I will miss...

I will miss the fabulous people here who have made the Hong Kong adventure so much more fun. The playgroup crowd and all the people who are so supportive of Hoss and the guys. It has made this a pleasant place...but enough of that...as sincere as it is, it sounds cheesy to say.
I will miss the adventure you can find in every day. Even just a trip downtown can be fun when you turn down a side street and find a random store filled with trinkets or a wall of jewellery. You wouldn't believe the amount of markets here. There is one for beads, one for flowers, ribbons, jade, fake designer brand names, toys, furniture...you name it they will have a section of the city set aside for millions of overwhelming choices to be haggled for. And even if you take a wrong turn you will only find a better place. Once I went out the wrong train exit trying to find the ribbon market and poof I found a place with old, replica coins and hanging things:) There is always something to be discovered here. Of course it is much easier with Ash in school, because Brielle is so much more willing to be dragged along with the bribe of an ice cream than Ash is. Also, she still manages to fit in our backpacks so I can put her in there and she is safe and happy and good for 3+ hours.
I will also miss the smells. Hong Kong is translated literally into "fragrant harbour". Everywhere you go there is a unique smell that goes along with the area you are in. Soho has the smell of food and makes you think of a hip, swanky place. Downtown is dominated by the smell of pollution and the push of crowd that swells to an unmanageable pace during the lunch hour. Brielle, the poor thing, hates this time because she is purse level and constantly gets whacked by peoples purses in the crowd. Most the time I just end up picking her up to avoid it. Causeway bay has the smell of the ocean mixed with pollution. Bowen road smells of the jungle and pollution...Do you see a trend:) but anyhow, I do love the smells!

Pollution takes up every aspect of our lives. When I first moved here and read the reports I figured it couldn't be that bad...but it is. As of October the girls bodies are done with it. Brielle's nose drips on a regular basis and she has a cough most of the time. Speaking of which, during this time I ave managed to find both menthol and strawberry scented kleenex:) Both girls get high (102-104) fevers at least once a month and Ashlynn's tummy hurts a couple times a week. When the index is high they don't even recommend us to go outside. I think our bodies have just broken down and need fresh air. Even wiping down the TV a couple times a week yields a layer of black on the rag. Yet, I think Hoss has the worst of it though, he has to PT in it and some days comes back from his runs and spend the next two hours coughing and feeling awful. I was told that there are three things that makes this a ripe atmosphere to get sick in.
1. It never gets cold enough to kill viruses and is the perfect temperature/humidity to incubate them and keep them going.
2. The population is so dense that we are in close contact with people on a regular basis, especially the elevators.
3. The pollution aggravates the back of your throat and mouth so it is more susceptible to germs.
But back to what I'll miss.
The temples.
I've talked to lots of people from around Asia and they are sick of the temples. I love the temples! I could never see enough. There are tons. At least one or two can be found in any area and they are just beautiful and so inspiring. It makes me want to study their religions just to see what motivates the harmony found in their buildings. I am constantly in conflict with my feelings when I visit these places though because Christianity lacks the grandeur and peace that these buildings invoke. I know that we are supposed to get our comfort and center from inside and look to the Lord for our reward, but the places that I visit just give such a better head start in the mood department than a regular North American church. Even in Europe the regular Christian churches are so much more inspiring. They are buildings whose very walls have become museums over the years; a place where the ordinary tourist, without a religious affiliation, can walk in and feel a presence. Thailand had a definite edge on the temple department but Hong Kong is not far behind in their more demure temples. I will miss the temples.
I will also miss the cultural festivals. They are filled with exotic shows and lights of weird animals. During any holiday season every mall has some enormous exhibit set up, with a bizarre take on the meaning, that people will line up to get their picture taken in front of. For example, at The Peak right now for Chinese New Year (CNY) there is a 20 foot circular, separated bowl with all of the individual CNY foods (dyed pumpkin seeds, sesame cookies, nuts...) that are each huge and it has a furry white ball with legs sticking out of it that guards it?! Yeah, I know I should really go take a picture. And these are everywhere! It's just fun to see and the displays are always changed out to something more creative than the last. You just can't see that in America.
I will miss the diversity here.
Walking through the city you can hear at least four different languages spoken in any short trip and you can get any kind of delicious food from any ethic category. We love the food! The girls are great they have learned that a weeks menu can include Philippino pancit, Thai green curry, Japanese sushi or curry, Spaghetti, Dimsum, Chinese dumplings and they'll eat any and all of it. I have learned to cook most of it and where to find any of it in the wet markets (which are full of vendors selling fruits, veggies and freshly killed meat).
The safety.
After Tunis this place was the best thing for my sense of safety. It is a great, safe place to be. I can walk anywhere, during anytime and be fine. Mind you, I still carry my pepper spray and pocket knife everywhere but it's best to over prepared than in trouble. Also, Ash's school is awesome in this area. You have to get buzzed in to open the front and only entrance. It is small and the teachers and staff know every child and caregiver. I don't worry about what can happen to her there. As much as I have hated the lack of education in her Waldoff Steiner school the atmosphere and her confident socialization have been amazing. Boy is she in for a change when she moves to public school! Do you know there are six pedophiles within a 2 mile radius of our new address? Terrifying!
My Cushy Life!
I love my location. They spoil us in this house. It is in the middle of the city and huge. Not only that, but for $20 a week I get a sweet lady to come and thoroughly clean my house. In 3 hours she has it sparkling and smelling good. So every week is a fresh start. She even irons! Even better, in Hong Kong everything can be delivered. Since we don't have a car this is wonderful. I can order my groceries online and they will come to my front door the next day or I can go into the store and buy everything and they will box it up and deliver it for free within a couple hours! Believe me, I know how lucky I am:) I will miss this.
There is so much I love about this place. I sometimes wish we could go on like this forever overseas, but the thing that we would miss out on is family. I really miss my family and it will be really nice to be where my girls can see them on a more regular basis.
Coming tomorrow: Things I wont miss...