Sunday, November 19, 2006
"The Kindness of Strangers"
Positive:
Arrival at the airport
First day of class
Lan Kwai Fong ex-pats
International friends
Directions from locals
New Foods
Shared umbrella
Negative:
Cut off in line at the KCR
Smell of Nathan Road
First time in the minority racially
Hatred of President Bush
Missing bus and class
"The Kindness of Strangers"
Upon arriving in Hong Kong I knew very little of the the geography. Because of my lack of knowledge as to transportation and other personal needs I have come to rely heavily on the kindness of the locals around me. It was the first day of class as I headed out of the I-House towards the other side of campus. It was raining a bit and I hadn't an umbrella with me at the time. As I started to take my first step into the downpour I heard a voice coming from just inside the building which said: "Hello! Hello!" I turned to see who was trying to gain my attention and saw a rather slender Chinese student with an umbrella. This same young man proceeded to share his umbrella with me all the way to my bus stop. Upon arriving on my intended section of campus I stepped off the bus and as my new found friend had gotten off at an earlier stop I assumed that this time I would be drenched on the way to class.
"Hello!" Before I can even reply this time another young man pulls out an extra umbrella he has with him and lets me use it on the way to class. This trip was not isolated and indeed not even rare. I became a habitual umbrella mooch. This trend was not difficult because anytime a storm came about it seemed that another friendly local was there to save my day. These random acts of kindness received no payment with the exception of the gratitude of a poorly prepared exchange student and yet no one seemed to mind.
Without having to reflect of these series of experiences I realized that a map in Hong Kong is also a pointless item to carry as anyone I have encountered who could speak English has been more than happy to help. On the way to the beach I ask for directions to the next bus and the man told me the number of the bus, how many stops until I reached the transition point and even the advice to take the double decker bus as they provided a more scenic view. Walking roadmaps, guides and umbrellas abound here.
I have come to expect this sort of help. Not that I take for granted the services of those around me but that I am daily grateful for their help in this foreign place. These people serve as national ambassadors in ways which the ministers of Hong Kong and Mainland China can never accomplish. With these friends in mind I have allowed myself to be much more open with new people I meet here. I look to interact on an hourly basis with new people and permit them to again share both knowledge and kindness with one who is either lost or confused. Because of those very early on who made my arrival and stay easier I have come to open myself to much more culture and conversation than I could have hoped for before my arrival.
Arrival at the airport
First day of class
Lan Kwai Fong ex-pats
International friends
Directions from locals
New Foods
Shared umbrella
Negative:
Cut off in line at the KCR
Smell of Nathan Road
First time in the minority racially
Hatred of President Bush
Missing bus and class
"The Kindness of Strangers"
Upon arriving in Hong Kong I knew very little of the the geography. Because of my lack of knowledge as to transportation and other personal needs I have come to rely heavily on the kindness of the locals around me. It was the first day of class as I headed out of the I-House towards the other side of campus. It was raining a bit and I hadn't an umbrella with me at the time. As I started to take my first step into the downpour I heard a voice coming from just inside the building which said: "Hello! Hello!" I turned to see who was trying to gain my attention and saw a rather slender Chinese student with an umbrella. This same young man proceeded to share his umbrella with me all the way to my bus stop. Upon arriving on my intended section of campus I stepped off the bus and as my new found friend had gotten off at an earlier stop I assumed that this time I would be drenched on the way to class.
"Hello!" Before I can even reply this time another young man pulls out an extra umbrella he has with him and lets me use it on the way to class. This trip was not isolated and indeed not even rare. I became a habitual umbrella mooch. This trend was not difficult because anytime a storm came about it seemed that another friendly local was there to save my day. These random acts of kindness received no payment with the exception of the gratitude of a poorly prepared exchange student and yet no one seemed to mind.
Without having to reflect of these series of experiences I realized that a map in Hong Kong is also a pointless item to carry as anyone I have encountered who could speak English has been more than happy to help. On the way to the beach I ask for directions to the next bus and the man told me the number of the bus, how many stops until I reached the transition point and even the advice to take the double decker bus as they provided a more scenic view. Walking roadmaps, guides and umbrellas abound here.
I have come to expect this sort of help. Not that I take for granted the services of those around me but that I am daily grateful for their help in this foreign place. These people serve as national ambassadors in ways which the ministers of Hong Kong and Mainland China can never accomplish. With these friends in mind I have allowed myself to be much more open with new people I meet here. I look to interact on an hourly basis with new people and permit them to again share both knowledge and kindness with one who is either lost or confused. Because of those very early on who made my arrival and stay easier I have come to open myself to much more culture and conversation than I could have hoped for before my arrival.
# posted by A. J. Stivers @ 9:10 PM 
