Hong Kong – Exhilarating and Exhausting!

We were actually in Hong Kong twice, once on December 18^th and 19^th and then again from December 23^rd to 30^th. Each visit was to Hong Kong was both exhilarating and exhausting!

Exhilarating 1: to make cheerful and excited: enliven, elate 2: refresh, stimulate

Exhausting 1: to consume entirely or to tire extremely or completely 2: to draw off or let out completely 3: to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely or to try out the whole number of

On our first port visit we reunited with Brenda and Alexis and our good friends who live in Hong Kong, Calvin, Vanessa and Anson! Our first “taste” of Hong Kong included dining out with our friends, riding the Star Ferry, going up the world’s longest outdoor escalator, walking the streets of downtown Hong Kong, browsing the markets and shops and dining out in the trendy Soho district. A great two-day exhilarating and exhausting introduction to Hong Kong!

After five days back out at sea to “wind-up” our courses and four-month experience we docked for our last time on December 23^rd in Hong Kong. It was an emotional time saying farewell to our friends but equally exciting as we were beginning our one-week adventure in Hong Kong!

Thanks to the wonderful hospitality of our friends in Hong Kong (Calvin – a former student of mine from Red Deer College, Vanessa – Calvin’s spouse, Anson – their son, John and Amy – former students of mine from Red Deer College, Mr & Mrs. So – Vanessa’s parents, Jeana, Ken and others) we had an “insiders” experience of Hong Kong!

Highlights included: Calvin and Vanessa’s anniversary dinner with their friends and family; the alumni reunion dinner with former students and their families; the “back alley” diners where we experienced the local cuisine and culture; the numerous conversations with our friends; our “talk with the teenagers” at a dinner in a Portuguese restaurant in Macau; the various sights and places we wouldn’t normally go such as Lamma island, the various local markets and shops such as “sneaker street”, museum of tea ware, Aberdeen and Stanley and so on; Christmas day dinner of Peking Duck; the hike around the Peak; the Sands casino on Macau; our trip to Lantau Island and the giant Buddha; the temples and so on. These experiences were truly “exhilarating and exhausting”!

Also exhilarating was the energy in the streets – the crowds, the neon lights, the constant “hum” and “noise”, the variety of cuisine, the shopping, the bombardment of media messages, the big buildings and other various sites and sounds. Also exhausting was the energy in the streets – the crowds, the neon lights, the constant “hum” and “noise”, the variety of cuisines, the shopping, the bombardment of media messages, the big buildings and other various sites and sounds. Yes, with one comes the other.

We are forever indebted to our good friends, Calvin, Vanessa and Anson for “sharing” their time, energy and selves with us. It made for a wonderful “exhilarating and exhausting” Christmas in Hong Kong!

Ken

P.S. Watch for future entries (e.g. The Rituals of Re-entry, The TSS Experience – the end or just the beginning?)

Words Are Not Enough

Probably the most constant questions I will be getting asked are,

“How was it?” “Was it fun?” “Have you changed?” “What was your favourite place?”

These questions can simply not be answered. I am sorry, but too much has happened that has changed my life in ways I never thought possible.

At a personal level, I felt like this has changed me as a person. Yeah, that may sound absolutely cliché and cheesy, but it really has. I feel more aware. I feel lucky that I live in a country where I am free to be whoever I want to be. I got to see the ways other people live; I got to understand their culture. Probably one of the most life changing events that happened was in Panama when I ventured into the Darien Jungle. We were at a village where children were attending school. They showed us a dance performance that they had worked so hard on. This village had a population of around 30 and the living standards were definitely not near as luxurious as we have back home. They treated us like gold and they felt honoured to show us their village and their culture. I was in such awe and shock at the time. It was so beautiful. These words are not enough to express myself. However you thought it was, think of it like 200 times better.
I guess you could say that living with college level students made me also change. Now I know what you are thinking, but they truly had a good impact on me. They were sort of like brother and sister figures to me.

But the most rewarding and best experience on this trip was being lucky enough to share this experience with my father. I am the luckiest kid on earth to have a father that cares about me so much. He let me go into the Darien Jungle. He took me to the very top of New Zealand. He didn’t fuss when I got back in the room at 1 in the morning. He encouraged me to take photos and let me stay somewhere until I got the photo I wanted. He sped along the highway in New Zealand to catch the sunset on the beach for a great photo op. He took me around the world. He cares about me that much. I probably wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun on this journey without my father. Sure, I had fun with my friends many times, but the times with my dad were the ones I will remember forever.

So having to say that to every person who asks me about this voyage will soon get tedious, and a lot of people will not fully understand. Like I said, think of these experiences, and multiply them by 200. That is how amazing they were. So if I had to tell people one phrase about my journey, I would say, “I could explain it to you, but you wouldn’t even get it. Words are not enough.”

Davis

Ask me?

I’m excited to be going home! I’m excited to share my experience with others! But I’m uncertain how I will adjust or respond to my “old” world? I’m uncertain what to say to family and friends when they ask me about the trip, what was your favourite country, what did you like most, what did you like least, how have you changed?

In preparation for your questions I would like to share some thoughts. What I might say in response to “how was your trip?” is to start by saying the trip has been overwhelming – the travel, the places, the people and the experiences. After that it will be difficult to describe what that means.

How can I explain the feeling of floating in crystal blue warm water off the island of Tahiti, basking in the sun and watching small fish swim by? Or sitting in a restaurant with new friends in the old part of Panama City savouring every bit of local cuisine and wine that is bursting with flavour and freshness? Or seeing an amazing sunrise almost every morning while sipping on a coffee and waiting for the breakfast line to open?

How can I describe strolling through a banana farm in Ecuador having conversation with the owner or our mentor? Or explain how I felt sipping a cappuccino at a sidewalk café in Lisbon with new friends from around the world? Or writing a song about TSS (sung to the tune of YMCA) on the train from Beijing to Shanghai with ship colleagues (of course after a few beers)?

Will people really understand how it felt to pull into the various ports at 6:00 am and see things like the Sydney Opera house? Or the sense of awe we felt traversing through the Panama Canal? Or participating in a traditional dance with the Embera tribe? Or cycling through the streets of Auckland in and out of traffic, up and down the hills to viewpoints that are amazing?

If asked “what was your favourite country” it will be difficult to describe all of the “pictures” in my head like the snow covered Great Wall of China, the white sands on the beaches of Greece, Tahiti and Australia, the lush forests of Panama and New Zealand, the neon lights of Shanghai and Beijing, the colors of the traditional dress of the indigenous tribes of Ecuador or the monuments of early explorers from Portugal.

In response to your question “how was your trip” I will continue to explain how the experience has been humbling – the sense of privilege I that I have, how fortunate I am to have been born in Canada, to have the means to make choices, to have the health that allows me to travel, to have access to education that has opened my mind to the world and, and …

I’m humbled by the poverty and inequity in the world and how those that “have not” make the most of what they “have”, each other, laughter and a life full of joy. And those that “have” often lose sight of the simple pleasures of life like relationships and sharing meals and conversation with each other.

I have been humbled by realizing how much I don’t know about the world and the people from around the world. I am humbled by the wisdom and knowledge of the students, faculty and staff that I have had the pleasure of learning with. I am privileged and humbled by the new friendships I have with people from all over the world.

Most importantly when asked “how was your trip” I will tell you the best part of the whole experience is that I did these things with my son, Davis. My head is full of pictures of the two us trying to get the best shot on a beach in New Zealand or standing at the most northern part of New Zealand in awe of the view. Me heart has been touched by hearing about his adventures in the Darien jungle or our discussions about what we have learned and how we’ve changed.

It will be difficult to explain to others the sense of pride I felt while watching Davis assist in a ship-wide photography workshop or perform in a one-act play. Or how inspired I am to see his photographs being displayed or seeing him take on responsibilities with the camera crew.

Of course there were challenges, but without challenge there is not growth. If asked “how was your trip?” I will have to say I was challenged by the diversity, the organizational processes, the inefficiencies, teaching in the ship environment, the unfamiliarity of the ports and myself. I have been challenged by living without my family for four months, by living in a confined space, numerous days at sea and ship life in general. So in response to your question “what was the best part of the trip” I will respond by saying it is these challenges that will provide lasting memories and perhaps have had the greatest impact on my growth.

Have I changed? I am certainly more global in my experience, my perspective. I have been humbled by this life experience. I am closer to my son than I was before as we’ve shared something special together that few will ever get the chance to enjoy. I am more understanding of differences and similarities. I hope I am more patient, accepting and loving. I believe I am a better person for having experienced the world aboard The Scholar Ship!

Thanks for asking! I hope you’ll understand!

Ken

Those Random Ideas That Brew In My Head: Ramblings

I was so excited to go to China because I had been studying it in school for 3 years straight. I felt like I had a good sense of the culture. It was interesting watching a textbook turn into a reality, but I soon learned that textbooks teach you barely anything. That may seem like a rash statement, but it is so unbelievably true. Sure, you read about the history of the rulers of China and the impact they have on the people, but you can only get a proper sense of their situation if you are in it or directly in contact with it. That is just one example.

While I was at The Great Wall in Beijing, I had an unveiling realization. Think of how big that wall is. We are astonished today at how big it is. I mean, it can be seen from space; it is obviously huge. Now put yourself in the Huns shoes back when it was being built. You arrive on horses, preparing to attack China. When you arrive, this wall is in your way. You have never seen anything like it. This wall that spans several thousand kilometres is standing in your way. I think that would be a pretty baffling sight. Since the wall had design flaws in it (e.g. parts easily breakable, breaks in the wall to allow farmers to get to either side) the Huns easily found a way through, but still, imagine this structure that you had no idea about just all of the sudden be plopped there. Mind-boggling, yes?

China thinks big. Everything is in mass. Size, architecture, items, population – everything is bigger. They are so advanced in every way as well. You have probably heard of the theory that ‘China will take over the world’, but there are all the right reasons that they could. For starters: they are a third of the world’s population. How hard could it be to take over the other two thirds? Another big theory that I stirred up in my mind is the intelligence of the people. After years and years of communism ruling China, the generation of children will become the smartest people to walk this world. Being born into communism, these kids learn strict discipline, and they are focused, and not distracted. I feel that us ‘Westerners’ are taught and run in ways that let us get distracted and brought away from our goals. China is so focused that they get what needs to be done, done. They are productive. I remember watching a film called ‘Manufactured Landscapes’ about a photographer that documented the industrial world of China. There was a scene of a girl, probably 15, that was part of the process of putting together a computer. Her job was to simply screw in the chip. They work 18 hour days with limited breaks, and it took her around 4 seconds to complete her step in the process. I did calculations to see how many chips she completed in a day. I took out 600 seconds for breaks, which probably consisted of using the bathroom quickly, and I came up with 16000 chips. 16000 in a day. No complaints, either. They just do as they are told. In Canada or America, there is no possible way that we could have that type of discipline. Back to my original theory, these people will build such productive routines and personalities that they will become geniuses and soon rule the world! It is a simple theory that could be branched out into a million twigs, but I hope you catch my drift.

All in all, China was astonishing. I always had admired China, and finally standing on top of The Great Wall was the time where I thought, “I am so lucky.”

-Davis

China is ‘chillin’ and ‘hot’!

‘Chillin’ – short for chilly or cold – yes, we noticed the change in temperature just off the coast of China. They even moved breakfast indoors from the Lido deck to the Coral dining room. As we pulled into Shanghai at 2:00 in the morning it became even more noticeable.

So off we went looking for warm clothes (jacket, scarf and hat for Davis and hat and scarf for me – I borrowed some mittens). After two days of wandering the streets of Shanghai (shopping, sight-seeing and eating) it was off to Beijing on a shore excursion.

There were 60 of us who boarded the train at 7:30 pm for an all-night ride to the capital of China, Beijing. It was lots of fun, squeezing eight of us into our room for wine and cheese (compliments of Dana) and then trying to sleep in the hot and stuffy cabins.

Upon arrival in Beijing we immediately noticed a further drop in temperature (close to freezing). So prior to starting our first tour many folks were seen “haggling” over prices for hats, gloves and scarves. Davis bought a pair of gloves for just over two dollars.

As we toured the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square it became obvious that we still were not prepared for the damp cold. A hot lunch warmed us up somewhat but that afternoon at the Summer Palace we were still ‘feeling the cold’.

That night Davis and I figured out that we needed a second layer on our legs as well as a layer or two more on our upper body. The next day we were prepared as we wore our pyjama bottoms underneath our pants and added a couple of layers for the top. Of course it snowed which actually proved somewhat warmer than the first day.

We were more than prepared for our hike up the Great Wall as we quickly warmed up with the climb! It was amazing even though our view was limited by the snow and overcast day. Davis even skateboarded on the Great Wall (a student had brought her skateboard with her)! The afternoon we finished up by walking down the “Sacred Walk” and visiting The Ming Tombs. Another great day, especially as we were prepared for the cold!

Our last day in Beijing was sunny and ‘chillin’! We toured the Temple of Heaven and Hutong (old part of Beijing). Once again we were prepared for the penetrating breeze and our ride on the bicycle pedicab. We finished our tour of Beijing by shopping in the very warm Pearl Market. Then it was back to the train for our overnight trip back to Shanghai and an even warmer night in our sleeper cabin! All-in-all a very ‘chillin’ experience!

‘Hot’ – slang for ‘lots happening’ – I guess I had heard that China was growing and modernizing at an amazing rate but I was not expecting so much to ‘be happening’. One of the guides joked that the national bird of China was the crane, the building crane that is so prevalent on the tops of buildings.

There is so much construction and development going on much of it in preparation for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The infrastructure (i.e. roads, transportation, tourist facilities and so on) seems quite developed.

Cars are everywhere as are bikes and still a few “rickshaws” (either motorized or bicycle powered). Air pollution is quite obvious although we’ve been fortunate to see blue sky from time to time. Multinational corporations are also prevalent (from McDonalds and Starbucks to telecommunications and other global companies).

Tourism appears to be booming although we are in the low season. Street vendors are everywhere and are quite aggressive at times. The Chinese have discovered the joy of travel and can be found in large numbers at various tourist sights.

It’s been an exciting port with ‘lots happening’! Some highlights include: The Great Wall, negotiating over prices, The Legend of Kung Fu show, going into the home of a Chinese family in Beijing, riding the bicycle pedicab, the Drum Tower, the Forbidden City, the Sacred Walk at the Ming Tombs, Temple of Heaven, a Chinese Opera, the train ride to and from Beijing, the foot massage, the Chinese food, the silk factory, walking the Bund and the streets of Shanghai and, and, and!

China is definitely ‘chillin’ and ‘hot’!

Ken

P.S. Stay tuned for an update from Davis!

Smooth sailing - for the most part!

We’ve been on the water now for eight days, four to go to Shanghai. Does it seem like a long time? Some days for sure, yet much has happened to keep us occupied, challenged, learning, laughing and sane. A few highlights:

Star Wars – a “fun” battle between the resident communities (e.g. relays, basketball, mask making, skits, hall decorating, tug-of-war and so on) and a good diversion from the “stresses” of assignments and the long voyage.

Classes – are winding down (class numbers 16-19) with assignments coming in, student presenting their work and final exam preparations – so much to do in so little time – we’ll see how we meet the challenge

One act play night – a 24-hour event where small teams wrote, produced and performed a one-act play – a great night showcasing, once again, the many talents onboard the ship including Davis cast as Sam in a very “moving” and entertaining story (ask him about it)

Barbecue – an excellent event (in the wind and rain) outside on the Lido deck with plenty of barbecue meats (chicken, hamburgers and ribs), Caesar salad and other fixings – a great diversion from our “regular” meals in the Coral dining room

The Crew Talent Show – another wonderful night of entertainment put on by the crew of the ship – plenty of singing, dancing, comedy and fun! Definitely a well-timed highlight of our voyage as it is great to see the crew in a different role! Lots of cheering, hooting and hollering!

Dana – a good friend of ours (faculty member) was evacuated in Papua New Guinea due to some medical problems. He received a “royal” navy send off with ship whistles and songs playing as he disembarked on a waiting coast guard boat. He is currently in Australia receiving treatment – our thoughts and prayers are with him!

Classical music night – it’s amazing to see the talent of our students as they sang and played instruments for a very enjoyable and relaxing evening of classical music

Meetings and other sessions – whether it’s a faculty meeting, student voice gathering, United Nations conference, language class, next voyage orientation planning meeting, self-defence class, boot camp workout and so on, there is plenty to keep us occupied, challenged, learning, laughing and sane.

Still to come is the Masquerade Ball, community meeting, marking of papers, session #19, preparation for China and . . .

And of course we still have our amazing sunrises, sunsets, expansive ocean view, collegial conversations over cappuccino, beer or meals and . . .

So as you can see, life is full (and smooth sailing) onboard Oceanic II!

Bring on China!

Ken

Davis' Australia Experience!

In Australia, it really struck me that I was half way around the globe. I have traveled almost all the way around the world; nearly every continent. I realized how lucky I was to have this experience. Not many people get to experience something like this. I also realized that I will probably not get this experience again, so I have to make the best of it.

During our week in Australia, I got to see some pretty amazing sights. I got to see a play in the Sydney Opera House called Vienna Woods, I got to go to Bondi Beach and see a sculpture exhibition, and I got to go to the Blue Mountains. It is so surreal because these sights are world-renown and everyone knows about these places, and I get to see them.

The Opera House was so cool! It is amazing standing beside such a wonder of the world. I saw a play called Vienna Woods. Surprisingly, it was not very expensive; only 28$ for someone under 30. The play was quite good too!

It was quite a task to get there (Subways, trams, buses) but when we got to Bondi, it was such a beautiful little town/beach. We saw a sculpture exhibition that was going on while we were down there. A whole bunch of sculptures made of various mediums were on display by a whole bunch of different artists from all around the world.

On the second last day, I went to the Blue Mountains on a tour bus. We got to hike around the area and explore on our own, then they took us for lunch in a little town, and then we went to the Animal Refuge Zoo. I got to pet a koala! It was so soft! Kangaroos were just jumping around the park, so I got to interact with them as well!

Those were the main excitements of my time in Sydney. I am a little disappointed in myself because most of the time in Sydney, I was sitting around, going to Starbucks in the same place everyday. I did see some pretty cool things, but I felt like I could have done more. Hopefully, I will get to go back to Australia for a longer duration in the future!