This is Halloween

Halloween in Hong Kong = Crowds of locals not wearing costumes!

Boooooo! I used to think Halloween was for dressing up. To the few people who actually dressed up in HK this year, thank you. To all you bums who didn't and crowded the street so no one could walk, boooooo! Anywho, Halloween was still sort of fun. We went to LKF to see the masses dressed up. There were a few nice costumes, but mainly crowds of people coming to watch. Mai dressed up nicely, I had a pretty lame costume, but my cheap plastic pumpkin mask was awesome. I didn't see anyone else wearing one, so I felt original. Later on we went to IFC Mall for a 'photoshoot.' Then the lonely pumpkin took the bus home.

Macau

Destination: Macau
Objective: Secure Work Visa

Yesterday I went to Macau with Mai. As you should know if you read this blog, I went to get my work visa. The process has taken longer than originally thought, but I now have my visa! I applied about 5 weeks ago, and have been 'working' since about September. I feel a little better knowing that I can now work for real and actually start teaching full-time.

Back to Macau. Dirtiest city ever! As much as Macau pegs itself as a tourist city, that only applies to about 1/10th of the city. The rest = nuclear fallout ground.

The trip to Macau was quite enjoyable aboard the famed TurboJet. They are sort of hard to describe, but these 'ferries' are really just large speed boats. The boat actually skips above the water, it's kind of funny looking. It only takes an hour, and you float into Macau through a super thick fog, and then bam! there's the city. Somewhat cool effect, I hoped it was all fog. My hopes were quickly dashed as soon as we started to explore.

Macau itself is extremley small. I think it's technically a SAR like Hong Kong, but it's a lot smaller, and the size of a normal town, but very crowded. The inner streets are quite simply disgusting. I don't mind old buildings falling down and crowded living and motorcycle insanity and lack of green, but the air was unbearable. It makes Hong Kong seem like fresh mountain air. At one point we had to stop and get off the main road because we seriously couldn't breath. In some ways we had gotten lost, but knew the general area we were in. Next time, if ever, I come back I will not stray from the main paths, or risk dieing of lung cancer in two minutes.

Taxi? what's a taxi? I'm quite confident the people of Macau have never heard of taxis, because it is rare to even see one, let alone get one. Here's my advice Macau, if you want to become the next Vegas, you should first find some taxis to get people around, and put a huge vacuum above the city. I know I won't be back any time soon, I really like breathing too much to risk it.

Funniest thing I've ever seen: Having been to Las Vegas, I have seen some funny things in Casinos. Never, did I EVER expect to see a casino in the 'Vegas of Asia' completely empty at 10pm in the evening. WTF!??! Mai and I could not stop laughing. We walked into this floating casino, the guard gladly welcomed us in. IT WAS DEAD! There were 2 other young people inside, that's it. 2! People plus us. The moment we entered it was like everyone had seen a ghost. We could not figure out why this casino was empty. It made nooooo sense. It was also one of the coolest casinos, as it was floating. Weeeeeiiiirrrd. We left right away because the place gave off this mood like we were going to get shot.

End result: Hooray! I survived Macau and got my work visa, now I never have to go back! Yes!!!!!!

Note: We did have a very awesomely huge lunch at a Portugese restaurant in Macau. (Macau is a former Portugese colony)

Earning my socks

The Phoons are now 2-1.

On Saturday we sewed up our 2nd win of the season after some good hard play against a small quick Chinese team. We smashed 'em pretty good, but they were in top shape and super quick. In the end size won, with out backs crashing through their line with relative ease. The forwards took control of almost every scrum, pushing forward on many occasions. Yours truly was much better at his position, winning a few balls off the other team's put-in for the scrum. I also made some nice tackles and 'blocks.' There isn't any blocking in rugby really, but there is mauling, which is effectively the same thing.

The final score was 41-14. After the game, team awards were given out at the pub where I got the coaches award. The thing this year for the Phoons is to give out team socks to award winners after each game. By about the 6th or 7th game everyone should have their socks. Coach said I did alot of things that you don't really notice from the sidelines, but on the field make a big difference. Sounds like some other sport I used to play (football) I never won any damn socks in football though!

Air

"Lost in Kyoto," from the soundtrack to Lost in Translation. That song pretty much changed my mood for the night. Looking out the window at 40 story buildings, peering above them, I felt pretty lonely, but in a good way. Just came back from Rugby practice, which was fairly insignificant, but listening to some music made me feel good inside, so much it inspired me to think of some new ideas about things. I might even write a poem...

It's good to know that one song can change your outlook on things so much. I missed music a bit, not really having a stereo and only my computer and headphones. Good to hear positive 'noise' for a change.

Knock Knock

Who's there? Lots of people who take things too seriously apparantly.

I write like 2 somewhat negative posts, mainly sarcasticly as hell, and now everyone thinks I hate Hong Kong. Umm, where did that come from? I still love it here, it's the craziest city I've ever been in. Sure it has it's downsides, and I'm here to point them out. I also, for the most part focus entirely on the good things about this city. I don't recall saying I was mad about people walking into me, I just thought it would be better for their safety if they didn't. Also all the kids at school absolutely love me, I'm a celebrity to them. I'm glad that spending 20 minutes of time with them a day makes them laugh, even if they are laughing at me. As conservative and strict as the teaching structure is here, I do have to say that most of my students speak better English than many Canadian 3 year olds, and I'm not joking.

So no, I'm not angry at you Hong Kong, I merely like to poke fun at you. But ya, you still are really dirty. My work visa went through the other day, and I picked it up today. Now all I have to do is go to Macau and get it stamped so I can stay the whole year now. Everything is working out good in that regard. Mai and I also went to yet another mall yesterday, saw some crazy little stores, way too crowded, in Mong Kok. It still boggles my mind how many malls are in this SAR.

In other new, the Blue Bombers won again! They can actually maybe host a playoff game. If anyone knows how I can watch CFL playoff games in another country I'd love to know.

What did you breath today?

I decided to do a little research on different Air Quality levels around the world today. The results I already knew, but just wanted some actual numbers and to know what they meant. Pretty much everyone calls it the Air Quality Index (AQI) but Hong Kong calls it the Air Pollution Index (API). The numbers used don't always mean the same and the UK is different as well. Anyway here are the numbers for today. The numbers for HK are at midnight! during the day they are even worse, but I don't want to scare anyone.

Hong Kong (at midnight)
Central - 57 (60+ during the day)
Causeway bay - 65 (70+ during the day)
Mong Kok - 73 (85+ during the day)

Canada (Morning)
Winnipeg - 9
Calgary - 8
Vancouver - 12
Toronto - 10
Montreal -10

Other
New York City - 45
London - 3 (They use a system up to 10 only)

(From wikipedia >>>)

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized indicator of the air quality in a given location. It measures mainly ground-level ozone and particulates (except the pollen count), but may also include sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Various agencies around the world measure such indices, though definitions may change between places.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) differ on what AQI structure and health classification is used:

Health classifications used by the EPA:

• 0-50 Good is usually green
• 51-100 Moderate is usually yellow
• 101-150 Unhealthy for sensitive groups is usually orange
• 151-200 Unhealthy is usually red
• 201-300 Very unhealthy is usually purple
• 301-500 Hazardous is usually maroon

(AQI 100 corresponds to 0.08 ppm ozone; other levels for other pollutants) EPA

Health classifications used by the MSC:

• 0-25*: Good (green)
• 26*-50: Moderate (yellow)
• 51-100: Poor (orange/red)
• 101+: Very poor (purple)

In Ontario, 31 is the upper limit for good and 32 the lower limit for moderate.

United Kingdom

The Met Office of the United Kingdom (UK) issues air quality forecasts wherein the level of pollution is described either as an index (ranging from 1 to 10) or as a banding (low, moderate, high or very high). These levels are based on the health effects of each pollutant.

Hong Kong (Main article: Air Pollution Index)

The Air Pollution Index (API) levels for Hong Kong are related to the measured concentrations of ambient respirable suspended particulate (RSP), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) over a 24-hour period based on the potential health effects of air pollutants.

An API level at or below 100 means that the pollutant levels are in the satisfactory range over 24 hour period and pose no acute or immediate health effects. However, air pollution consistently at "High" levels (API of 51 to 100) in a year may mean that the annual Hong Kong "Air Quality Objectives" for protecting long-term health effects could be violated. Therefore, chronic health effects may be observed if one is persistently exposed to an API of 51 to 100 for a long time.

"Very High" levels (API in excess of 100) means that levels of one or more pollutant(s) is/are in the unhealthy range. The Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department provides advice to the public regarding precautionary actions to take for such levels.

(<<<>

Ok, so based on this research, Hong Kong is just plain stupid. It's not even recommended for people to be outside for more than 24 hours. That's ok with me, cause it's too damned hot, but this is ridiculous. Anyone more interested can find more info at wiki.

Sars just got owned!

Woohoo! I'm finally getting better. I took a tonne of meds last night and most of my cold seems to have gone away. Unfortunately I felt rather 'high' this morning, and I had to teach, haha. Not sure what I took, something Mai gave me, but it worked when I took enough. I doubled the dosage cause I figure I'm almost twice as big as most Japanese people I know. Tomorrow is the Typhoons 2nd game of the season, and I should see a tonne of action as I'm the only one at my position who is going and available. Arg, we're playing the police too! woohoo! Big fat white guys with too much ego, should be fun. Apparantly we killed em last year cause they're all too out of shape and slow. I'm also both of those, actually our whole team is. Either way we go for free beers after at HK Brewhouse, our sponsor. The food is really good too. I must say the nachos are almost some of the best I've ever had. Still loyal to PG's though.

In other news... Yes I am getting more politically incorrect, thanks for noticing! :)

Set for life.

I found out the other day that most kindergartens actually interview their students to see if they are good enough to go to the school. It's frickin kindergarten! It's a sad sad day when 3 year olds are somewhat 'interrogated' so they can go to a good school. If the kindergarten doesn't think the student behaves well, they don't get in. Judging by how misbehaved most of my students are at times, the kids who don't get in are most likely serial killers. Still! I find this rediculous. Maybe even a waste of time. They are private schools, but still, it's kindergarten people!

Oh ya, kids start going to school when they are 3 here, 6 days a week. Sounds like fun doesn't it. Glad I never grew up here, the pressure would be rediculous. From what I heard/saw on another HK blog, many students decide jumping out a window is more fun than going to school.

Alas, I am a big hypocrit. I'm going to school to sit in on some interviews as bait for parents, and I'm being paid extra big bucks to do it. Gotta love capitalism. Hehehe.

I'm bigger than you! I'm higher on the food chain!

One of my students somewhat seriously tried to fight me the other day. I didn't really do anything but laugh at him, and a little of pretend boxing. But seriosuly kid, you're maybe 30 pounds. My advice, "R" for "Realistic." Did you think you could take me? Even with your super kung-fu moves, I'm not scared.

In other news. Do you people on the street find it enjoyable to not acknowledge my existance by walking into me and bouncing back about 5 feet as if you didn't see me coming. I saw you coming, and made a slight effort to move, but I had the right of way. When everyone going one way is on one side of the walkway, maybe you should be on the other side if you're going the other way. This leads me to believe people who can't walk in an orderly fashion along with the other thousand people on the street can't drive as well. I hope you all don't have cars. In the meantime my shoulder really doesn't care when you crash into it, because I continue moving forward, it's called " I'm bigger than you!" Look out!

In case no one knew, my biggest pet peave is lollygaggers! It's Hong Kong people! Everyone claims this city is moving so fast forward technology wise blah blah blah, maybe you should all do the same when it's rush hour!

Mai's new ice

UPDATE: So ya. I ummm, screwed up a little. Only the first design is Mai's, the picture of the two earings, necklace, and ring (I deleted the other images). The others are from her 3 co-workers. Ooops! Anyway, the pictures can still be found at the link below.

Edited > Here are the new works Mai just recently designed. She works for JustGold HK, where she designs jewellery. These are all in stores as of October.
Click on the picture to go to the website for JustGold.