Being away from somewhere you know well and love is an odd experience. Truly, it makes one grow fonder of those moments you enjoy and remember from home. However, I’ve happily started making some of those moments here in Hong Kong, where I’ve been here long enough to replay in my mind funny or otherwise memorable moments. Here are some that constantly are in my mind from Minneapolis, DC, and Hong Kong.
For some unknown reason I keep mentally refering to a soccer game my cousin Nikki was playing in. It was a damp, fairly miserable Minnesota night. The lawnchairs were all unfolded, the women laced up for play and my Goddaughter Avy and her twin Annika were anxious to leave their mothers arm. I vividly remember chasing them with Adam and Kramer on the southside of the field, watching them run and eventually crash into one another with giggles. I was about to leave for DC and start both my sophomore year and my first internship at the Joint Economic Committee. Crystal’s excitement for me was palpable, and I will always remember her encouragement.
The crunch of the ancient earth beneath my feet was hardly noticeable under all our heavy breathing. We continued to climb, but all I can recount exactly who was on the same set of steps as I, as words of encouragement were passed from one practical stranger to another. Suddenly, Molly and Amanda, our fit ROTC girls shouted from ahead that we were close. Sighs of excitement rang up in our small band, we had finally made it to the base of the Great Wall. The first view was the most memorable.
Alexa is a crazy bitch. As we walk down 19th street she keeps telling me phrases in Chinese, in hope of my learning survival tactics before I arrive. She keeps confusing English, Arabic, Chinese, and German. No wonder we make fun of her for her languages. We first pass the most clearly marked World Bank building, crossing Pennsylvania Ave just blocks from the White House. I turn and see my freshman dorm. Beyond more World Bank buildings is the hill that we will struggle with on the return after our delicious burritos. It’s just after dark and mid-March, my favorite weather. Light jacket and jeans.
Our little band of misfits is yelling at the top of our lungs. Its the second night of an unfortunately bitterly cold Spring Break, but we’re braving the wind on the third story porch in Waves. Over the sand dunes, the sound of the ocean is barely noticable above the laughter at my attempt at the tree yoga pose, on a stool nonetheless. Hooka is being taken in, and Matt and Bekah are deep in conversation. Melanie and I are in matching George Washington University sweatshirts, but our relative size difference makes it easy to differentiate us, or so we were told.
So many other memories, but now I’m off to watch the celebrations of China’s National Day. Beijing is basically closed down due to parades, celebrations, etc and Hong Kong is supposed to have a firework show tonight. Citizens gather up to 4 hours before hand to get good spots though, so I don’t know how close we’ll get.
