October 31st, 2010"You don't live here!"
"Actually, I do. I've been staying here for two months already."
So went the midnight conversation over the wall of my rooftop patio with my angry neighbor during my birthday party.
Who can blame her for thinking that. I certainly never imagined that I would be telling anyone that, in fact, I do live in Hong Kong. Well, at least I haven't imagined it since I gave up the financial world after switching five years ago from accounting to outdoor education.
However, I have discovered that Hong Kong has a lot more to offer than highrises, endless malls and millions in business attire. Just wander beyond the paved slopes and cautionary signage surrounding the city. There you can discover breathtaking outdoor secrets that even most residents would never imagine.
I recently went rock climbing with some work friends. The climb approach involved a ferry ride across the hectic Victoria Harbour, a walk through the International Financial Center Mall, a ride up the worlds longest escalator through the trendy HK SoHo District and finally a hop over a small fence and up the staircase of a paved slope. From there I entered the scarcely intruded area that makes up the majority of Hong Kong; untamed jungle. We had a proper bushwhack through vines, bamboo and exotic plants. Always looking out for the enormous spiders and poisonous snakes that inhabit the island, we soon turned up at a climbing crag. I easily forgot that I was even near any type of urban area until I stopped to admire the dense skyline from the top of the climb.
These gems surround the city, and yet each week I teach a new group of kids that have scarcely set their expensively clad feet on anything not made by man.
The first day of my first program working for an outdoor education organization that serves local Hong Kong school children was a bit of a culture shock. "Alright kids, sit in a circle on the grass. We're going to play a game to get to know each other a bit."
I was answered by the expression of fourteen young, disgusted and shocked faces. "Here!?" "I think it's dirty..." "There might be bugs!" "Can't we just sit under there instead?" Asked one, pointing to the paved area outside the toilets.
Oh boy, why did I sign that three month contract, I thought to myself.
They eventually compromised by uncomfortably squatting or sitting on their fashionable backpacks.
My first program was a slow and slightly painful progression. It was worth it by the end of the week though. I led the whole crew on an all day trek up a gorge, slipping and sliding into water and dirt. Some got scratched up for the first time off their padded playgrounds. At the top of the gorge, kids that began literally tip-toeing when off pavement were jumping from rock to rock and plunging into natural swimming holes.
One of the teachers told me that she had never seen the kids acting rambuctiously. She explained that even at lunch, all the kids sit in front of their personal laptops.
This picture has helped my understanding of each new group in each new week. I do feel that it is important to give these kids opportunities to be kids and learn to appreciate nature. But, it has been a real challenge for me to keep my patience with kids that are so difficult for me to relate to.
Life outside of work has balanced out the frustration and exhaustion of my weekdays. I am living in a little apartment on an island outside of Hong Kong. There are no cars on the island and instead of roads, there are many miles of trails to explore. I share the apartment with two of the four other females facilitating for our company. One roomate is living outside of the UK for the first time in her life and one is from the Phillipines. We are kind of an odd trio, but it has been lovely living together. Our place is settled in "downtown" Yung Shue Wan on Lama Island. Our bottom story is a dress shop, the second floor houses a Chinese family and we occupy the third. We also have a large rooftop patio that looks out on the bustling street below and the small fishing harbor where the ferry docks.
The majority of our co-workers are also housed around the village and so it's always easy to find really amazing people to hang out with. (Which is probably also the reason that this is my first blog in way too long.)
I have just a month longer of living and working here before my seasonal contract ends. From here, I have been invited to spend time with a bunch of my co-workers in their native Phillipine Islands. It should be a good time, as most of them work as guides of various outdoor activities including scuba diving, climbing, rafting, cave, surfing and adventure racing.
I'm hoping the time in the outdoors with out looking after a dozen city kids will rejuvenate me in time for my next work season. And just as in the misunderstanding with my neighbor, something that starts out bitter and awkward can end with smiles and best wishes.
