphy books: no ink required.

It was amazing to spend time with the Dan, Dani, Keith and Sophie. The simple fact that we are all studying in Asia, has really brought us together as friends, and we spent our time making memories which we will look back and laugh at when we return home. We plan to see the guys again next month, when they will come and visit us in Hong Kong, which Heather and I are both really looking forward to. The warm, sunny weather has officially arrived, and Heather and I took this opportunity to write our blogs outside today. We managed to find a nice, secluded spot by the outdoor swimming pool, where we can play the ‘Titanic’ soundtrack on as high a volume as we like!

All of us having a blast at Guangzhou's theme park.

Drenched! We decided to opt out of wearing rain coats for a water ride at the theme park!

Ci meng! (Loving life!)

Andrew Scott

Week Eight: Cultural Blog (16/3/12)

“Diversity is the one thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day”- Winston Churchill.

I wasn’t as ‘cultured’ as I perhaps should have been upon my arrival in Hong Kong. The ‘culture shock’ which bombarded me when I got here was substantial, and I could not believe how different the way of life was over here. Adjusting to the difference, certainly took time, albeit a reasonably short amount of it on the grand scheme of things. On the global scale, I realise Northern Ireland seems to be a much more ‘sheltered’ country in relation to here, and my experience so far has really taught me the value and importance of diversity. People accept differences in Hong Kong, and members of lots of different ethnicities live harmoniously with one another. I definitely feel that as a future teacher that this mentality can benefit me in my profession, as I will instill the significance of diversity amongst the children in my classroom, developing them into better global citizens.

The culture itself in Hong Kong can be described as a ‘cultural hybrid’ between east and west, in that it’s predominantly Chinese culture has been influenced by its history as a British colony (Louie, 2009). We are travelling to China this weekend, to visit the other Stranmillis students who are studying in Guangzhou. It will be great to catch up with them and to find out about how they are adjusting to life over here, as well as to compare the culture of Guangzhou with Hong Kong. Differences aside, it is nice to know that we are never too far away from some home comforts, such as the three-prong plug and the accessibility of Cadbury chocolate (even though we are off it for Lent)!

Rather surprisingly, a stark contrast between the rich and the poor exists in Hong Kong. I shared the common misconception that it would be a place completely covered in wealth, with its abundance of designer shops and high-rise office buildings. The truth is, although these signs of wealth do exist, one cannot escape reminders that the poor exist here, whether it is from a homeless amputee trailing himself through Mong Kok on a homemade skateboard, or a woman begging for money outside McDonalds. Interestingly, Gagape (2009) highlights Hong Kong as having the largest rich-poor gap in the world. I personally have been blessed with having enough money to come half way across the world to participate in this exchange programme, and seeing people on the streets actually makes me thankful and grateful for what I have, as I understand that not everyone is in the fortunate position that I am currently in.

A sports car indicating the wealth that exists here in Hong Kong.

The homeless population is surprisingly large- even this cat is homeless.

On Sunday, we explored a little (by mistake), by taking a wrong turn on our way to church and found ourselves in the middle of a typical food market. The smell was perhaps the hardest thing to get used to, and I was particularly disturbed at the sight of a chicken being killed and skinned right in front of my eyes at a meat stall. I was amazed at how close this place was from the hustle and bustle of the touristy city centre, but it really showed me just how much of a multicultural city Hong Kong is, as these two different cultures are able to co-exist within such proximity to each other.

A picture of a meat stall at the market- obviously very different standards from back home.

Literally all of the meat is used here! (This is a tongue.)

Another picture of a meat stall.

We got the opportunity to spend time with friends this week, as we went out with them for a traditional Chinese barbeque. The restaurant was outdoors and provided an open fire pit for every table, over which we cooked our own meat on metal prong sticks. We sat around the fire as we cooked dinner, and spent time talking about our individual experiences so far. It just struck me while sitting there, just how great friends are, and I am so glad to be sharing this experience with each and every one of them!

Enjoying our barbeque!

Ngo ngoi pung yo! (I love friends!)

Andrew Scott

REFERENCES

Gagape, E.W. (2009). Hong Kong tops world rich-poor gap, available at http://asiancorrespondent.com/17593/hong-kong-tops-world-rich-poor-gap/ (accessed on 15/03/2012).

Louie, K. (2010). Hong Kong Culture, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.

Week Seven: Personal Blog (10/3/12)

“Time flies- it’s up to you to be the navigator”- Robert Orben.

It seriously seems like two days ago when I uploaded my week six blog. Time is flying by, and the days are escaping us so quickly. More than anything, this has really taught us to continue to embrace every opportunity that comes along, so that we don’t regret not doing enough or missing out on chances which we will most likely never have again.

When we first arrived in Hong Kong, Heather and I sat down and made a list of everything that we wanted to do before we returned home. We compiled our twenty five “things we must see before we leave” list rather easily, and it was great this week to look back to this list, to check off the spots that we have been to, to delete the spots which we no longer want to see, to add some spots that we now want to see, and to see what places we mentioned on the list seven weeks ago, and still haven’t visited. It would be very easy for us to get caught up with assignments and group work that both seem to be piling up at the moment, but Heather and I have promised ourselves to really plan the time we have left so that we leave here knowing that we made the most of every second of our time here.

The church that we have been attending since our arrival is in Wan Chai, a popular and central area on Hong Kong Island, and it has two services every Sunday. We decided that we wanted to check out the church that the Stranmillis students who studied here last year recommended us to visit, an international church called ‘Ambassador’. We got chatting to a man after the service who was originally from Ballymena, and he introduced us to former Stranmillis student, Jim Nelson. It really struck Heather and I how small the world actually was, and it was lovely to hear a familiar accent again! Jim studied in Guangzhou during his third year at Stran. Our conversation really opened my eyes to the increased opportunities that studying abroad can give and it made me realise that moving out here to teach after graduation is a very real option, particularly with the current job market for primary teachers in Northern Ireland.

A demonstration in Central: Heather and I feared for our lives!

Some of the people from church invited us out to lunch, and it was great to talk to different people and to find out what brought them to Hong Kong. After lunch Heather and I decided that in light of the beautiful, clear day, a trip up Victoria Peak (the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island) would be very worthwhile. The peak is a very popular tourist attraction which provides panoramic views of Victoria Harbour to the thousands of tourists which flock there every day. We decided to take the most direct route to the summit via the Peak Tram, which was a very exciting experience- a tram and an uphill ascent of 373m just don’t mix very well in my head! Upon arrival at the top, we made our way directly to the viewing platform buzzing with excitement to absorb the beautiful views of Hong Kong. Unfortunately, we soon realised that a thick fog had descended over the Peak, which made it very difficult to see the picturesque views that we expected! We will however, be paying another visit to the Peak before we leave as it is arguably one of Hong Kong’s most notorious tourist attractions, and we do not intend on missing it. We do hope that next time we might be able to see a little more than 25m in front of ourselves!

The starting point for the Peak Tram.

The Peak Tram halfway up its ascent.

I am enjoying the "panoramic" view of Hong Kong Island.

The Peak Tram at the summit of Victoria Peak.

The Hong Kong Institute of Education offers a wide range of sporting facilities for the students free of charge, which Heather and I have both availed of since arriving here. We finalised our travel plans recently, so are very driven to achieve those perfect “bikini bodies” for the Philippines, Thailand, Beijing and Dubai, by spending some time at the university’s gym. This experience is such a great opportunity to see places that we have never seen before, and that we may never have the chance to see again. We are also both really looking forward to visiting the Stranmillis students who are studying in Guangzhou next weekend.

It is so weird to think that we have been here for nearly two months, but continuing to maximise every opportunity will ensure that the fun that we are having here keeps going. I am always so thankful to have been given this opportunity of a lifetime, and to be honest, I never want it to stop!

Heather and I at Madame Tussauds, Hong Kong. 

Baai baai! (bye bye!)

Andrew Scott

Week Six: Cultural Blog (3/3/12)

“Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit”- Jawahalal Nehru.

I have been fortunate enough over the past years to travel to different countries and to familiarise myself with different cultures first hand. Looking back however, none of these experiences can compare to the learning opportunity that Hong Kong has presented me with already. It never ceases to amaze me just how much I’ve learned in the seemingly six short weeks that we’ve been here. I left Northern Ireland, with lots of expectations and stereotypes packed into my suitcase of what the Hong Kong people would be like, and these have all been broken down as I’ve spent my time learning from the locals and seeing past my own preconceptions. This has made me realise, that stereotypes can be quite damaging, and has made me think of how I could tackle stereotypes in my future classroom.

This week, Heather and I decided that we wanted to learn more about the religious element of the culture here. We travelled to one of Hong Kong’s most popular temples, the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, which aside from being a bit of a mouthful is a place where all three main religions in China are practiced- Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. We were amazed by the sheer number of people who were at the temple, most of whom were making offerings of burning incense and fruit at the altars, and as time passed, we became increasingly more paranoid that we were the only two tourists there! We spoke with a local Chinese man who was able to share some information about the beliefs of the people who were there. He told us that most of the temple’s visitors come to the temple in search of a spiritual answer via a practice called kau cim. This involves the shaking of a bamboo cylinder filled with fortune sticks until a stick falls out. This stick is believed to give an insight into the worshipper’s future, which is read by one of the fortune tellers which work inside the grounds of the temple. Sure enough, the area around the main altar was filled with the sound of shaking containers, and the odd crash of sticks, as some people got too excited and spilt them everywhere! The intricacy of the detail on the typical Chinese buildings was breath taking, so much so that I found myself just repeating the word “amazing” over and over again to Heather. The temple area was filled with lots of different examples of typical Chinese architecture and it was so easy to see why the Chinese people in general are so proud of their culture (Davis, 2005). This really made me think about how people from Northern Ireland view our own culture, and to reflect on how important they see our culture as being. 

People practicing 'kau cim' outside the main altar.

Overhead lanterns at the main altar.

People offered burning incense in front of this beautiful building.

The detail on the buildings was spectacular.

One of the altars at the entrance to the temple.

I had initially expected Hong Kong to be a very religious place, and my experience at the temple this week would indicate that this was true. However, the majority of Hong Kong residents actually claim to have no religious affiliation at all, with only 43% of the population practicing religion in some shape or form. Coming from the most religious part of the United Kingdom where only 16% of the population class themselves as having no religion, this was a very hard concept to truly grasp (Tearfund, 2007). Despite this statistic, the people here are nevertheless very respectful towards religion, and can be very superstitious with regards to certain things at times. It will be useful to see how this lack of religion impacts the curriculum over here, when I get the opportunity to begin my placement.

When I found out I would be studying in Hong Kong this semester, I was genuinely excited. I have always regarded this part of the world to be somewhere steeped in heritage and culture. Obviously being in the diverse and cosmopolitan city that is Hong Kong, the Chinese culture is not the only culture that I have been able to experience, as I have been exposed to other British people, Europeans, Americans, and amongst others, people from other parts of Asia. The International Office organised a dessert party this week, where we got the opportunity to share some information about our culture, and learn more about the fifteen other cultures which are represented at HKIEd. Through conversations with other students about my own culture, and indeed through learning about others, I have developed a genuine appreciation for the Northern Irish culture. It is not uncommon for people to ask about the more dark times in the Northern Irish history, but these moments have shaped the culture as we know it today. I am proud to be from Northern Ireland, and I welcome the chance to share my own experiences with others. Studying here has been a great opportunity to reevaluate my own view on different cultures across the world, and to really broaden my horizons for the future.

Heather and I enjoying our day at the temple.

The entrance to the temple: a traditional Chinese arch.

Ci di gin! (See you later!)

Heather and I at the International Dessert Night.

Andrew Scott

REFERENCES

Tearfund (2007). Churchgoing in the UK, Middlesex, Tearfund.

Davis, E.L. (2005). Encyclopaedia of contemporary Chinese culture, Oxon, Routledge.