Thank you, Asia "Holi" (53 days left in Hong Kong)

Vipin, David, and Brenda after Holi

For two years I celebrated Holi in Kolkata with the kids from Anondo Trust and our HKIS students and chaperones.  Wikipedia explains Holi as a "popular ancient Hindu festival also known as the 'Festival of Love' the 'Festival of Colours' and the 'Festival of Spring'".  It is primarily celebrated in India and Nepal and by the Indian diaspora. Of course there is more to it than that, so I invite you to do a bit of research if you are unfamiliar with Holi and would like to know more.  

The kids performing the story of Holi

This year Holi fell on March 28 - 29.  

The cool thing about Holi is the colors.  In my experience, the children of Anondo Trust were quite excited to take our group to an open field where we gleefully smeared bright florescent colors on each other with the words "Happy Holi."  It was cool to play with the kids this way - gender and age didn't matter.  Sometimes people toss the colored powder in the air too (although it can get in your eyes). 

During - smearing

There is a lot of laughter, running around, and general "water balloon fight" sort of vibe.

After 

With my friend Mohin

If you ever get a chance to experience Holi, I highly recommend it.  Not only is it just good fun, it is also a "festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships" (Wikipedia).  Seems like something we could all use a bit of these days.  

Thank you, Asia "Meeting Elephants" (54 days left)

Elephants are amazing.  What a gift we have had living in Asia where we have been able to encounter elephants while on our travels.  In Thailand we fed and rode elephants.  We also witnessed elephants painting.  While I may not endorse all of this now, at the time we enjoyed our experiences very much.  There are 13 elephant sanctuaries in Thailand and three in Sri Lanka.

Alec feeding the baby. 

In Sri Lanka we went to an elephant reserve where we saw them roaming as a herd.  We got so close!  

I remember an elephant there who had only three legs.  The fourth had been tragically damaged by poachers.  The elephant was cared for, in part, by perching his stub on a log.  It was incredibly sad on many levels.  But I can say, that when you are close up and personal with powerful and beautiful beings such as these, you care about them instantly. 

Baby came along with us.

Sadly, according to the BBC, Hong Kong has been importing ivory from elephant tusks for over 150 with 2021 being the first year where it is entirely illegal and traders are obligated to dispose of their stock.

You can see a video here which includes our encounter with elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Photos by © Brenda Brayko. All rights reserved. 

Thank you, Asia "Balance" (55 days left in Hong Kong)

You may be surprised to think that someone could leave live in Green Bay, Wisconsin (population 100,000) with the intent of finding life balance in cities of millions of people.  But, the truth is, that was a factor in our decision to leave and it actually happened.  

First, let's look at the work to family to self ratio in Green Bay.  I was working at a full time job of teaching three classes (totally over 90 students) and running the International Baccalaureate Program as coordinator.  I brought work home every night and spent about 10 -15 hours per week working beyond my 40 hours. I had a six year old and a nine year old at home.   I had very little time for myself but managed to walk 30 minutes a day in the morning and work out at the YMCA about 2 - 3 times per week.  My husband and I found ways to do occasional date nights.  

Now let's look at Korea.  I had a full-time position with 4 classes totalling about 65 students.  I was also in charge of the Forensics program, which meant three trips with kids each season. My children were still young.  We took on a part-time helper who cleaned and did laundry for us each week.  My husband and I went on date nights with greater frequency.  I still walked every day and exercised 3 - 5 times each week.  I joined book club for the first time ever.  I had time to read, write a blog, and explore Seoul on the weekends.  I worked at home on school work about 10 hours on average each week. We vacationed as a family far more often and for longer stretches.

And finally, Hong Kong.  Here I worked at 80%, still with 4 classes.  I was responsible for around 70 students on average - sometimes less.  I brought work home about 7 hours per week outside of school. I again joined book club. My children were older, which in some regards was less work and in other regards just as much work or more.  In fact, with Adam's transition, I was sure to not work full-time so that I could maintain some healthy balance.  I took up playing the gong, continued to write and journal, added daily meditation, and continued walking each day, and read a lot.  Further exercise has fluctuated between 3 - 5 days per week.  Aside from the Covid-19 era, our family continued to vacation and travel during the several breaks at school. This final year, we hired a full-time live-in helper who cooks and cleans and grocery shops. 

Add to all of this the fact that in both Seoul and Hong Kong we had amazing access to both nature (hiking, walking trails, biking, etc along or near water and woods/mountains) and access to city (restaurants, entertainment of various kinds).  This, too, created its own balance.

I find the older I get the more I want to give to my family and myself and the less I want to give to my career.  I do the best I can and always have.  But, if I had to put money on it, I would say my life has had greater

balance in Asia.  I hope to take that balance with me as I return to Wisconsin older and maybe a bit wiser.

Thank you, Asia "Coffee Shop Culture" (56 days to go)

 I wasn't a coffee drinker when I arrived in Seoul.  And I am surprised I left the same way.  Why?

In Seoul, there are multiple coffee shops on the same block.  In Korean culture adults and students work hard and long hours.  In order to stay awake and energized, they also drink a lot of coffee.  It is not unusual to find three coffee shops right next to each other - all full with customers.  In 2019 there were more than 76,000 coffee shops in South Korea - more per capita than Seattle.  And so we found ourselves caught up in the coffee culture from time to time, too.  In my case, I would order tea.  

Our favorite coffee shop in Bundang.  We would go here for breakfast.

Upon moving to Hong Kong we noticed far fewer franchise options.  Here there is mostly Starbucks and Pacific Coffee to choose from, although you can find smaller, privately owned places too.  Having been a British Colony until 1997, tea is far more popular here than Korea and therefore more widely available. (But that is a different blog).  

Pacific Coffee in Central on the corner of Lyndhurst and Hollywood.

Adam absolutely loved the coffee culture in both places, but while living in Hong Kong he was old enough to go to a coffee shop alone.  This he would do with some regularity, announcing his intention with "I'm heading into the city to go to a coffee shop and work."  Somehow this always had an edge of "I'm a grown up doing grown up things" attached to it.  And why not?  

As for me, I usually head to Starbucks when I am given a gift card from a student.  I like to order the "Chai Tea Latte, hot, tall."  Unfortunately, with Covid I think every shop is out of Chai Tea due to shipping issues or something.  

Oh, and have I mentioned that we actually have a Starbucks on our high school campus? True fact! It is open Monday - Friday now for breakfast and lunch.  And because our apartment building is also on campus, this means that I literally live 90 seconds from a small Starbucks.  There is nothing better than sitting in front of a big window, overlooking the view of Tai Tam Bay while sipping on a Chai Tea Latte.

Thank you, Korea and Hong Kong for all of the coffee shop memories. Cheers!

Thank you, Asia "Giant Insects" (57 days left in Hong Kong)

A-bug! in Thailand

 My parents will be the first to tell you the story of when I was little and nearly killed my grandmother because I was so scared of a bug.  She didn't know that the reason I was grasping at my heart with a terrified look and speaking incoherently was not, in fact, a heart attack, but a terrified little Brenda who had seen a "bug-a-bug-a-bug-a-bug!"

Imagine my joy moving to Hong Kong where everything seems to be oversized!  Including the spiders, my biggest phobia of all.  Strangely enough, I believe in some ways I have had to face my fears and thus have overcome them, thanks to Hong Kong.  

In addition to Giant Orbs there are giant walking sticks, huge praying mantis, cicadas, ants and lovely, butterflies.  The mosquitos are smaller than back at home in Wisconsin.  And we rarely encounter flies.  But, as you know, the Asian Bees are potentially killers. (Did I mention I react quite poorly to bee stings?)

Two praying-mantis insects "in sex"

This cutey was on our campus

A giant walking stick near our home.  They come in green, brown, and gray.

A lovely butterfly on our campus

One time I was taking a picture of what I thought was a dead giant spider on the ground - rather close up, I may add - and upon stepping away was entirely startled when the darn things scampered up its thread into a tree overhead.  Woohooy!

I thought this was dead!

Of course, I have run into even MORE giant insects while traveling.  Along with the first photo, here are a few pictures from an insect attraction in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

A giant preserved dung beetle (Thailand)

A giant living moth (Thailand)

Thank you, Asia, for introducing me to another world of insects.  I think!

Photos by © Brenda Brayko.  All rights reserved.

Thank you, Asia "Wild pigs" (58 days to go)

 For five years, we were entertained by butterflies and kites and giant spiders.  Then one day I was out for a walk near home and I saw a wild momma pig and 5 tiny babies literally walking on the sidewalk ahead of me!  I kept my distance but managed to get a bit of video of the momma and one piglet after the others scampered up the hill.

Thus began a love-hate relationship with the pigs in our neighborhood.  At first we thought they were cute, hanging out on the hillside, eating plants, sleeping, and curious about people but not too much.

But before long, humans decided it was a good idea to feed them.  Thus began the issues with pigs and more pigs - generations of pigs - unafraid of humans, walking in the street with us, toward us, or next to us in search of food.  

And search they did.  For about a year and a half, every morning walk I took consisted of picking up garbage that had been strewn the night before by pigs forcing their way into public garbage cans.  After months and months of this (and an ever-growing issue with garbage, in general due to the pigs), the city installed "pig-proof" public garbage cans.  I can say, even one of those was destroyed by the feisty, hungry pigs.  

Most of the time they were docile enough, but I did have a scare once when a mother and three babies surrounded me looking for food.  Rigby was no help!

Well, something has happened to the pigs.  They have all been gone now for a few weeks.  Or, I thought that was true until I spotted one, lone, fat adult near our school again.  

I truly didn't think I would move to Hong Kong and find wild pigs in my neighborhood!  But, that is what makes life so interesting - the unexpected surprises.  Thank you, Asia. 

Photos and video by © Brenda Brayko.  All rights reserved.

Thank you, Asia "There are cars, then there are cars." (59 days left in Hong Kong)

Cars. Trucks. Vans. Motorcycles.  Vehicles on the road.  

Here in Hong Kong on the South Side of Hong Kong Island (home to some of the richest people on the planet) we see quite a few high end, highly expensive vehicles.  Tesla. Ferrari. Maserati. All far more common here than anywhere else.  Not long ago, I was dared to ask the cost of a McLaren at the dealership.  Apparently, it costs around $1000000 USD. 

Photo taken today near our home.

Inquiry at the McLaren dealership.

For a few years, we even owned an old BMW convertible. 

Our new car owners driving away.

There are more motorcycles on the roads now than there used to be. And there are no boats being towed, ever.  Far more common are large vans driven by the family driver toting their employer (or their kids) around.  However, what is most common, are the red taxis. 

And then there was this on display at K11.   I don't quite know what it is supposed to be. . . 

Parking can be an adventure.

Photos by © Brenda Brayko.  All rights reserved.