I should be in a Dr Scholls Commercial...

I've been running around like a crazy person this last week. Five or six times into Yuen Long for work (once until 8 at night), down to East TST then Central to see the light show with a friend, back to Yuen Long for a showing of the movie Alice in Wonderland (which is excellent, by the way), and back to TST tomorrow to meet up with Uncle John. Some work, some fun; altogether tiring yet satisfying.

I'm not sure if that was proper use of a semi-colon. Sorry Allie.

I think I finally hashed out my standard monthly budget. It's color coded, which makes me very happy. It is also on excel (triumphant background fanfare), which I am starting to learn to use. Sometimes looking at money starts to scare me a little, but then I just have to sit back and remember that God is in charge of it. He is so faithful, and always provides the means for his people to do what he has told them to do. I still need to be diligent with what I have been given!

Right now I'm re-reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It's a fictional retelling of Hosea set in the 1850s. It's a very well written, historical love story- I recommend it to you ladies.

Going to spend the rest of tonight relaxing :-) I love the weekends!!

The View From Here

I was walking around whilst thinking and taking pictures a few days ago. I wanted to get pictures of this beautiful red tree. The water buffalo hanging out under it was an added bonus, which made me extremely pleased.

4:46 AM

Can't sleep. Not tired either.

I am so blessed to be living and working with the amazing people here. I love people with stories, and it seems like a dynamic bunch of lives that have picked up and moved out here. It isn't even the moving itself that makes them interesting- it is the build up and twists and turns in their lives that lead them to where and who they are now. To hear the way faint in God has impacted some of my friends here is truly inspiring.

I want to be that kind of person, but somehow my life seems pretty non-extraordinary. Don't get me wrong: I love who I am. I just want to be even more. You only get a set amount of days on this planet, and I want to make them full. I want them to count for more than I have made them in the past.
"Father, I want to start a University where anyone can study regardless of their rank. Oh! And I've invited the gypsies to the ball."

Now that I'm off my soap box...
It's early. I can't sleep. I want to make a cup of black tea with forest fruit, but the kettle will probably awaken the housemate whom sleeps with the door open. As soon as people wake up, it is tea time :-)

Sooo c-c-c-COLD

Hong Kong is having a freak cold front. I know it is only getting down into the 40s, but when you don't have indoor heating or a warm jacket 40 is freezing!!
It does provide for some nice bonding experiences, though. Last night I sat on the couch in my sleeping bag watching a Korean movie with GoHoon. Ruth came out of her room with two extra blankets and wrapped them around me and my sleeping bag. I was like a piglet in a bag in a blanket. Very snuggly.

The movie we watched is called Speedy Scandal in English. I highly recommend it. Very funny.

Now my tea is almost to room tempuratue (about 45 F), so I'm going to get moving.

Back in Hong Kong

Arrived in HK on Thursday night. It feels so good to be back!!
I'm getting turned around from the jet lag pretty quickly- it's always easier going from west-to-east than east-to-west with jet lag.

I'm living in an apartment above the main courtyard. We may get another housemate, but for now it is me and four other girls. My roommate is GoHoon from Korea. Some of you may remember that she was my roommate last time I was here too. She arrived back in HK the day before I did. Across the living room from us in Jen from Canada and Arianna from the USA. A lady named Ruth lives in the room across from them. My room is one of the bigger ones. We have two sets of bunk beds, so potentially we will have two more. I'm hoping that when Joelle arrives from Holland she will be in with us.

Today is Sunday morning. I am enjoying a lovely cup of Canadian tea. Jen brought me black tea with Vanilla and Maple syrup from Canada. It is delicious and smells like a full pancake breakfast. Mmmm Maple Syrup!


.... This is my problem with blogs. I never feel like I have anything significant to say. I could give a day by day break down, but that sounds a little boring. I could wax philosophic about some topic or another, but that sounds as pretentious as the phrase "wax philosophic."

For now I will conclude with this: I am back in Hong Kong. I am happy to be here and excited to get back into the swing of things.