And so, I've always wanted to start a blog. My very own blog.
I've always wanted to write about something special. Just like losing virginity, everyone wants their very first time to be very special, magical and romantic. Starting my own blog would be the same. I've always wanted it to be special, magical, and maybe somewhat romantic.
So now I'm sitting here at aroma espresso bar, on my own on a Thursday afternoon in a high-end mall, Promenade (okay, I know its not high end but its decent enough), with my mint tea in a transparent glass. Just sitting here on my own, amongst many old people at the tables next to mine, I feel, relaxed. I take myself out of my hectic school life and pause for a while. I take a deep breath and look at everything that’s happening around me. But by just being at this cafe with my hot drink, kicking back relaxing, I now have a different perspective in life.
People around me are just zipping on their tea/coffee (mostly tea, only first-timers get coffee here at aromas), chatting about their daily happenings. At these places, you might think its noisy and disturbing, but actually you know what, its just all white noise to me. Why? Simply because I'm in Toronto, Canada. This is a place where different cultures meet. Everyone speaks different languages. Here at my table on my chair with my mint chai, I’m also floating on the sea bed of soft white noise (European languages). European languages tend to be very smooth, and when spoken softly, like most old European grandmothers would, might be even better than French music at a coffee shop.
Friends (Novy) ask me, if I get homesick easily because i practically have two homes, one here in Toronto, one back in Hong Kong. I would usually reply, “no, not really.” How do I keep myself from getting homesick? its simple, I think to myself that I'm on work travel all the time. Well, in fact, its true to some extent. I'm here in Toronto to study, and when I finish a semester, i go back home to Hong Kong and have fun! That’s why people I know in Hong Kong think all I do is play. While I'm in Toronto, I would do things like spend an hour or two at aroma cafe, or window shopping, or clean my house at home to pass time. Pass time, hmm, more like a lifestyle here. I try to do everything local people do here, and spend my time here just like how they would. Its a ways for me to experience and explore a different culture, in a different country. Doing things like these would make me feel I fit in and I'm a part of them. I make friends everywhere, by everywhere I mean at places where I spend my time, like at some retail store or cafe. I like to befriend waitresses and sales people. All I'm doing is to adapt to a different lifestyle, wherever I go.
Hmmm. The chocolate on the side brings the mint tea to a whole new level.
Edward O'Neill I.
23rd September, 2010
As your Toronto friend, all I can say is "wow"(Not WoW lol) for your first blog is very nicely done. I found it to be very poetic, but at same time it is an introduction to your anthropological experiences. And I think blog is great place to share your experiences - for you travel a lot and see places that not many do. Or if they do...they just don't appreciate or have your way of looking at things.
ReplyDeleteExperiences change people, make them more unique (which you are). I think its not just that you met other new people. But, its also about those people who met you and of how they seen you. I learn a lot of HK culture from you - i became more Asian haha - and you become a lot more white washed.
"I like to befriend waitresses and sales people." and by befriend he means if they are hot he hits on them :))) lol j/k.
No, Dimitry isn't joking about his last sentence on his comment! LOL
ReplyDeleteactually i can sort of see him doing that. lol. jkjk
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