“Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.”
~~Tad Williams
I had a thought to myself today. I was sitting on the local green mini bus that runs between the village of Hoi Ha and Sai Kung. It’s Sunday, the one day we get off to explore and relax from the work week. I had to stand in line to wait for the bus for a good fifteen minutes due to the bottle neck of people ahead of me waiting to do the same. Why should a little village such as Hoi Ha, which only boasts about 30 homes total, have such a long waiting time for the bus?
I stood there impatiently watching all the Hong Kongers chatting away in Cantonese to one another, dressed in their Sunday best: brand new hiking gear straight off the shelf from some store in downtown Central. Gear that many of them would use once and then retire because it was “dirty” and purchase new for their next outdoor adventure. That’s how it’s done here. These people weren’t from the village of Hoi Ha. They had migrated down from Central or mainland China to the New Territories area to recreate since it was the weekend. That was the “in” thing to do in Hong Kong. Escape to the country parks when there is a public holiday or a weekend.
I, however, did live in Hoi Ha. I was not there to recreate for once. I just wanted to go to town to get a good lunch and pick up a few groceries since I had been on program all week. I was looking to walk around town for a few minutes and loose myself to the peace and quiet of a good book over a steaming plate of good Indian food at one of the restaurants in Sai Kung. But…I was forced to wait because of the huge line of people ahead of me.
Granted, fifteen minutes was not very long for a weekend day. There has been days in the past where it’s well over a thirty minute wait to get on a bus because of the crowds. If you had hopes of getting anywhere on a schedule, don’t expect to on the weekend.
During the week, there is rarely a soul in line to get on the bus and they only run one bus at 25 and 55 after the hour. But on public holidays and the weekend, they run two buses and if you’re standing there in line when the bus shows up, you just might get on. The last bus to pick up is at 1855pm so everyone scrambles to be in line in time to get a ride out of there.
Hong Kong is known for its surplus of a population. Just over 7 million. The only place where you can escape the crowds is usually in the little villages. I am thankful to have the opportunity to live in such a tiny village as Hoi Ha, but on the weekends, it’s frustrating. It’s annoying because the crowds I strive to avoid, instead find me in this hidden little paradise.
These crowds on the weekend make it hard for those that live in this village, especially if you have to rely on the public transport. Taxis rarely drive down to Hoi Ha since it is about thirty minutes out of their way from Sai Kung and they’d rather stay in the vicinity of the city to make more money. If a taxi does make it down to Hoi Ha, it costs nearly $12 U.S. dollar when the bus is a mere $1.30 U.S. Not really that big of a deal, but when you’re income is based on the Hong Kong dollar and not the U.S. dollar, it starts to matter.
So, once I finally was on the bus, I found myself staring out the window thinking, “I live here. This is my home. I shouldn’t have to wait in line behind a bunch of tourists who don’t live here. I should have priority.” Granted, it was a bit of a selfish thought, but what surprised me more, was that I called Hoi Ha home. And I guess it is. For now.
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| The view from the roof top of our flat in Hoi Ha. Photo from last fall. |
I’ve been back in Hong Kong since September 30th. I didn’t quite expect to return to Asia after last fall. That is another story that has lost its opportunity to be shared. Needless to say, as I have said before, sometime our lives just take us where we are supposed to go. You can’t really fight it. I am back teaching outdoor education and living in the same little village I lived in last fall. It was easy to return.
I flew in, knew which bus to get on to take me to the New Territories. Caught a taxi to Hoi Ha and walked into the flat as if I had never left. I even have the same bed I slept in last fall. Since arriving, I’ve been out and about, navigating my way around Hong Kong as if I’ve been doing it forever. The fear I once felt about venturing out on my own is gone. I have no qualms about exploring. I simply grab my guide book and go. The few Cantonese phrases I had learned last fall roll off my tongue as if I had been saying them all these months since I left in December. Chopsticks feel more comfortable in my fingers than a fork or spoon does. The aroma of traditional Chinese food is like the beckoning of an old friend.
So, I guess this is home. As close as it’s going to get for a while anyways. I’m here until the beginning of June. If you’d like to send some snail mail my address is:
Fran Haynes
#36 Hoi Ha Village
Sai Kung, N.T. Hong Kong
Until next time :). The aventura escrita continues…