給六年後的我

2016年10月 寫咗封給十年後的我, 定下咗一啲目標:

1) 我好希望可以喺美國city government做三年環保/ 能源工作, 唔得就去英國做
✓ 喺倫敦做咗一年環保工作。雖然現職教任，但仍然希望終日再戰改善環境

2) 我想pick up返結他, 有一日搞個屬於自己嘅音樂會
✗ 計劃於2022年5月舉行

3) 我想學跳舞, hip hop, salsa, lindy hop都正到喊
✓ 已學成基本 lindy hop/ swing! 

4) 我想參與至少一次三項鐵人 (但係自由式有待改善…)
✓ 自學自由式成功。2019年8月參加咗sprint triathlon 

5) 我好想三十前做一個職業足球員 (我知好發夢)
✗ 呢層就。。。

6) 遇到鍾意嘅人要去馬! 我感覺到你已經出現左 🙂 不過睇下將來我會去邊再考慮啦
✓ 近年來鍾意過嘅人，都已鼓起勇氣表過晒白。無憾

7) 在職學習: 不論係做環境好, 定係真係做hostel. 因為太多野唔識太多野要學喇. 其中一樣係web design. 如果學成可以一邊做野, 一邊環遊世界
✓ 今年自學意大利文同埋 python 

8) 發展事業, 儲多少少再backpack
✓ 自己教嘅網上中文班總算上咗軌道。但仍須努力!
✗ 再backpack就唔知會唔會，或者唔知幾時

以下係下兩年、五年、同十年嘅bucket list
幾日前print咗出嚟，索性po埋喺度

Adding a bit of secret to my life goal – _______________ friends to wedding

Next update will be on 1 July 2022!  😀

Now’s let’s get to work!

Learning British English at the “Best View in the World”

It’s been 6 years since I embarked by journey to Central and South America. 6 years! I realized I didn’t blog about my short stay in Colombia in October- November 2014. Here is an interesting encounter with a friend from Manchester.

I thought my English was decent growing up in Hong Kong. When I first came to America, I couldn’t catch up. After 2 years, it became second nature. Years later, I met a friend in a hostel, as backpackers do, who’s from Manchester, with some interesting British accent. A group of 5 decided to go to the “best view of the world” rock.

After about 2-3 hours form Medellin and a hike- here is the rock we are looking for. On top of it, apparent there’s the best view of the world.

 

That’s some steep climb

 

My newly met friend Sam in red tank

Not gonna like, it’s steep

 

When we were up there, Sam asked “so, how did you find it?”

I was like ” um…  how? … did I find what?” Nobody in America has said that to me, so I didn’t understand.

He saw my extremely confused face, and added “what do you think?”

Ah.

I promise, the view is 10 times better than this picture. I don’t have another one for now.

Here is our little gang, where we never see each other again lol.

And here is a little tour of my trip in Medellin. I was blown away by the free walking tour! Took the cable car in town and had a famous cake there I believe. It’s been 6 years so I forgot the details. Also remember trying Bandeja Paisa later in the trip!

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Learning “Interesting” British Culture

When I moved to England in November 2016, I was already expecting cultural shocks. From the moment on the train from Gatwick to London Victoria station, hearing the Queen’s English, when a lady was saying “Can I give you a ring later?” with an elegant, British accent, I laughed, not that I am mocking at them, but I knew it was a start of something. Something interesting.

After working at an environmental NGO for over a year, I further understand what people meant by British culture.

Let’s rewind and let me tell you what British people say confused me the first few months I was here. Now I realize it is just normal and what they use in their everyday life.

You alright?

Growing up in Hong Kong and having spent a few years in the United States, hearing this phrase for the first time sounds like “Are you freaking all right?”, as if I am acting weird, wasn’t wearing pants walking on streets or I was beaten up by someone and have bruises on my face.  I also don’t know what to respond either. Am I supposed to say, ” I am alright?” I honestly don’t know. :p

How did you find it?

I am taking it too literally. When I was on a trip to Piedra del Penol near Medellin, Colombia, after we climbed a short hike to the top of a lookout point, a friend from Manchester asked, “how did you find it?”  Then I was thinking “hmmm… was I supposed to be looking for something? Does he mean in what ways do I find something?”  He saw my confusing face and added, “what do you think?” Ahh…

After spending a year in at this company ( I appreciate and I am thankful I am surrounded by really friendly colleagues, which made my transition to the country a lot easier:D ), I have come across many phrases that show how polite British people are. I honestly think these phrases are fine, but it could have different meanings more than they sound. I also think people in general say these to show politeness and professionalism, regardless of where they are from.

You must visit my grandparents. / You must come for dinner.
If you just say it to be nice, f*ck that.

Adding “if that’s okay” at the end of a request
e.g.  I am running late. Can we meet at 12:15 pm, if that’s okay?
If I say it is not okay, does that mean you will change your mind and be on time again? F*ck that.

Using “kindly” in a request
e.g. Can I just kindly ask you to respond to that?
Sounds like “Can you just fu*cking respond to that?” If you are kind, you show it by what you do. Rephrase it. Just like a humble person would not be broadcasting on the radio saying “Hey I am a humble person.” So just go right to the point in a sincere way.

I can’t complain; I am not pointing fingers; I don’t want to an asshole
(edit July 2020 lol: no complaints, no offence, I don’t mean to be rude)
That means you are.

Interesting 
When things get tricky, confusing, or when it comes to things that are ridiculous or boring, “interesting” is not the right word to use.
If you hear British people say “that is an interesting point”, don’t be happy too soon. :p It might mean you are absolutely ridiculous.

I understand that sometimes it is nice to use euphemism and to show politeness, but it is also cool to get a balance between that and being your genuine self.  It might just be me…

貳零壹柒年肆月捌日

返咗呢份工一個月

好唔慣 好唔慣

成Team人個個都好好

搵唔返喺香港兩星期果團火

其實係有喺度

份工係好有意義 要學嘅野都好多 好多複雜嘅電腦System 成個公司點run 佢地話正常三個月先上手

可能自己要求太高 有野唔識好正常 但係俾自己壓力太大

開頭以為自己好掂啦 入到外國公司做野 Interview都完全將自己最好嘅一面展現

入到黎先發現自己根本同”英國人”完全冇聯係 除咗係英藉外 對英國一無所知

感覺自己完全係個Outsider

同Team勁多女仔 又冇壞嘅lol 不過成班女人 加上文化差 加上我慢熱底 好難好難融入 都唔知幾耐先渾得熟

上次返香港我好興奮 超Social 勁鍾意講野傾計 覺野中英Spanish都冇話唔得 我直頭信心爆棚到覺得冇野係achieve唔到

宜家果股氣勢冇哂 可能面對新沖擊係需要D時間….

第一年去 VU 同班香港人都用左成年先熟

喺美國生活俾咗個機會我重新發掘自己，但係唔通真係返返香港先展現到我自己最好最自然嘅一面？

我真係唔知為乜又要用時間適應唔屬於自己嘅地方。係咪為左安穩d嘅生活？

宜家生活算係穩定左，亦都做緊自己鍾意做嘅野，但係突然又覺得缺少咗d野。

近排教廣東，用沖上雲霄1教，逐句台詞解釋(廣東話真係非常非常之咁有趣 可以寫十個blog), 今次睇第三次喇。

好想隻手快D好返。。。宜家每日都rehab…. 希望六月可以開始游水，向我嘅目標繼續行

人生Trade-off 點

人生做嘅決定就係不停咁取捨

之前同法國人傾計，引伸到思考如果第日有小朋友，會將佢放啲邊成長。放喺香港同外國各有利弊，稍後逐一討論。

之前我考慮去邊做野生活，香港美國英國，取捨位岀奇地同將小朋友放邊成長相似。

首先諗下小朋友放喺邊度大好。放喺外國嘅話，點都會個童年開心，至少輕鬆d。當然都要睇係咩家長。Asian American 家庭大有虎在。喺美國讀書識嘅Asian American, 大部份人都同Asia大嘅Asian唔同樣。總之一睇就好大機會睇得岀。美國人影相通常都會好開心，露晒齒笑。相反, Asian Asian通常都唔知做乜總係收收埋埋。又好似好多煩惱咁。重點係，小朋友應該俾佢地自由發展所長，外國應該唔會操tsa, 制造一班唔用腦嘅低能兒童(包括我自己在內haha)。

放喺外國大，自然就係個外國人。中文好可能冇咁好。父母同子女喺同一地方已經會有文化溝，再加上唔同地方成長，會岀現更深層嘅溝通障礙。喺纽西蘭大嘅親戚，個媽媽話d 仔女睇電視笑，佢都唔明。仔女話解你聽都唔明架喇。同樣tvb gag位，仔女都未必明哂。講緊呀媽已經英文fluent ，去到某個位都會有個填補唔到嘅cultural溝。我以前美國個roommate同佢由廣東黎嘅媽媽打親電話都ai哂交咁，基本上聽得岀呀仔都表達唔到英文想講嘅野。呀媽呀仔傾計就冇左果種深層次，入肉嘅交流。

放喺香港佢地就會做返香港人，識返香港中華文化，但係今時今日，放喺香港第日都未必會同我講廣東…. 可以考慮Home school, 或者唔Q生算數：0

之前諗喺邊做野都有取捨…. 外國生活會快樂D, 可以脫離香港嘅工作環境。但係我冇諗過，我根本唔遲於美國，亦唔屬於英國。我花咁多時間融入唔係做唔到，而係到頭來，家只有一個。外國中餐屎一碟都舊幾水，真係食屎好過。即使香港政治環境有幾壞，其他野冇幾差，人有幾mean, 我都想終有一日返黎 。可能都係隔黎飯香，失去左先覺得好。所以我宜家要盡量爭取同享受喺外國做野。雖然宜家真係好難適應。但係我相信我會做到。喺外國至少有條件講理想。喺香港所有人都太現實。