A New Year

As the year draws to a close, I reflect on my many adventures. This year I moved from Boston to live in Macau. From here I have been able to see Hong Kong, China (a bit), Taipei, Borneo, and Singapore. I have crossed cultures, dealt with culture shock, and expanded my mind in ways I never imagined possible. Being away from everything familiar has allowed lots of time for self reflection. I have seen the person I am and could be.

Tonight I was reading my journal. I wondered about what I was thinking almost a year ago. Surprisingly some of the same thoughts were in my mind then, but they have transformed. I am not fighting with myself in this uncontrollable rebellion. Now I am faced with the possibility that I am not the same person, yet instead a better version of me. Macau is a strange place. I am living somewhere that doesn't seem real. Everything is so easy and I don't worry about anything, expect the occasion break-in. Still I cannot say I would stay for too long. I think one day I will wake up and decide to leave. I will realize my time here is done and then move to another destination in this life-long journey. I am in a place where I can dream, safely and freely dream of endless possibilities. The is only thing I have to do is have faith to believe there is more to all of this and a purpose for everything.

I don't regret mistakes I have made or the decision to move here. Only because then I would not be in this place where I found a deeper part of me and a stronger faith. It seems that I am becoming equip to handle what comes next, and that fills me with excitement and joy.

So cheers to the New Year. May it be more that you could have ever thought or imagined!

My Macanese/Chinese Christmas

As Christmas approaches, I realize how much I miss my family and friends. I hope and pray not to be too sad this Christmas by being in a foreign country away from the people closest to me. Though I have to say I am at a loss. I have no idea how to spend my Christmas. It's not cold here, I don't see the Salvation Army people ringing their bell, and there are no real Christmas trees. It doesn't seem like the Christmas I know and love. My favorite holiday has lost it's magic. I even have to work on Christmas because our company does not recognize it as a holiday, therefore

no double pay. Ignoring Christmas feels so wrong. So this is what's going to happen. I am going to suck it up, pull through, and have a damn good Christmas (pardon my language). I will do my best have a good time. So it looks like I am going to have to improvise...

Merry Christmas!

Borneo

It's been a long time since my last entry. I will do my best to pick up where I left off. On my most recent trip, I ventured further out. It was a perfect getaway that left me wanting more.

The only reason I knew about Borneo was because of a friend I met in Guangzhou, China. He was so excited about this place he had been and he even had the pictures to show. I was convinced then even though it look me a long time after to buy my ticket. Now some more of my money is gone and I have beautiful memories instead.

Borneo is the 3rd largest island in the world behind Greenland and Australia. It consists of 3 countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. I went to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah which is in Malaysia. For those who know more about Borneo then me, I already know that it's not even close to the nice area of Sabah. Still, I was not disappointed in surroundings. My time was short so I made the most out of where I was. I went diving for the first time in my life and also laid on the beach and stared out at the ocean. I think I always knew I was a coastal person, but visiting Borneo has confirmed this fact for me and left me with no doubt. I made goals for myself while I was there which were not all entirely met, but I did successfully watch a sunset which is hard to do in Macau.

Guangzhou

I finally got a multi-entry Chinese visa! First stop Zhuhai and from there I went to Guangzhou.

Guangzhou or Guangdong is not very far from Macau. You take a bus from Zhuhai, which borders Macau, and it only takes 2 hours 15 minutes. My first observation is that China doesn't seem as strict as I thought. You don't get facebook and google is limited. Along the way, was most surprising is I was able to see parts of Zhuhai on my way out that intrigued me to take future visits. Our route was along the coast for about 20 mintutes, which had breathe-taking views of the ocean, boats. Most people I know who visit Zhuhai (including me), go directly to the underground mall for cheap items such as clothing, bags, DVDs, and anything else you can imagine.

The journey was quick and I arrived in Guangzhou without a map or destination so I started to wander. I went to the zoo area because I thought I would find a nice place to stay. When that failed I went into a hotel for a free tourist map. Then I went in search of food so I could also sit and make a plan. Also when traveling in China if you go to a sit-down restaurant, there are better chances of clean toilets. I have to say most places have the squatting toilets that I have yet to master. After eating some very bad pad thai, I ventured to Shamain Island which comes recommended by Lonely Planet. Shamain is right along the Pearl River and when I walk along the path it reminds me of walking along the Seine in Paris. All the buildings are Colonial style and painted in various bright colors. This one mile area perimeter (1.6km) has so many different characteristics. Once I got a room for the night, I went in search of food and beverage. Afterwards I met some friendly fellow travelers who were staying in the same place, they enlightened me about Guangzhou and other places to visit. We sat outside and drank the local beer, which isn't so bad and spoke of life and experiences. This all happened the day I arrived, which I surprisingly had to say I didn't get too badly lost.

The next day I got lost constantly and wandered mostly. I thought I knew where to go but I didn't. The problem with Guangzhou is there is so much development everywhere that it completely covers all the scenic areas. It reminds me of Taipei because you could be walking near different buildings then all of a sudden there is this gigantic park with wonders to see. I found a nice cathedral and a couple temples, but what I really loved was the park which I accidentally found and had to pass. I was staving because I had not eaten a meal all day so once I was well-nourished I returned to the park. It reminded me of Central Park in NYC because it of size and multiple sights within the grounds. I saw an amusement park, museum, memorial, and huge goat statue. I didn't even see everything. While in the park I met this kind Chinese man who helped me find the goat statue and the exit. He was kind to even take my photo. I really loved that fact that people were so friendly because I find that most Chinese people only stare at me because I am always so out of place and then they have nothing to say to me except: "Can I take you picture?" or "Where are you from?"

I sadly did not have much time to spend in Guangzhou. I missed so much because of sheer exhaustion; but I know I can easily return. Here are some strange things I noticed:

Chinese muslims

A lot of Africans

Overloaded bikes

Very few Westerners

Painfully hot weather in October

Recycling bins

Crossing guards

Chinese people playing hacky sack

Only a few Starbucks locations...

Personal space

Say you are walking down the street. There are usually 2 flows of people going in each direction. If someone has to stop, they usually step off to the side to let others pass. Generally speaking people know when they are blocking traffic, I am speaking strictly in the pedestrian sense. Now you get to Macau or even Hong Kong, and once you are there you realize walking as you know it has become a struggle. Now I have to preface the fact that applies to everyone. The truth is you will face these difficulties in supermarkets, shopping areas, going sight-seeing, and basically anywhere there could potentially be people.

In Macau people stand in your way completely oblivious of other people. They will push you, cut you off, and even block any escape routes. I am not sure how this reality came to be, but I am realizing that I have to fight back. If I even want to get anywhere in a sensible amount of time, I have to make my presence known. You will have to master weaving in and out of crowds because there are never clear pathways. God forbid if I were running late. In those situations I prefer to run in the street. Did I mention how slow people walk here? Slow as molasses is like speed walking to almost every local. There are always exceptions, but my advice to you is if you are in a hurry and there are tourists or a family in your path, just take another route.

Now I want to clarify the "fight back" I mentioned earlier. I don't want to come off like I have been beating up Chinese people because it's not true. There have been circumstances when it was quite necessary to push people out of the way. "Mm goi jeje" is the phrase for people to get out of the way. If it is a noisy, crowded area people will not hear or choose to ignore you. So this is when the gentle, yet forceful push comes in handy. It's better to do this because people will drive you mad. People here literally stand in a busy area thinking they have the power to block others from passing. They have no idea what they are doing, because if they did, they would move to the side. I also recommend big bags on both sides to get people out the way. Nothing says "move!" like a big-ass bag pushing you to the side. So if you feel bad about the gentle yet forceful push, you have the bag to blame instead. "It wasn't me, sir/mamam, it was the bag."

The key creating your own personal space is not to get carried away. I am still trying to find a balance so I have become a little aggressive. Oh well, it's not personal so make some space!

*The visuals are examples when you need to use these methods.

Lamma Island

Even though it seems like I go to the same places, I still find there is so much to see.

Recently I had two encounters with Lamma Island so I thought I should share it with the rest of you. My first encounter was planned and the second was a happy accident. I don't know much about Lamma but here are the basics. It takes 30 minutes to get there on a ferry from Hong Kong (Central ferry terminal), it's quite popular for expats, there a restrictions for vehicles, therefore no one really drives on it. There are motor vehicles people may use but they are smaller and less harsh on the land. Lamma Island is the 3rd largest in the Hong Kong next to Hong Kong Island and Lantau.; if you did not know Hong Kong consists of many islands. The great thing about Lamma is there are such of a variety of people, which allows for a variety of food. Personally I love being in place where I can easily find a vegetarian restaurant.

You can walk around Lamma because there are clear paths to take. The tricky thing is some are steep because they are built into the terrain, but the view if the coast along the paths are breathe-taking. The stipulation is that you don't rent a bike and assume you can ride the paths, you are certainly wrong. There are beaches to chill on and adventures to be had. Personally I could see myself exploring Lamma constantly because it fascinates me.

Taipei Take 1: Just a Taste

It took a while to post this, once again. Recently I went to Taipei for 3 days with a few friends. Sadly my friend who I wanted to see was moving back to Boston earlier the day I arrived so I barely missed her. I still was quite excited to do some international travel which consisted of a 2-hour plane ride with food. I don't even get that in the states! I've had the itch to travel since I arrived in Macau so this was my chance to go before worked picked up. This post will be in parts because spare time has been quite scarce lately. We are on a 6-day work schedule and it's really busting my butt. I did not have much time in Taipei so we basically tried to cram as much as we could into each day. In addition, we had to take rests because it was ridiculously hot.

Here are some of the highlights, details to come.

1. 101

2. Chang Kai-Shek Memorial

3. The Palace Museum

4. Snake Alley Night Market

5. Friendly People

6. Peace Park

7. High Speed train

8. Japanese food

Est-ce que tu parle français?

Ok. I have a confession. I have not been taking photos. Most of the time I just don't bring my camera with me. My lack of new entries has nothing to do with Macau becoming boring. Most days I forget. Not to worry, new entries will be arriving in July. Here is little something to keep you hungry for more.

I have restarted something which has given me great joy. It's learning and speaking French. I am doing an exchange with our make-up designer. I am teaching her English and she is teaching me French. My plan is to speak French and gain confidence while returning favor. I explain an English word in French at times or we consult the translator. Carmen is a lovely woman who forgives my lack of teaching skills and my poor pronunciation of French. She happens to be Spanish, which makes me wonder... Should I finally be learning Spanish? No worries it's on the list. I ambitiously plan to learn French, Spanish, German, and Cantonese, of course.

The House of Dancing Water, the show I am working on, opens in September. We are all working hard to make this a reality, but not too hard because we still get two days a week off. Here is a video of a portion of our wardrobe dept. and some other new friends having a good time. We are quite eclectic!

Cheers!

Stranger in the Night

Wow! I did not realize how long it's been since I have posted a blog. This one is very personal because it's the juiciest story to tell.

Have you heard the Frank Sinatra song "Strangers in the Night?" If you haven't you should go hear the song, then read this story. Trust me. It will help lighten the mood. Here goes.

Two Thursdays ago I was peacefully sleeping , when I awoke to a buzz in my ear. I really hate these bugs because they wake me up, but is time I was thankful. I opened my eyes and saw this man. I thought I was hallucinating so it took a couple of glances before I realized I was not dreaming. My first response was to cover my head with my blanket and pretend to be asleep. But something inside caused me act boldly. I guess I watched the Bourne movies too many times!

I yelled and ran after him to get a better look. Of course, he bolted towards the door. All I could grab was my waterbottle. Don't ask me what water would do. I did not catch him or see him clearly. When I called the police and I told them the wrong floor so they woke my neighbor who was able to translate. My voice was trembling on the phone so it took a few tries before she got my address. The police questioned me, took some prints, and stayed a little too long. Police in Macau seem so young and inadequate. I don't even think their guns are real. Thankfully, I was planning on going to Hong Kong that next day with friends so I did not have to sleep at my apartment. While I was away my locks were changed by the agent in charge of the property.

In conversation with friends, it was assumed that this intruder had a key. Who knows how many keys to my apartment are floating around Macau. The door was opened when I ran after him so he must have left it open upon entering. The only pieces of proof to this attempted robbery was a displaced pair of shorts and a bag that was taken and then returned. It was empty because I never use it so the thief must have felt stupid for not getting anything of value. Since then I have been much more cautious. People would tell me how safe Macau is, but sadly there is not any place completely safe. I had some trouble sleeping for the next few days, but slowly I have been getting more sleep. The fact that my security was questioned makes me angry because I want to feel safe in my own home. I am thankful to be safe. I still enjoy my apartment, but it will take a while to feel safe again. I will continue to take walks at night knowing it is safer here. I guess "safe" anywhere is completely relative. I do have some handy devices next to my bed which do help me fall asleep at night.

(top photo: City of Dreams, the theatre is on the left side; bottom photo: my "kind-of-safe" neighborhood at night)

Two things

There are two things I love about Macau. I don't mean there are only two things I love, but these are two things worth mentioning in detail. I always find a favorite area or thing to do where I live. So I will share my top two favorites with you tonight.

There is a small lake by my apartment, or you could say a large pond. I find myself walking to it during the day or for a late night walk. It faces out towards the casino/hotels and also has some beautiful Macanese houses next to it. When it's warm, you can almost always feel a breeze. During the day you will see tourists coming to visit and also couples taking their wedding photos. I love to run around it which is about 2.5 meters so I go around twice. There is a kind of peace you receive from being near the water. It is hard to explain but once you're there, you can sense what I mean. No matter how many people happen to be present, there is always something to receive from being near the lake.

My other pleasure is Taipa Village at night. Usually during the day this area is full of people and cars going by. But at night it completely transforms into a quite, desolate place. As I walk down the street I feel like I am the only person on earth. The reality of me living in a foreign country hits and I realize how far from home I am. It doesn't make me sad only very aware. I will walk right in the middle of the street without restraint and just listen to the silence. There is such a peace from this one particular moment that is worth staying up late to experiencing it.

Hong Kong

I went to Hong Kong the weekend before I started work. It's only a 60 minute ferry ride from Macau, actually I left from Taipa because that is where I live. I arrived on a hot, sunny day with no particular plans except where to stay. The ferry arrives in Victoria Harbor, which is area between the 2 main islands of Hong Kong. If you look at a map it may explain better, I am only speaking from my observation.

I started to mostly wander thinking I would be able to find my "guest house". I sensed it was close to where I arrived only to discover it was on another island, though you shouldn't be confused since Hong Kong is multiple islands. I did a little shopping and ate some great food.

I got some good footage so I will let the videos speak for themselves. I will add more a bit later. Also I did not eat any Chinese food that weekend.

Video!

It's finally happened. I have discovered how to post videos. It's surprisingly not hard. Patience was the key so I must have only got some today. Here are some clips of my journeys in Macau. I will also be doing a video diary which will have narration @ niasvideos.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

An evening walk

Chinese worship (don't worry she made it out)

Crossing over

Lately I have been trying to practice on my language skills both oral and handwritten. I can write my address, but not from memory. Also I have no clue what people are saying when I eaves-drop on their conversations. Most of the time I am paranoid and think they are talking about me, they probably are when they stare. I feel progress will take some time.

I am already fustrated about not knowing what people are saying. I understand numbers so when I go to the market I can understand what things cost without the dreaded calculator. Although people are making it easier to understand, it still cripples any opportunity for language learning. When people say "thank you" to me, I throw their language right back and say "mm goi" instead, which is "thank you" in Cantonese.

When I hear english, it's like music to my ears. The familiarity of my own language seems so far from reach. Most days I am by myself and I am not around english speakers. I am always looking for "westerners." This term should only be take lightly considering that the term means not Asian. Yes, the rest of the world has been put into the huge clump. The irony is that we do the same thing at home. Asians are mushed together without identity or explaination, it's just easier. So the westerners are Europeans, Candians, South Americans, Austrailians, but not Africans because they don't come here. Being dark-skinned is a rarity people here are not used to. That is why on any given day, I will be photographed, constantly stared at, or just a walking enigma people have no idea what to do with. The fact is there are so many tourists flowing in and out, they will never get used to me. At least the old man on my street says hi to me. I count that as a victory.

I leave you with my friend the snail. We have a lot more in common than I used to believe. You can figure that one out yourself.

Food

I have to admit I miss American food. Though it may be very eclectic, it's just so easy and convenient. I am still learning what to order, how order, what tastes good, and what places have an english menu. Though food is cheap, quality always comes with a price and that price is not necessarily monetary. I have had two great meals. One was at this Thai restaurant and the other was at the Buddhist Temple. The funny thing is I went to the Thai place because the temple was closed that day.

Honestly the Chinese food is not much different from what you find in Boston. The eating rituals are interesting. For example, napkins are never present, unless requested. I was given napkins because they knew I needed them. My parents would flip because my dad constantly asks for extra napkins, like there are never enough. China may have to get a extra shipment when they arrive. Also the Chinese in Macao love red beans and toothpicks. Napkins are rare, but you always find these two items. If you do plan on coming, you should know that chopsticks are commonly used to eat. The good news is they make the food big enough to pick up.

The fruit here is amazing. I cannot get enough of it. It's best when you go to the open market and see the entire spread. Most places post the prices and you don't even need to understand because the get out their calculator to tell you the price. I haggle mainly because I don't want to feel cheated. Now thinking about it, I really don't pay much for anything. It's like paying less for already cheap food. I should pay extra for the injustice, but I don't.

Photos: Hotel room dinner of fruit, dried fruit, bread and avocado; great Thai food; I was craving fries, don't judge me.

Scenes of Macau

I have so much to share and at the same time I don't know what to say. I will let the photos guide me.

My first taste of Macau in the daytime had to have been Senado square. I needed to purchase a cell phone so the concierge told me where to go and handed me a handy map, which happens to be tearing in several places. I found Senado and brought a phone at a whooping 260MOP, which is $32.50. Oh, it gets much better. This area is a tourist trap so I have learned to avoid Senado, unless I am absolutely desperate or go in the early morning to beat the crowd.

There scenes in Macau that have beautiful Chinese and Portugese influences, but there are some not-so-good visuals which prove that not everyone is well-off. Tonight I passed this tiny store which is among hundreds of stores similar to this one selling the same things, and I saw this woman doing dishes behind a curtain. It can only mean the store also where this family lives. The strange thing about this place is I don't really see any homeless people, only older women who hang out in highly populated tourists areas asking for change. I guess the gambling provides just enough for the people.

It has been foggy here lately but not raining as much as the weather forecast says it should. The fogginess seems so intriguing because though you cannot see beyond it, you still wonder what's there. I have not been here very long, yet I am able to find my way easily. Though I have to admit the map I carry around does come in handy, but I don't look at it all the time.

The other three photos are of the remains of St. Paul's, the mystic Macau Tower, and one of the three bridges to Taipa.

First day in Macau

You know you are in China, when you sign onto google and it's completely and Chinese characters. I guess Google and China are friends after all.

I would love to complain about the travel and talk about how strange and bizarre this all is but these are the facts: I made it 50 minutes to Newark with a 5 hour layover, then 15+ hours to Hong Kong including a brief layover and an unnecessarily long ferry ride to Macau. I feel bad-ass! I went to bed at 1am and woke up at 7am with an eagerness to start the day. I have no idea when jet-lag will hit so I will just wait and see. (Photos: Hong Kong airport at night, and 2 views for outside in my 13th floor room.)

What I have: a hotel room for 2 weeks, internet, money (Hong Kong dollars and Macau Pacatas), and an eager attitude

What I need: food, a cell phone, an apartment, swim cap, and direction

Here's to new beginnings!