Starfish Bay

Wu Kai Sha MTR exit A
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Along the same road as Li Po Chun college. We took a taxi there but I believe it to be less than a 15 minute walk. There was no designated path that we took, we just turned to the right when we saw the water.
Prior to a visit check the tide status. You will want to visit on a low tide day.

Jane, Abby, Joanna, Joseph, Isaiah and Sammy. Elliot not pictured.

Bethany and Ping.
Ping was the one who showed us how to get here. 

Hungry? Sea Cucumber the black blob in the sand is a popular menu item in China.

A really beautiful day.

We saw lots of little crabs along with the starfish. A fun outing for all.

ONE YEAR

We have called Hong Kong home for One year. As an adult one year doesn't always show much change, but we can see the change in the kids. Not only in their appearance but of course in their age and behavior.
Jane has learned to ride a bike, lost 4 teeth and has come into her own sense of humor and personality. Elliot stopped sucking his thumb, is learning to read and we think has found laughter contagious enough to be the class clown.



2009



2010





I remember my first two weeks at our place in Ma On Shan. If I went two stops on the subway with the kids by myself it was a big day for me. Being in a crowded place and very aware that I could not understand a single word spoken around me . Walking through an outside market and seeing headless fish wiggling on a table. Waking up to the view over the Tolo Harbor and seeing the mountains.
I still wake up to a small mountain view in our home in Tai Po, I can venture out on a bus, taxi and a train with the kids. The foreign language spoken all around me is now a familiar hum I hear on a crowded subway, and sometimes I recognize a word or two. I am grateful for all the people that have come to be our friends in our short time. As it happens in Hong Kong, some have already moved on to other places. To have friends who call different countries and different continents there home is a privilege. But more than the rich experience friendships from different cultures brings, they have been a a great comfort, on the days when I miss family and friends. Although living in Hong Kong is exciting and allows us an unique experience, I would not be able to call it home without those people who have welcomed us into their lives.



A YEAR IN PICTURES




Typhoon Molave kept me up till 3 am and did quite a bit of damage

Macau

Disney

Ocean Park

Harbin

Guillin


Japan

Ping Chau

The visit from Mike and Jodie, Chas and Katie, Shane and Shanda was the best of the year.


As our 11 month contract has come and gone. It looks as though we will be calling Hong Kong home for two more years. Anything can happen and that could change, but for now that is path we are taking.
The separation from friends and family is difficult, but I find a lot of peace in making this decision and see God's hand in it. Thanks for sharing our journey with us through this blog, it has helped me feel closer to those who are far away and has helped acquaint me with new people.

First days Horizon Suites Ma on Shan

One of the biggest adjustments that comes with moving across the ocean is the time difference.
In this case a 12 hour time difference.
 Our second day in the serviced apartment and it is obvious we are going to need some household items. The first part of this post could be called, 
what not to do the first week you move across the world.
 Don't take your two small children to IKEA where you shop for 4 hours when their body is telling them it it time to sleep.
Why should we have not done that?
1.We don't own a car
2.we don't know the bus route 
3. We had no idea how much a taxi would cost and were not comfortable hailing one down and asking. 

 So what did we do? We carried two very sleepy kids and three bags- the giant plastic blue bags and some smaller ones. We carried them from the train station to the 13 minute walk to our apartment. We must have been a sight. Elliot precariously perched on Nathan's shoulders, dozing in and out, drooling on his head. My hands were numb from the plastic bag cutting off my circulation, by the time we arrived. 

Other Jet lag fun. 
 Elliot woke up at 3 am and came into our room complaining that Jane wouldn't play "trouble"
(the board game) with him.

Getting in shape:
It isn't all genetics that the Hong Kong natives are usually thin. It has to do with walking. 
 We probably walk more in one day than I would an entire week at home. My legs are still adjusting to the walking and so are Elliot's.  It can wear you out at the end of the day. But I will be thankful for the regular exercise.

The view outside our 16th floor apartment, overlooking Tolo Harbour. 

Another adjustment is no dryer. It isn't uncommon for people in Hong Kong to not own a dryer. Although more modern apartments and housing are being built with the idea of installing them.
In this picture of our living room space you can see towels hanging up to dry. Our hotel does have a coin operated dryer, but it can get expensive using it too much. The problem with just hanging the clothes is that in the very humid, wet climate of Hong Kong they don't dry very fast. We were told that people use dehumidifiers in a small room and hang clothes. Of course most people hang their clothes out to dry, but we are not allowed to do that here. 

The vanity area located outside the bathroom. That white appliance is my washing machine, it has labels in french on it. I just guess.  We do have a bathtub which is also something not commonly found in a typical HK home. 









Located right off the living area is my kitchen. You can see  my silver pot and my kettle.  We begin using an electric kettle after our visit to the Sills in England and have found it as necessary as a toaster or to some as a microwave.  We have been eating a lot of ramen, and sandwiches.  Now days finding an oven in a Hong Kong home isn't that uncommon but in the past it would have been.  Not a lot of baking in their traditional cooking. More steaming and frying.  I have two burners on an electric stove. I finally bought a skillet so I now own two cooking vessels. 
Until our shipment with our items from the States come in, we will make do.  It has been quite the adventure so far.