Groupon HK

This is taking saving money to the next level! Nat and I went to Mong Kok to redeem groupons. I had gotten some hangers.

We entered this high rise and there is a line for the elevator for people redeeming groupons. I guess a lot of merchants rent space in the same high rise...what a great idea!

We started with a stop on the 29th floor. Got her sweater. Great. Pressed 4 to get my hangers. Came out and saw the line. It was wrapping around the entire floor!

This poor girl is in this small space til like 8:30pm every day handing out Groupon items...

People spend their evenings walking around Mong Kok collecting Groupon goods.  Do you really need 3 neck buddies or 5 salad choppers or even 1 USB powered blanket?!?!? Okay, apparently some people do.

(The pink thing on Nat's lap is said USB blanket...she claims it keeps her warm)

God works in mysterious ways

I've been having trouble sleeping.  Yep, it's 3am.  I really should've taken NyQuil again.  The last three nights I've taken NyQuil to make sure I get at least 8 hours of sleep.  And that has really helped me get over my cold (yes, we're still calling it a cold).  I felt like a new person this morning.  Even went to the gym.  It felt really great!

I don't know if it's the cup of tea I had tonight (okay 3 cups), but I'm really wired.  I also have a song looping on youtube.  Hahaha.  It's great to be able to sing along without fear of being laughed at.  No one is here.  Yeah, I'm still in the office.  The "perk" of living 100 steps from my place?  lol  Had a tutorial this evening so I was already in the building.  Decided to get started on the manuscript revision.  And then watched clips from the Golden Globes (I miss American TV!).  And then was chatting with the girls and with my sister...then started to finish some blog entries.  Lo and behold, it's 3am.

I've been thinking about a lot of things lately.  A LOT OF THINGS.  Especially since after submitting the application to Emory.  It's a waiting game now.  Nothing else I can do until I hear from schools.  It was a momentary sense of relief, but that has turned into something like fear.  I don't know how to NOT make plans.  It terrifies me to go with the flow.  I should re-read older blog entries and count how many times I've talked about this.  We all recognize that my talking about how not knowing what's next terrifies me and I really should go with the flow...that's just my lousy attempt at a pep talk, right?  Because I keep coming back to this place.  I can't seem to let go and let God.

I got a reminder to trust God from the most unexpected person today.  April.  She said one simple thing, "Your problem is that you don't trust God."  Oh my goodness.  It is as simple as that.  I have not given it all up to God.  I suddenly felt ashamed, because April is Buddhist.  Yes, Buddhist!  She said she doesn't believe in God but she has Christian friends who told her giving things up to God will take all worries away.  My Buddhist friend is reminding me of what I said I would be doing!  Have I not run into enough walls to know that trying to solve things on my own just makes the road harder?  It was a rude awakening having this conversation with April...God works in mysterious ways.  Hahahaha.  How lucky am I to have a friend like April.  But more importantly, how lucky am I that God never abandons me, even when I stubbornly cling onto me, me, and me?  It is utterly stupid to worry so much when God already has a plan for me.

Girlfriends

Nat, Tiff, Dor and I ventured out to Lamma Island (I say ventured because we had to take a ferry) on Saturday.  We were supposed to meet at 11am, but well, public transportation "made" a few of us late (sorry Tiff...) so we ended up on the noon ferry.  Hee hee.

The girls had no idea I was having a difficult weekend.  But being with them that day made all the difference in the world.  They have no idea how much it meant to me to have had that time with them.  It's awesome how God takes care of me.  Each time I've had to climb a mountain, he's brought people into my life that lift and support me in unimaginable ways.  Letting me know I'm never alone.

I didn't even purposely plan this day trip with the girls. I didn't make a big deal about what was bothering me and decided to have a nice day to distract myself from whatever troubled me.  Their company was just what I needed that day.  I am so grateful to have met these amazing women.  I've had many individual friendships but it was rare to hang out in a group setting.  Like in high school...hahaha.  But seriously, there is something so comforting about a group of girls chitchatting.  You sort of switch off talking to different people while walking, and then come together as a group when we sit down for a drink or something.  Or three gang up on one.  Hahahaha.

But it's more than just having made friends.  Perhaps we don't know each other well, but we know we can count on each other.  There is such consideration and thoughtfulness for each other that I have not experienced as part of a group until now.  I am so grateful to have met these women (plus the rest of 426).  I can say that there are people I've known for years but have never felt comfortable enough to make a call to ask him or her to bring me lunch because I'm too sick to get food.  Not only can I ask one of these gals, they actually offered when they've checked on me when I was sick.

As I'm thinking about the end of my time in HK--I'm staring at a calendar at the moment--I can't help but want to cry.  I know there are so many ways to stay in touch (I have been known to create groups on Whatsapp...and no, still won't find me on Facebook), but it's just not the same.  I see them eight hours every day Monday to Friday, and then we hang out some nights and on the weekends.  Major withdrawal!  They have made my time in HK so memorable and have helped me get through a lot of things (without even realizing it).  I really don't know how to say goodbye...

If only I could paint

HK is such a cosmopolitan city it's easy to forget its past. Tea shops. Farms. Mom and pop specialty stores.  Cable cars. 

I would totally set myself up on some corner on HK Island with my easel and paints to capture what's left of something so iconic of this amazing city...If only I could paint!  Hahahaha

Japanese bar food

 

Deep fried sweet potato

Tofu (it was sooooo yummy)

Deep fried bitter melon (another winner)

Deep fried cheese bites

  Deep fried squid

One of two bottles of sake we had (What does "bottoms up" mean?  These girls are such alchies...lol)

  

 I'm holding the bottle because it's pretty, okay?

Chicha

Tiff, Dor, Nat and I went to Chicha after Lammas Island. Peruvian small plates. I liked the atmosphere and I can understand why it's getting so much buzz. Something different. But I don't think I'll return...not exactly bang for your buck kind of place. And there are better places for tacos. However, the company more than made up for it. I had a really nice time with the girls. We decided to move on to some other place after a bottle of wine and these small bites.  Now that's what I call a party! (Okay, I'm too lazy to go back to the menu, so I'm not doing these dishes justice...)

King fish

Fish tacos

Sweet potato skewer

Pork belly and potato croquettes

 

 plated

Temple Street night market

Hazel and I had so much fun walking around exploring HK.  We didn't really bother shopping at malls because there really isn't much we can't get in the States. And everything costs more in HK!

We loved checking out street markets and random boutiques. We were never really in a hurry to get somewhere, so sure, let's stop and look at stuff. Haha. I think part of the appeal is that we get to bargain.  Feeling you scored a bargain is an amazing rush.  Although I'm fully aware of the fact that the buyer is rarely the "winner".  But I don't care...if I feel like I got a deal, yay me!  lol