We're still here and kickin'...

Well, we've now been here for 23 days (not that I am counting) and I am starting to believe that things are beginning to look up.  I haven't cried since last week!  I think that is HUGE!  The boys seem to be continuing to do well with their transition - I guess at the end of the day, that is what is most important:) 

Highlights of my week:

1.  Today I went with Jack on a field trip to Wan Chai Market.  Wan Chai is an interesting area of HK - it's close to Central but used to be a seaport where many sailors came into town (I think you know the punchline - should I be concerned that Brian knows this?).  In any case, they have a "Wet Market" - we got to experience the market first hand...WOW! is all I can say!  Some of the stuff that you would see on the travel channel - who is that guy that travels to the exotic places?.. Anthony Bourdain!  I felt like I was on his show (except there was no way in hell I was putting anything in my mouth).  A Wet Market is an open air market that sells the freshest of raw food - so fresh in fact that there was an eel that was cut in half and still moving...yes you have that right, STILL MOVING and bloody!!  You would think that as a mother of 3 boys I would be used to the gross factor, this took it to a whole different level!  Let's also keep in mind that this was my first foray into the school mom arena - no worries...I didn't throw the F* bomb!  I know...I am SUPER proud of myself!  Considering the fact that I also saw an empty goat head, flat duck (like a whole duck that looked like someone ran over it) and live fish flapping on the concrete (people were buying these fish), I should win an award! As soon as I hear another mom throw the bomb, I'm asking for her number!

2.  Brian and I took the ferry over to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST for short) on Saturday night - this is basically mainland China.  *Side-note -  I really need to read up on my history - Brian keeps rolling his eyes at me when I ask questions.   Apparently I missed the lessons related to England owning part of the mainland (I thought they only owned HK - come to find out, they also leased part of the mainland for 100 years).  What can I say, I had a horrible SS teacher! 

Anyway, we ( really more me if I were to be honest!) needed to find some place that had a western feel - you know, somewhere where if you closed your eyes you would swear you were in the states.  As luck would have it, there is a BLT Steak in HK!  They also have a BLT Burger.  For those of you familiar with the BLT restaurants, they are just home!  We could have just as easily been in the city - after dinner though, you know you're in Asia.  An important point here - DO NOT DRINK HEAVILY and then get on the ferry!  Luckily it was a low key night - the ferry rocked so much I felt like I was in The Perfect Storm.  The boat itself is a bit shaky - let's just say I'm putting Thomas on a leash when we take him to TST (a rope separates you from the incredibly deep water).

Interesting Tidbits 

1.  HK television is still HORRIBLE!

2.  Parents who have the time to study and highlight (you might know how I feel about highlighting!) the class field trip guide have WAY too much time on their hands...just sayin'

3.  People are funny - it is really interesting to meet others who are in my same boat...some are even more high strung!!  hahahaha - good to know, good to know even better to remind Brian about!

4.  Cab drivers really like it when you say "Jóusàh" (Jo/Sun)...it means good morning in Cantonese.  They seem to remember they have kids in the car and don't take the ultra sharp corners at 70kmph (about 45, but we're not in KS anymore!)

5.  I realized this week how small my world view was/is - it is now growing at a rapid rate - but I'm almost a bit embarrassed by my lack of world experience.  I've met more than a few people who have lived in so many different places in the world - it made me realize how sheltered I was in the US.  To think I moved to CA because I thought I was sheltered in RI!!!  Again, whole different level!

Things I am looking forward to this week:

1.  I met a friend!!  She has 4 kids around the same ages as mine and is here temporarily (they think but you never know!).  Originally, her husband's job here was only supposed to be for 2 months but it keeps getting extended.  She is homeschooling (I would definitely be in a straight jacket!) her older 3 and is taking advantage of the traveling and life experience for the kids while they are here.  Anyway, her husband is back stateside for the week so we are taking the kids for pizza tomorrow night - I knew we would be friends b/c she said "I'll definitely be needing some wine."  Great moms think alike! 

2.  I met another friend and we are getting together for dinner with our husbands (1st couple date in HK - wish us luck!) on Friday night. That's what can happen when you will talk to anyone with a pulse!  I really do have to thank my mother's gene pool for that one!

3.  Benjamin's birthday is on Saturday and we are surprising him by taking him to Ocean Park (http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/home/) - it seems sort of like Disneyland on a cliff.  I hope he has fun!  He was a bit dramatic last weekend telling us that "we don't even care about his birthday."  WHATEVER!  My mother would have responded with something like..."you are lucky to even have a birthday."  Of course, I wouldn't have gotten that at age 7, I don't even think I get it now...

That's all for this week - I'm over the crying drama!  I'm puttin' on my big girl pants, puttin' my crazy back in the box and facing my life in HK. 

Thanks for listening:)

My first post...3 weeks in!

Hi everyone,

After posing the blog question on FB, I decided to start journaling my adventure (that's what I'll call it tonight!).  For those of you who are not acutely aware of the minutia of my life - I just turned 40, have a husband (Brian) of 12 years (going on 13) and 3 boys aged 8, 6 and 4.  I had a fantastic life in Madison NJ...up until 3 weeks ago when we moved to Hong Kong.  Now, just so that we are all clear, I was up for this move, although it was Brian's job that brought us here - my job (I'm in education) barely pays a Starbucks bill!

To give you a bit of background...this is our 4th move in the 12 years we have been married.  We went from RI to VA to KS to NJ and now to HK.  I know there are people who move every year (more power to them!) but I feel like we have done our fair share of reinventing our lives every few years!

When we moved from RI to VA I cried all the way from Newport across the GW bridge!  It's not that I had never left RI, in fact I went to college in Pittsburgh and lived in LA (yes, Los Angeles) for a year when I was single and in my early 20's.  But I did love my life in Newport (you'll soon see a pattern!).  We moved to VA because Brian was headed to get his MBA - since we were going, I went back to school as well and earned a PhD.  We always knew that Charlottesville was a short term stint and had thought we would end up on either coast...until Brian got a job with Sprint (headquartered in KS!).  The easy thing about moving to KS was, 1. The Airport - seriously...the EASIEST airport to fly in and out of!  2.  We had friends from UVA who were moving there as well and 3.  I found out one of my good college friends lived there and we reconnected (shout out to you Lori).  After living in KS for 6 years...and having all 3 of my boys there and finally making good friends (all of our UVA friends moved!), Brian was offered a new job in NYC.  Off we went!  Again, I cried most of the flight from KS to the east coast.

Quite honestly, although I loved the quality of life in KS, moving back to the east coast meant moving closer to family and for me, that was a good thing!  Both of my siblings live in the DC area and my parents live in RI so now it was a quick 4 hour drive (yes, I do leave so early that there is no traffic!) either way to visit. We found a house in Madison - much thanks to my mom who was much wiser than I was while searching for a house (that could be it's own blog!!!).  It's funny...now that I look back, those first couple of months in NJ were lonely as well.  Although I could pick up the phone and connect with family and friends in a heartbeat.  In the 3 1/2 years we lived in Madison (and we do plan to return!), we were truly blessed - we have really good friends there!

We had lots of good times and good memories...as I write this I am sitting here on a Friday night (everyone else is asleep - Brian has to work tomorrow at 5am!) and am so incredibly lonely.  I know in my "cognitive mind" that this will pass and I will make friends, but at the same time, I find myself asking..."why the *%^#$%% did I agree to this??" I'm too old for this shit!  I had a good life...the kids were happy, I was happy, Brian was happy, why DID we do this??  This would be when one of my friends would say "put the crazy back in the box!"  Ya gotta love that term...we all have our crazy and sometimes we do need to be told to put it AWAY!

Normal self back...okay, I know why we did this...it's a PHENOMENAL opportunity!  I know this!!  But as I sat here last night by myself (Brian had to work late) in the 2 bedroom serviced apt (YES...2 bedrooms for 5 of us!), I found myself watching American Idol and getting really sad.
So I proceeded to have a 4 hour cry fest - thankfully a good friend from Madison Skyped me and talked me down off the ledge (thanks again VH!)  For the record, I've NEVER watched AI but can't believe it's been on the air for 10 years!!  I actually remember the first season b/c my grad students would have a fit if I ran over time on Wednesday nights -they had to get home for AI!  Now I was that sucker!!  It's amazing to me that I can't get the Today show or any other news show but I can get AI!  Anyway - it was from NJ and I got homesick...although again for the record, that girl from Morris Plains gives us a bad rap (put some clothes on!!!)!

Enough of my whining...we've been here for 3 weeks - here's our life update.  My older 2 boys started school and they love it!  I'm a harsh critic of schools but from what I have seen thus far - they are going to get a GREAT education!  I almost burst out in tears when I found out they do Word Study (what do you you think of that VA folks??)!  My youngest also started in a preschool - he has a language delay and sensory integration issues so he was really my concern moving here.  He was in such a great class in Madison (with THE most amazing teacher!) that I am taking one day at a time - he seems to like it and is doing well, but I'm just not sure yet.  It's a really interesting place - seems very formal from an outside perspective but again, he says he likes it and his teachers are very patient so we'll see.

Back to the original point of my blog....

Here are some things I've noticed about HK:
1.  I am at least 6 inches taller than 95% of the population...and let's be honest probably at least 40 lbs as well!
2.  I clearly need something for motion sickness - picture one of the mountains from Lost with so many winding roads up and down and left and right, just looking at it makes you sick!
3. The "Domestic Helper" situation is truly interesting...that's another whole blog!  I PROMISE!!
4.  The cab drivers here are not afraid to die...enough said!
5.  The MTR (Metro, Train, etc) is so clean you could eat off the floor...REALLY!
6.  It is true what people say about Asian service...yesterday a grocery clerk took me to 2 different places to show me something and then went and got me a basket b/c I was carrying 2 boxes of cereal.  LOVE IT!!!
5.  I am currently living in the complex where the "Milkshake Murder" took place - google it...it's quite the read!  We will not be staying here....

These are things I am curious about:
1.  Hong Kongers (someone correct me if I am wrong about that term!) seem to be OBSESSED with chocolate...seriously, in a tiny grocery store, there is an ENTIRE aisle of chocolate!  How about some coffee creamer or some frozen yogurt!!  Enough with the chocolate from 50 different countries!
2.  Holy Shit are people thin...again, enough said!
3.  In such a civilized, hip, trendy place, why the *%&^@^#* don't we have a DVR??  If I need to explain to my 4 year old one more time that this TV doesn't pause....I might start drinking at noon!

Okay - that's enough stream of consciousness for now...more later!   Say it with me...this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT, this WILL be GREAT.....