Did he jump...?

I just came across a news article which quite easily sums up how different cultures act in situations. Click here for the story.

bx

Ideas

So when I leave Hong Kong in July and travel Southeast Asia, then up through China, Russia and then Europe back to Britian I will be starting another blog. Possibly co-owned with Nikki and Laura as they will be coming with me for the China and Russia bit.

I need to think of a name for this new blog. Ideas would be appreciated.


bx

The great debate

When I offered to be a judge for a secondary school debate I expected it to be a small deal. Let me now illustrate how wrong I was

• I thought it would take place in a classroom > It took place in the massive school hall


• I thought there would be only 40 students present > There was a 140 strong audience


• I was dressed in jeans and trainers > My fellow judge was a government representative


• I thought it would be easy > I needed a degree just to know how to fill out the score card


• I thought I would leave at the end > I had to give a speech

To say I was caught off guard is the understatement of the week. I did knock out a pretty good speech at the end though. I spoke about how debating is not just something for the classroom but something that will benefit students in their future. I mentioned that I find myself debating everyday with my boss and that if you can be persuasive and structured in an argument then it will be a valuable life skill.

After I made my speech I proceeded to feel like wise old man and ran to the bathroom to check for grey hairs.

Then. As if my day could not get any weirder. I returned back to Wan Chai and found a woman in a wedding dress handing out packs of tissues. It was not a promotional event for tissues or anything else that I could see. She was just handing them out.

bx

Haunting

Yesterday my boss turned to me and asked if I would like her to visit me after she has died to let me know if there is an afterlife...I turned down the kind offer of haunting.

I visited an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong called 'Shatin' the other day. I was going to a school and on the way walked past some massive residential buildings.

It's not till you look at how everyone lives on top of each other that you realise that Swine Flu, Bird Flu or Man Flu would sweep the entire region quicker than fire.

bx

Photo of the week

This photo below shows Hong Kong from the sky taken from the West and looking East. It's a cool shot and is currently my computer wallpaper. Click the image to make it larger.




I can't take credit for this photo. It was taken by someone who only has a username: "Starspangled". Wish I could give more credit but that's all I know!

bx

When the girls get together...

I came into the office this morning and found a CD on my desk. It contained a video. You can see the video by clicking here

bx

Birthday

I am now 25 and am pleased to say there is no 25 panic to be found. Celebrations for my birthday started at work where I was treated to a dim sum lunch and given a cake.



I then had a dinner later that day near my flat in wan chai and after playing some drinking games we all headed out to Lang Kwai Fong where I got thoroughly drunk.

The next morning I went dragon boat racing. Sitting in the baking sun with about 15 other people and having to race against another boat whilst being shouted at by a Chinese instructor is just what I needed with a hangover.

It was my first experience dragon boat racing and it is much harder than it looks! The instructor was quite a character, he would walk up and down the boat shouting at us if our technique was wrong or we were not in unison with the other members in the boat. He also called one girl a "silly little white girl" told one guy that he looked "like a male prostitute" and told everyone to be careful not to splash a female member of the team because "she is a rich girl and will not be used to it". This made us all fall about laughing because the girl he was talking about was indeed a rich girl whose family is paying 1,500 quid a month just for rent whilst she takes part in the programme! It was a good observation.

At the end of two hours training I was in pain. I have two large blisters on my hand, my shoulders are stiff and I can't clench my right fist. I think that I will get involved in a dragon boat team one day but I will NEVER go drinking beforehand.

bx