12/18/99
So I’m on the road again. Currently I’m hailing in from my bro’s office in HK where I’m diligently syphoning insider trade information and putzing around while listening to Lou Bega. Kick ass with a little tricky tricky girl like myself, don’t you think?
Though I’ve done a ton of domestic traveling & proudly covered most of the Big 10 in roadtrips while at Michigan, I’ve only traveled overseas once before back in 95 to see family in Korea.
It’s the little things that stand out the most to me and have kicked me in the booty when it comes to perspective.
Some of the public bathrooms here are nicer than my brother’s apartment and the price tags hailing $109 dollars (hong kong) for cough drops still startles me. And though you’d think with my nearly militant Asian pride I’d be in heaven
out here in HK, but I find myself outdone in near facist passion for things & people Korean & Asian by old colleagues who I used to consider as psychologically palid as egg shells. Who’d a figured?
Dim Sum is as good here as anywhere,and you’d be surprised at how tasty lobster can be in a cheesy sauce. Eating & hanging out at really nice hotels so far have made up a big chunk of my visit to Hong Kong. I appreciate my ease in
lifestyle in the mighty bay area all the more. And though I’m surrounded by Asians here, I feel more like an outsider than I would have expected. I know it will be no different in Korea and my facility in speech & vocab will leave me
handicapped.
I find a real sense of wonder in my transportation here. I sink into a seat, the lights come down low, and after watching 3 films, I find myself in a brand new world with strange landscapes, overwhelming smells, familiar & unfamiliar faces & noise not unlike the scraping of rocks against each other. And most importantly, I’m here with family. Funny how that type of “familiarity” can make everything seem more safe.
Peace out & much love for ya’all & your families for the holidays. Stay warm & don’t forget to say “I love you” to everyone for whom it’s true.
Min Jung
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