Wappu a la HK
It has been now one week and a couple of days since I cam back from Malaysia and HK has turned on the summer-mode with humidity, thunderstorms and very warm temperatures! I have a new laptop- an Apple ibook! It works and looks nice; I just need some time to get used to the different system. Erkki bought the same one, so I can comfort myself with the thought of both of us being now equally poor…
Wappu came and went- of course I was thinking of having a nice picnic (in Kaivopuisto), instead we went to a Wappu party on Saturday in the Mariner’s club in Kowloon, organized by the Finnish Business Council (FBC) in Hong Kong. The party started a bit lame –Finns just are not very talkative. Most people were businessmen from HK or from the HK consulate, although there were also some Finns from Guangzhou and a lot of students as well as some (brave) Swedes- altogether around 75 persons. Great food (silli and potatoes- is there anything better in the world??? * smile * ), but most importantly: alcohol. When the Koskenkorva started flowing (one 1.5 liter bottle for every 6 people and open bar from 9 pm-midnight) things relaxed a lot (with the suit ties disappearing first)… and people got drunk –very drunk- and the party was amazing! I think I have never been to a party alike this one–in comparison German parties thrown by the embassy etc. are just plain boring! In the Finnish parties there are no titles, just first names (small circles) and everyone talks to everyone. We had songbooks with Finnish traditional songs, which were eagerly chanted together so as for the drinking to begin (gracefully). 20 min before the open bar ended there was an official announcement in English and Finnish from some Finn (who looked like a farmer dressed in a very expensive suit) to get “as much booze as possible”… I thought that was so hilarious… Joking aside: I met a lot of interesting people, mostly CRAZY people (but maybe it was the alcohol), but smart and innovative. We continued to jatkot with the director of Finnpro first to a club in TST and then to sing karaoke at 5 am in Causeway Bay. The morning started in another club in Wanchai and I was home at 7 am.
The “real” Wappu on Monday was celebrated by first cleaning our apartment and then baking munkkirinkeleita. Although I was a bit suspicious of how the dough would work out (yeast comes only in suspicious looking packages of 50 grams; cardamom was undiscoverable) - I think we made the best munkkis ever! We actually baked them in our downstairs neighbor’s kitchen since we ran out of gas and it was a national holiday (1st of May is (since of “communist” origin really big in China) – she does not speak any English so I tried to explain with hand and feet and she was so nice as to let us use her kitchen (I felt so bad, because even though we cleaned everything, the smell of burning oil remains always for at least a couple of day). Since she didn’t want to take any munkkis (maybe they looked weird to her?) we have to think of some way to thank her (and it has to be “anonymous” because otherwise I fear she will give it back, and we do not want her to loose face!). In the evening we went to Sai Kung for (again) Indian food – and I smoked my first cigarette for a very, very long time!!! (probably the first one since January).
Tuesday my mum and a long-time friend of hers, Paivi, arrived in HK. To be honest, I didn’t think too much about it being very busy with schoolwork apart from the fun and getting back into the HK rhythm. Of course I had a list of things to do and to see prepared and had thought of some program (cause I know my mum is not necessarily so much into shopping I was a it worried of what to do in HK), but as the day approached, I got really nervous. Would it be too hot, too humid? Would they be really tired? Would they be able to eat the food? And the amount of people? Would they like HK? I know that it took me some time to get used to everything- especially the masses of people at some places at some times. And now it all feels normal, everyday, as if I had always been here. I don’t know why, but maybe it is just the feeling of two worlds, which until then have remained very separated, merging together. Of course I try to write and phone and keep everyone updated – as I am interested in what is going on in Finland- but still, it is not quite the same thing as being there. Understanding, how life works here really; I guess, although I write and in detail, it might remain a bit abstract (of course I hope this is not the case….).
Of course a lot of my doubts were completely unnecessary- it was sooo good to see my mum! And as a bonus she brought Finnish bread and cheese and Fazer chocolate and all the newspapers of last week as well as all the articles she had saved for me to read, although I had told her not to bring anything… and I got a bit homesick reading all of it…
… but I haven’t had much time to think about it (although it has been consciously registered). Wednesday we made a quick tour of Hong Kong: we walked through TST and the Avenue of Stars, took the ferry to Central and from there the old tram to Causeway Bay. We went to Victoria Park, the HK central Library and two temples- all of which I had not yet seen! The afternoon was spent in Mongkok, from where I left to go home. Thursday I went to classes and tried to catch up on my work – in the afternoon I took them around campus and our place, where we had a huge party the same night. I bet the neighbors didn’t like it (again a party during the week), but Friday was the Buddha’s birthday and the bun festival – a holiday in any case. We threw people out at 11 pm and after that I stayed on to clean our place: it is in the long term not a very gratifying role to always host the parties especially since people behave like pigs once wasted (which usually is the end result in our parties). Friday was spent in Shenzhen- I cut my leg in the morning when exiting our shower…. An so the day was a bit painful but worth the effort: I bought two jeans and sunglasses (altogether 30 euros).
The program has so far been a bit hectic and I feel I am sometimes impatient, but on the other hand I think you have to try to see as much as possible from here- just to get a glimpse of Asian (Chinese/HK-) culture. For them the food (noodles for breakfast?) as well as certain other conventions (take the change with both hands, walk on the left, eating with chopsticks…) are difficult to get used to –I notice how much I have changed my lifestyle and adapted!- but I think they are doing a great job and get around really well!!! For me it is a great practice for my other friends coming over here SOON!- now I know more of what to deal with * smile*
Today my mum and her friend are on Lantau Island – the weather is for a change great- and I am resting my foot and later going to Stanley (on HK Island) for the dragon boat practice. The Finns in HK have their own boat for the dragon boat race, a traditional and very popular (???) festival in HK, which is held annually in the end of May. I am excited about that one since it seems to be a big thing!!! So, off to packing my things… might stay over in the hotel tonight (it is centrally located in TST…) after showing them Soho and LKF….
Hope you had a fun (and not too cold) Vappu!
Wappu came and went- of course I was thinking of having a nice picnic (in Kaivopuisto), instead we went to a Wappu party on Saturday in the Mariner’s club in Kowloon, organized by the Finnish Business Council (FBC) in Hong Kong. The party started a bit lame –Finns just are not very talkative. Most people were businessmen from HK or from the HK consulate, although there were also some Finns from Guangzhou and a lot of students as well as some (brave) Swedes- altogether around 75 persons. Great food (silli and potatoes- is there anything better in the world??? * smile * ), but most importantly: alcohol. When the Koskenkorva started flowing (one 1.5 liter bottle for every 6 people and open bar from 9 pm-midnight) things relaxed a lot (with the suit ties disappearing first)… and people got drunk –very drunk- and the party was amazing! I think I have never been to a party alike this one–in comparison German parties thrown by the embassy etc. are just plain boring! In the Finnish parties there are no titles, just first names (small circles) and everyone talks to everyone. We had songbooks with Finnish traditional songs, which were eagerly chanted together so as for the drinking to begin (gracefully). 20 min before the open bar ended there was an official announcement in English and Finnish from some Finn (who looked like a farmer dressed in a very expensive suit) to get “as much booze as possible”… I thought that was so hilarious… Joking aside: I met a lot of interesting people, mostly CRAZY people (but maybe it was the alcohol), but smart and innovative. We continued to jatkot with the director of Finnpro first to a club in TST and then to sing karaoke at 5 am in Causeway Bay. The morning started in another club in Wanchai and I was home at 7 am.
The “real” Wappu on Monday was celebrated by first cleaning our apartment and then baking munkkirinkeleita. Although I was a bit suspicious of how the dough would work out (yeast comes only in suspicious looking packages of 50 grams; cardamom was undiscoverable) - I think we made the best munkkis ever! We actually baked them in our downstairs neighbor’s kitchen since we ran out of gas and it was a national holiday (1st of May is (since of “communist” origin really big in China) – she does not speak any English so I tried to explain with hand and feet and she was so nice as to let us use her kitchen (I felt so bad, because even though we cleaned everything, the smell of burning oil remains always for at least a couple of day). Since she didn’t want to take any munkkis (maybe they looked weird to her?) we have to think of some way to thank her (and it has to be “anonymous” because otherwise I fear she will give it back, and we do not want her to loose face!). In the evening we went to Sai Kung for (again) Indian food – and I smoked my first cigarette for a very, very long time!!! (probably the first one since January).
Tuesday my mum and a long-time friend of hers, Paivi, arrived in HK. To be honest, I didn’t think too much about it being very busy with schoolwork apart from the fun and getting back into the HK rhythm. Of course I had a list of things to do and to see prepared and had thought of some program (cause I know my mum is not necessarily so much into shopping I was a it worried of what to do in HK), but as the day approached, I got really nervous. Would it be too hot, too humid? Would they be really tired? Would they be able to eat the food? And the amount of people? Would they like HK? I know that it took me some time to get used to everything- especially the masses of people at some places at some times. And now it all feels normal, everyday, as if I had always been here. I don’t know why, but maybe it is just the feeling of two worlds, which until then have remained very separated, merging together. Of course I try to write and phone and keep everyone updated – as I am interested in what is going on in Finland- but still, it is not quite the same thing as being there. Understanding, how life works here really; I guess, although I write and in detail, it might remain a bit abstract (of course I hope this is not the case….).
Of course a lot of my doubts were completely unnecessary- it was sooo good to see my mum! And as a bonus she brought Finnish bread and cheese and Fazer chocolate and all the newspapers of last week as well as all the articles she had saved for me to read, although I had told her not to bring anything… and I got a bit homesick reading all of it…
… but I haven’t had much time to think about it (although it has been consciously registered). Wednesday we made a quick tour of Hong Kong: we walked through TST and the Avenue of Stars, took the ferry to Central and from there the old tram to Causeway Bay. We went to Victoria Park, the HK central Library and two temples- all of which I had not yet seen! The afternoon was spent in Mongkok, from where I left to go home. Thursday I went to classes and tried to catch up on my work – in the afternoon I took them around campus and our place, where we had a huge party the same night. I bet the neighbors didn’t like it (again a party during the week), but Friday was the Buddha’s birthday and the bun festival – a holiday in any case. We threw people out at 11 pm and after that I stayed on to clean our place: it is in the long term not a very gratifying role to always host the parties especially since people behave like pigs once wasted (which usually is the end result in our parties). Friday was spent in Shenzhen- I cut my leg in the morning when exiting our shower…. An so the day was a bit painful but worth the effort: I bought two jeans and sunglasses (altogether 30 euros).
The program has so far been a bit hectic and I feel I am sometimes impatient, but on the other hand I think you have to try to see as much as possible from here- just to get a glimpse of Asian (Chinese/HK-) culture. For them the food (noodles for breakfast?) as well as certain other conventions (take the change with both hands, walk on the left, eating with chopsticks…) are difficult to get used to –I notice how much I have changed my lifestyle and adapted!- but I think they are doing a great job and get around really well!!! For me it is a great practice for my other friends coming over here SOON!- now I know more of what to deal with * smile*
Today my mum and her friend are on Lantau Island – the weather is for a change great- and I am resting my foot and later going to Stanley (on HK Island) for the dragon boat practice. The Finns in HK have their own boat for the dragon boat race, a traditional and very popular (???) festival in HK, which is held annually in the end of May. I am excited about that one since it seems to be a big thing!!! So, off to packing my things… might stay over in the hotel tonight (it is centrally located in TST…) after showing them Soho and LKF….
Hope you had a fun (and not too cold) Vappu!
posted by Crazy Night Rider at 6:10 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home