- Day 1 -

Pre-Flight

Waking up at 6am was easier than I expected. Perhaps thanks to the regimental school routine through the semester. Or perhaps it's because I'm excited about this upcoming trip to Hong Kong, Guangzohu, Singapore, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. It's going to be a 3 week Summer Programme, but the most exciting part of the course is we would be joining up with about a dozen of Canadian students from the University of British Columbia (UBC)! I'll get to meet new people from the other side of the world again.

The last time I had time together with students from the United States was a year ago, when Harvard students came to visit on their Harvard College in Asia Project (HCAP). One of the things I've realised, which was actually very simple and obvious, is how we all are similar in so many ways - the problems we face, the things we think about, the insecurities, the grumbling about school work... While I thought it might be difficult to understand and communicate with them, it wasn't. In fact, although our cultures are very different, we are really more similar than different.

Excited. How would the UBC students be? How would the course turn out? Would it be as interesting as the previous trip to Beijing? Waiting in anticipation...

Roaming Around Hong Kong

Being the first time around in Hong Kong for most of us, we were quick to go around to wander the streets of Hong Kong and to see that's different. Here, we formed out first group of 4, the group which stayed together throughout the trip.





The gang of 4: HuiPing, LiMin, Lina and me!


Guess who?


Lina acting all tourist-y...


Streets of Hong Kong

Alleys of Hong Kong


The harbourfront


View from the top


Art?

First Meeting

Our first meeting was kinda funny - we first met some of the students at the hotel doorway. Some of us were coming back after a brief roam around the streets of Hong Kong, and we met Jennifer at the doorway who somehow correctly guessed we were the Singaporean students. As she cheerily introduced herself as our student assistant for the trip, the other students in the hotel room right beside, probably felt compelled to come out to say hi too. So there we were, standing at the doorway shaking hands with the line of Canadian students lining up to come out of the hotel room. Though I couldn't recognise faces then since it was so rushed.. Haha...

Dinner was at a posh British restaurant, where we were served medium-rare steaks. It probably would have costed a bomb, but it was a great opportunity to talk to the students informally, where we got to know a few more people. It was an easy event, where we talked about everything.. Well, for most of us anyway. I was just content sitting there, listening to the conversations around me, observing people and their comments and remarks. One of the things I felt was the realisation of many of the things I take for granted are actually privilleges, and how many of the automatic thoughts I have have been conditioned over the years. Many of the thoughts that were "common sense" to us, were actually based on assumptions and habit, and there are alternatives that I have not considered. It's here when it suddenly struck me how Singaporeans and Canadians have so many things in common, yet can see the same issue and have different observations...


Us at Jimmy's Kitchen

HK Skyline

The skyline of Hong Kong was a sight to behold. Across the sea on Hong Kong Island, huge skyscrapers line the entire horizon, with names of big shot companies lighting up the skies with their brand names. Hong Kong Island seems to be an entire island of commercial skyscrapers, but in fact, most of its developments are along the coasts as the central areas are too hilly. But in any sense, the rather majestic line up of buildings along the coasts is perhaps the stereotypical symbol of the city life.

It is quite a view, but it isn't something that I felt was particularly beautiful. I hate to think about the many city-dwellers whose passions and dreams have been replaced by insatiable greed of money and the material comfort it can bring. I feel that many times, it is a sad place where people lose sight of who they are, or who they want to be. Many of them get trapped in the competitive society they have created, living day after day pursuing other people's dreams, living in days of fear, anger and worry...

One of the things a Canadian student noticed was how the pace of life in Hong Kong was so much faster than in Canada. I find that particularly true, even as compared to the metropolitan Singapore. HK people rush through the streets simply focused on the direction they are heading, not even bothering to notice other people walking by. Walking through the crowded streets in the late afternoon, I also felt there was this overwheling sense of coldness. Most of the people wither were expressionless, or wore faces that showed irritation. There was hardly anyone who was laughing with friends, or even smiling. Except for the salespersons everywhere. It almost seems the pace of life is so busy that the people do not care about other people, or whatever else that is happening around them. They are just concerned about getting to their next destination, getting around to somewhere, or maybe nowhere.

I wonder: do they still have the time to stop and appreciate all the many things life has to offer now? Would Singapore turn out to be this way in a couple of years? Or even worse, would globalisation spread this phenomena around the world? Can we stop it? In fact, do we want to stop it?


Hong Kong Island