As has been custom for me during this summer, I woke at 11:30 on Saturday. And after refusing to eat out with my parents (I was so sick of eating out), my brother and I spent the early afternoon at home. And then my parents came back, and LilBro and I went to Aunt K's for the weekend. When we got there, 1st Uncle was at Aunt K's, trying to fix the main door (which had been acting weirdly for a while). Anyways, Aunt K and I went to the marketplace and bought noms for dinner while leaving LilBro to stay with 1st Uncle in case he needed assistance. But when we came back, there was someone else who had come to help because 1st Uncle couldn't figure it out. So while the handyman person was fixing the door (and while 1st Uncle and Aunt K watched and while LilBro played on the computer), I took down the clothes which had been out to dry and folded them. And so 1st Uncle saw and said that I was very helpful and polite -- too polite. He said that if I ever get married, my wife would take advantage of me. (Haha.)
Anyways, the door eventually got fixed, and all was well. And so we had gado-gado (Indonesian salad in a ginger-peanut sauce) for dinner, and LilBro and I went to Mass.
When we came back, LilBro headed back to the computer, and Aunt K and I went outside to do some qigong and jogging. When we came back, Zalu and Peggie were already back, which was surprising -- it was only 11:15. (But in all fairness, LilBro said that they had only arrived a few minutes before we did.)
Since we had done qigong (which makes you really thirsty, I've come to learn), Aunt K and I had some cold Taiwan guava (yum) and starfruit (so juicy!!!). And then Uncle Kau came back (he's got night shifts this month). And all was happy.
-----Sunday, August 2-----
In the morning, Aunt K and I left to do qigong at about the same time as Zalu and Peggie were going out to go sea-swimming (though they were slower, haha). We took the bus this time, which required a bit of walking in order to reach the park. So by the time we got to the area where they do qigong, we were already a bit sweaty (the typhoon was coming at this point). And so, we did qigong in the mercilessly sweltering weather, which was brutal. (Extremely brutal.) We became so thirsty that we had to stop by for fresh juice (I had grapefruit; Aunt K had starfruit) before going for cold tea elsewhere. And then when we got back to Tsing Yi, we each had at three cups of Ribena (we add water to it, though. Even the regular kind is too sweet). And even after my shower, I was still dying. Intense, intense, intense qigong.
But anyways! LilBro and I watched movies all afternoon while Aunt K, who was inexplicably exhausted (we suspect that it was because Zalu took too long in the bathroom the night before and therefore prevented Aunt K from using it 'til 12:30), rested. Then we all went to Tsuen Wan at 7 for dinner with my mom's side of the family. Big Aunt, 3rd Uncle, Hei Hei, Aunt K, 4th Uncle, Katie, Mom, LilBro, and I were present. The food wasn't really to my taste, so I didn't eat much of it. But we did (very happily) go out for dessert afterwards at a nearby dessert place.
-----Monday, August 3-----
I woke at Aunt K's to find that everyone had gone already, haha. So LilBro and I were left to tend to ourselves, which as fine by me. We watched some movies before I went to 4th Uncle's to help Katie with her English (progression of tenses and comprehension) at the request of 4th Uncle. I tutored her from 2 to 5, but she was pretty good at her work. After I finished, I met LilBro at the Tsing Yi MTR station so that the two of us could go home.
-----Tuesday, August 4 --- until --- Friday, August 7-----
I stayed at home for the whole week, basically. I was doing college stuff all week -- signing up for interviews, writing lists of stuff I need to do with Cec, and checking subject tests.
Therefore, I was inside the apartment all weekend, sadface.
-----Saturday, August 8-----
It was a good day. Aunt K came over to help us with cleaning. And so my mom and I went shopping at the 24-hour Wellcome to buy food and candy (for me to bring back to the States); of note, we bought Toasted Almond ice cream from Edy's (which I had never seen in the U.S. before).
When the cleaning ended, Aunt K, LilBro, and I went out to do some exploring since my dad (who had just come home from a business trip on Friday night) wanted to take a nap. So the three of us just went to some open-air markets and walked. And then we went to Sogo to just look around. And then we went to dinner with some family friends (Lorraine and Elaine). The three of us arrived half an hour early, so we walked around in the plaza for a while first. We got there and, after a bit of confusion over reservations, went to our table. Then Mom and Dad got there. Elaine soon arrived, and all were present when Lorraine arrived about 15 minutes after.
It was nice to have dinner with them. :) They're lovely people. I tried salty-egg shrimp for the first time, which is shrimp that has been coated in the yolk of a salted egg (this is a preserved duck egg which has been left to sit in brine or charcoal and salt) before being deep-fried.
-----Sunday, August 9-----
My parents went to Lamma Island for Mass, which I had also planned to do. However, LilBro and I went to local Mass so that we could make it to Lai Chi Kok for lunch (you'll see why). We met Vivian and Grant at the Causeway Bay station (though they were a tad late) and went to Lai Chi Kok together, where we found our way to Pizza Hut. And there before us was a multitude of family to celebrate LilBro's birthday (which was August 8th).
There were:
- Older Joey (1st Uncle's oldest daughter), her husband (whose English name escapes me), and Christy (her daughter).
- Sara, Eric (Sara's husband), Denise, and Nathan.
- "Fun" (1st Uncle's third daughter), her huband (English name?), and her two kids.
- Big Aunt, Garfield (her oldest son), Alex (her second son), "Ga Leung" (her youngest son, whose English name escapes me). May (Alex's wife), and Aaron (Alex and May's son).
- Ada, Stanley (her husband), Marcus (her son).
- Vivian, Grant (her soon-to-be husband).
- Aunt K.
- Dad, Mom, LilBro, Me. (Mom and Dad were late.)
When it was 6:45, Mom, LilBro, and I went to the Yacht club in Causeway Bay for a family dinner with my dad's side of the family. It was nice to see everyone again before going.
-----Monday, August 10-----
I've forgotten.
-----Tuesday, August 11-----
I had lunch with Aunt K, Uncle Kau, and Joey's in-laws. (Joey is Aunt K's and Uncle Kau's daughter.)
After lunch, I met Hei Hei to go to the media convention (anime, manga, video games, toy figures, cosplaying, etc.). It was great even though we met at Mong Kok (wrong place) and traveled to Admiralty (wrong place again) before realizing that we were supposed to go to Central.
Anyways! I saw so many cosplayers, and there was so much to see at the stalls. It was fun to just walk around and see everything. I have many pictures, which I will (hopefully) upload at some point.
-----Wednesday, August 12-----
I went to afternoon tea with Aunt 4 (Uncle 4's wife) and her friend. We discussed college stuff for one or two hours (her friend wanted to ask about college options for her son who thinks he wants to study law).
-----Thursday, August 13-----
I wanted to go to Toy Street one last time, but it rained. So Dad, Mom, LilBro, and I went to a buffet lunch instead. It was pretty yummy, and I ate so much that I couldn't eat dinner. It was so delicious...
-----Friday, August 14-----
I decided that I couldn't afford to use the weather as an excuse to go to Toy Street. So I went even though it was raining and managed to finish off a good portion of my gift-list. (You should be happy, haha.) Then I went to Sara's to hang out. Denise had started school on Wednesday, so I played with Nathan until Sara went to fetch her. So I followed and managed to say my farewell to Denise before heading to the MTR station to meet with Hei Hei at the Kwai Fong Plaza. We walked for a bit before Aunt K joined us, and I finished all of my shopping. (And now I have to send gifts out... Or maybe I'll just wait 'til I'm back in MA.)
Then I went home for dinner. We had shrimp, yummy...
-----Saturday, August 15-----
Okay. So I had meant to stay awake all night so that I could just sleep on the plane. But I ended up falling asleep at 2 AM or so, and I got up at 6 so that Dad, Mom, LilBro, and I could make it to the 6:40 Mass. After Mass, we went to Fairwood for breakfast. And then we headed home so that I could finish with my packing (toiletries and my house slippers). Then we took the free shuttle to Central, where I checked in my luggage. (On the way to Central, we called Grandma (but she was still asleep), Auntie Regina, and Uncle Daniel.) And then we went down one floor to get to the station of the airport express. Just I got there, the train arrived. Because Central is the first station of the Airport Express/Asia-World Expo line, I had 10 minutes to spend with my family. My mom was crying, which was sad. And I was holding back the whole time. But when the train finally left (and I couldn't see Mom anymore), I started crying. And it was sad.
But then at Tsing Yi, I met up with Aunt K on the train. See, we had planned to meet at the airport via the MTR -- we would get off at the airport station and wait at the area near the head of the train. (But I warned her that if I didn't see her after 15 minutes of waiting, I would leave because I didn't have much time.) But luckily, I saw her enter the train cabin in front of me at Tsing Yi, so I headed up and sat with her. And we just talked.
Coincidentally, Aunt K's mobile rang as soon as I got off the train and onto the airport platform -- Ada was calling. So I talked to her, which made me start crying again. And so my voice was already shaking and cracking horribly when Aunt K told me that I should call everyone to say a farewell. I turned down the offer since there was really no point. I mean, I couldn't even get any words out -- it was all choking-noise anyways. But Aunt K insisted, and I agreed (even though it was pretty futile in my opinion). So I called Grandma (though she's not even Aunt K's mom) Vivian, Sara (no one picked up), Uncle 4 (who talked for a long time even though I kept telling him that I was short on time; I had just ten minutes until I had to pass security), Big Aunt, Uncle 3 (no one picked up), Uncle 3's wife (who picked up her phone. So I said my farewell, and she told Uncle 3 and Hei Hei to call me), Uncle 3 (who called), and Hei Hei.
And as I predicted, I was crying the whole time. So it was kind of awkward because I wasn't hysterical-crying; it was more like I'm-still-sane-but-I'm-just-crying crying.
But Uncle 3 was like, "Are you crying? No need to." So I was like, "Then why are you talking about it?" (Seriously, asking only makes someone cry more.)
And then Hei Hei repeated the same comments (like father, like daughter?), so I repeated my response.
Anyways, this whole mass-calling caused me to be really late; my dad told me to line up for the security check at 11:15 at latest, and it was aready 11:25. (My flight boarded at 12.) So I was like, "Aunt K, listen. I can't do any other calls -- I have to go."
So we made our way to the security line until we got to the entrance. She couldn't go in with me, so we began to say our farewell. I just looked at her and said, "I've really got to go." And then we looked at each other. As soon as we made eye-contact, we both started reaching for tissues because we started crying. But I ha to go, so I hugged her and jetted. And so some people were watching as I walked and cried in the line.
It was pretty smooth after passing security, even though I majorly power-walked in the airport so as to avoid being late for my flight.
On the flight, I managed to get bits of sleep in, but I found myself to be mostly restless during the 14-hour flight (thank the heavens for tailwind!) and watched the movies. (Star Trek was amazing, by the by.)
And then I got to Chicago (O'Hare) and looked at my watch. To my shock and horror, I had 25 minutes to pass "immigration" (I had my U.S. passport, so I could go to a faster, though still very long, line), go to the baggage claim, undergo a customs check, pass through security, take the tram, take the underground pathway (to get to my gate, which was in a different building), and arrive at my gate. Seriously, I had 25 minutes before my airplane took off (not until I could board). By the time I got to security, I had only 7 minutes. So I asked an employee if I could (PLEASE) get to a different place so as not to be late. Thankfully, he let me. And after two minutes of checking (seriously, the other guy was so mean...), I got my stuff and started running. And I ran for all of Building B until I got to the underground area. And I ran some more. And then I got to the escalator to get to Building C. And then I ran all the way to the end (I had gate C1). And then I arrived, sweaty and out-of-breath, at C1 at 4:41 on the dot. (Okay, so it was actually 4:41:21. But what's 21 seconds?)
But no one was there at C1. And I panicked. I asked the guys at C2 if the C1 flight had left. They just looked at each other and told me that there was an hour 'til the flight. I checked my watch and got conused. And then I realized that Chicago must be in a different hour time zone. And I looked at the clock on the wall. And indeed, I had an hour.
I WAS SO EMBARRASSED. I was red and sweaty because I had sprinted the whole time. (And I accidentally lied to bypass the queue to security!) OMIGH, I felt so stupid...
But otherwise, all was well. There were just 70 passengers on the plane, and the flight attendants were so nice (and funny). It was good.
And then I got to Pennsylvania, which will be my NEW HOME for these next years. However, I unfortunately did not receive all of my luggage, as one was still in Chicago (WTG, man???). So I signed a form for getting my suitcase back, and Cec (who came to pick me up) took my to the apartment. And we ended up Lysol-ing for the whole night (we're at 28 right now, but our unfurnished apartment is 22; so we just walked down and cleaned). I swear, we must have bred so much super-bacteria with all of our Lysol-ing.
-----Sunday, August 16-----
I went to Mass at the Cathedral, which is amazingly pretty. And then I got back. And so Cec and I went to our apartment and cleaned the whole day (with a break when we went to the supermarket to buy some more Swiffer pads, a bucket, some more gloves, and food supplies). We finished at about 7; it was an exhausting day, but we felt so accomplished.
-----Monday, August 17-----
Today, the moving company came today. And from 8 to 11, our furniture was shipped to us. And so Cec and I unpacked, constructed, moved, and arranged all that we could until 5:30. And then we went to the library to return some of her books (as she stuffed me with too much information on landmarks, street names, bus routes, etc.). And now I'm here at an internet cafe, cathcing up on my blogging. (Sorry.)
-----REFLECTIONS-----
Anyways, I miss HK. Seriously, I'm a minority again. And the streets go in opposite directions here. And the culture's so different. And there's so much space (and fewer crowds). And there's just... so much that I need to remember and take in.
But mostly, I miss my parents. Seriously, I can't see them everyday anymore... And I just... miss them. I guess it's true -- the young always want to be older, but growing up makes everyone wish to be young again.
Sigh.
August 17th
8:47 PM
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