Its not a small world.. after all....

Today... I went to the Dragonboat Carnival in TST (Tsim Sha Tsui). I honestly don't understand the fun aspect of watching people race in a small boat to the beat of a drum. Just a couple of days ago the Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA championship. Now that to me is excitement. Alot more skill is involved in basketball then there is in dragonboat races. Yet, this is the 2nd dragonboat race I've attended and people fill the stands just to watch this.

My theory behind this is that because there is no significant sport besides soccer in Hong Kong that everyone turns out for these boat races. Now there are other sports that people play.... basketball, rugby, soccer, tennis... but none of these except soccer are huge sporting events in which everyone attends. I guess I just don't understand the excitement of watching these races. Maybe I'm just being ignorant.

At the races I met a new friend who was from France, its very enlightening meeting new people from all over the world. It helps put things into perspective.. So many times growing up in America I tend to think of America as the only place there is. I thought the world was backwards and different. After living in Korea & Hong Kong... I've come to realize that its America who are backwards and different. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying, I love America. Its my home, but truth be told we Americans live a very backwards and sheltered life. Here in Hong Kong many people are from other countries or finish school in other countries... in America we stay very close to our home towns and rarely leave the state except for vacations.

I find it amazing how little I really knew of the world. Even though I traveled all over the world back when I worked at a church I still find what I thought I knew a small drop in the bucket of what there really is. I guess what I'm trying to say is that for those who think they know the world and think they know what's out there.. until you venture out and see it, experience it, live it... you really dont know. Take a risk... see what's out there... it could change your life.

The tortoise vs the hare

When I think of big cities I think New York city... I think LA... The hustle and bustle of the bigness of the city. The people acting like an organism that functions at a high rate of speed with everyone in a hurry.... Running... Pushing... Always acting like they are late to the biggest meeting of their lives.

I arrive in Hong Kong on April 20th... And I have to admit beyond a shadow of a doubt... That is not the case here amongst the locals. As soon as I step out of my apartment my goal is to get to Point B from Point A as fast as humanly possible without having to actually run. Yet as soon as I step out of my apartment building I'm met by road blocks... And not objects and cars but by people who don't (evidently) have any particular place to be... Just walking.... Slowly walking... Very slowly walking to get to wherever they may need to go. Its insane! I don't get how a city of 7 mil people can run one of the largest cities in the world at the pace they go at. For those of you who come from Texas you know that even Texas in it's more chill laid back lifestyle still moves at a good clip...

The oddest part is that it works here... There are LV stores on every corner, Hugo boss in every mall, Armani in every major district, and money is thrown around as if it were monopoly cash. "$20k to buy that? k here ya go.."

So when it comes down to it...maybe slow and steady does win the race... Or maybe I just need to stop and look around... Maybe I'm the one missing something.

Well gotta go....

phobia

As I write this post I want to remind those of you who read it that I do not at all think negatively towards Hong Kong, but this is definitely my experience while I've been here.

The last city I was in was Seoul, South Korea... and as I'm sure I didn't get to really see it. There were not huge bugs. I know people have told me that Seoul does get very humid during the July and August months, but I'm sure it'll be very comparable to Texas weather.

Hong Kong on the other hand has been nothing but humid and very very rainy weather which of course breeds... Cockroaches! I can't begin to describe to you my phobia I

have for these bugs. Its not something I'm necessarily proud of... nor is it something I try and let people know the first instance they meet me, but th

ey scare the crap out of me.

So I was walking down the alley ways to get back to my apartment, and on any given night I'll see from anywhere 2-3 cockroaches scurry around in the dark corners. Even though they might be a good 10 feet away I like them to be a good 15 to 20 feet away from me. As I walking down this alley way on this particular night. I see a huge cockroach in the middle of the road. First instinct is to freeze. Thinking to myself... If I don't move maybe it'll not see me and won't attack.... usually this works and it runs away towards a dark crevice. This particular night the cockroach moved only slightly away from me. So I weigh my options... strategize... and conclude that running and jumping over this bug is the best solution... so I do...

Five feet past this bug I walk briskly down the alley way when another cockroach lands on my hand.... Now I'm not a screamer, nor do I panic in situations like this... but that bug caused every child hood nightmare to surge to the top of my vocal chords and I screamed louder and faster than I could sling my hand around to knock it off. Even as I type this blog I get the chills thinking about it.

WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD A COCKROACH LAND ON ME OF ALL PEOPLE!!!!

I know for a fact I'll run into another one before I leave Hong Kong, in fact, I had one run at me last night, but seriously... I have to be in the country that is infested with my biggest phobia... lets place me on stage with millions of people to watch and have me sing a solo in a closed dark box while we are at it.