2015年1月12日 星期一

Cultural Differences 3 - Speed - scenario 1

11 January 2015

They all disappeared in a few seconds!


"The tempo in Hong Kong is fast. Once we cross the border, we find everybody running." A new acquaintance said to me on the bus. They were donnguangers and we had a nice chat when they knew that I came from Hong Kong.

It was early morning when we set off from Chang Ping to Tang Xia. After listening to seven speeches- reports and talks about private schools of Dongguang City, the host said, "You will all visit our chain schools. In order to get everybody(more than 700 school heads and representatives of school organising bodies) to the schools and then the hotel where we shall have lunch on time and with no one missing, we shall send you by our school buses." In a few minutes, we boarded the school bus number 58. In ten minutes we were already inside a new kindergarten, with big posters of Montesori principles and concepts. In 20 minutes, we finished walking around the brand new campus with shiny stainless steel racks, pine shelves, and the  most modern plastic flooring, which kept me sneezing. 

In ten minutes we were seated round a table in the corner at the back of the massive dining hall. In 45 minutes, we saw some people in the next table leaving, and we sensed that it might be time to go, though there was no announcement. We three ladies were therefore among the first cohort of bathroom users. When we came out, I think it might be just 5 minutes later, to our surprise, the whole dining hall was dead quiet, without a single soul! 

We three ladies immediately found our way back to school bus number 58! Who dares to be the last one to board the bus! 

"This is real speed! How can we hongkongers evacuate with such speed?!!!  People just disappeared! " 



2015年1月9日 星期五

Cultural Differences 2

9 January 2015

I still can't get the return ticket!

This is the first pre lunar New Year I experience in China.

Colleagues have been struggling to get tickets for home online, which is a very complicated task. Most of them have failed and kept trying different routes.

"How much do you usually spend for your New Year homecoming?"

"20,000 at least."

"Wow! Do your whole family go on trips?"

"Oh, no. We have to visit relatives starting from the second day. Most of the money go to the seniors, the elderly, and the children. We have to give fat red packets, each holds 200 RMB. Fo r the seniors we usually give at least 3000 RMB. You know that's an important portion of their annual income."

"We spend half of our annual income for this homecoming."

"Hongkongers enjoy overseas family trips during this holiday. Hong Kong is quiet and peaceful during the New Year holidays."




2015年1月4日 星期日

Tin Shui Wai features- Kingswood Richly Plaza -New organic food shop 东北有机食品店

嘉湖新北江商场新店子一间一间的开了,
最引我注目的是地下这小店:

店长说:“我来自广州,这是黑龙江政府经营的特卖店。因为内地的食品信誉不好,来香港卖,经过香港捡测过关,建立品牌,再在内地打开市场”


 因为2002年我们到黑龙江玩, 走到少数民族新生乡,还住了一晚民宿,因此对黑龙江特别有感情





这不是药酒,是大豆油,可以烧菜





这是面包水,有面包enzime






美丽河畔


















2015年1月1日 星期四

Cultural Differences 1

2 January 2015


Episode 1

Where are the tables? 


One major highlight of the Open Day was a demonstration lesson by a young teacher using a HK brand online reading program - i-learner.com.hk. The venue was the Computer Room. The teacher in charge had given a finishing touch to the setting - with three tables in the middle of the lecture area. To my surprise, when the demo lesson was about to start, I found all the students cramped around just one table, instead of comfortably seated around three. This really put the academic head in panic. He flew around to dig out the missing ones. There's no time to find the cause of this chaos, but to resolve the problem so that teaching and learning could proceed, and visitors wouldn't be upset by this poor management. 

Up to this date, no one admitted committing the fault. What had really happened was not investigated. Things were taken away, or just moved from one place to another, 'not stolen', as long as it was not taken to somebody's home. Whether the action had been approved, or had caused other's inconvenience was unimportant. The important thing was: as far as my part was done, it was okay. I did it for the good of my department, which was also part of the school. 



This is the first snapshot of the cultural differences between  HK and mainland where I have been working as a school manager. Hopefully I can record my experiences for the reference of those who're considering venturing into China for a career on short or long term basis. 


Hong Kong getting better

31 December 2014

I boarded the train from Jordan to Mei Foo. It was about 9.oo p.m. Three people, two young men and one lady, in the same compartment gave seats to the pregnant, and the elderly. 

1 January 2015 

I boarded the bus 69M from Tin Shui Wai to Tsuen Wan. Two times I saw commuters giving seats to the needy. 

Every week I travelled between HK and Lowu. There is still a lot we can do to help travellers from other places to experience the culture of kindness in Hong Kong.