Tempest7: Blogger

Hong Kong's Eye Hospital

The previous night I hosted a dinner party. It wasn't suppose to be a dinner party actually. Originally I was out shopping with Ada and decided to make a home cooked meal together. So far I made a tomatoe based pasta, and a sweet pineapple chicken during my stay in Hong Kong. We decided on a cream based pasta this time, so chicken Fettucinie Alfredo it became. On my way out I was talking to Erine and decided to invite them over. I had promised them a home cooked meal sometime and this was kind of a way to heal the rift that had grown between us. So the dinner party at my place was born. It was pretty basic, I did all the cooking and the cleaning while everyone had a nice social gathering outside watching TV. It turns out that I gave Phoebe a new client, since Ada is in charge of library books and needed to purchase English books for the following year. Later on we were chatting in my room and I asked how I could get to the Hong Kong Eye hospital. Erine find me a route based on my map and proceeded to instruct me on how I could possibly go there. Turns out I need to go Prince Edward (太子) MTR station. There's a light bus there (one of those vans) which will go to the hospital area. Just to make sure I should ask the driver, of course I can only ask in Chinese so we decided to record how to properly say the words in Chinese. We recorded "Excuse me, does this go to the Hong Kong Eye Hospital" in Chinese and then the next problem was locating the waiting area for the light bus. The instructions I was given was to find a pretty girl and ask "Hold my hand and take me to B2 exit" at Prince Edward station. Ada and Phoebe had a good laugh.

The pasta turned out okay. It wasn't the best I've made, the sauce came in a jar and it wasn't hand made. I didn't want to risk making a mess since the kitchen really isn't mine. Next time I think Erine has something planned, and Ada owes me a homecooked meal.

The next day I had some frustrating talks online with my parents. Problems with the old house and the bills and my Uncle. Really, that old house situtation is such a pain, even half way across the world, a month later it still haunts me. Apparently my brother isn't doing so well himself. I guess he has lost a lot of weight and hasn't been taking care of himself. That is kind of a problem, I worry but there's not much I can do. He is very independant and stubborn sometimes. I have to be so careful dealing with him, except my parents feel as if I have a lot of weight so they always put pressure on me to do something about his situtation.

I fell back asleep then woke up later and decided to try to make it to the hospital before visiting hours was over. I got lost on my way, first thing was I took the bus and got off near Mong Kok instead of Prince Edward. I walked around a bit thinking I had gone to the right stop looking for a street that of course did not exist in the area until I finally noticed I was looking at the wrong area and walked over to Prince Edward MTR station. I found the light bus easily and it was very convient and cheap to ride.

When I got to the hospital I found my roommate on the 2nd floor, 19th bed. I guess they remember people by their bed numbers there. I ran into her aunt, uncle and younger cousin while I was there. Like always the uncle was very helpful talking to me. He has strong hands and practices some sort of chinese massage therapy. My roommate's cousin, Heidi, was so abrupt and rude. Maybe not intentionally but it sure came off that way. Very similar to her older brother except a little bit more extreme. I initiated basic discussion with her, like where she went to school, what her English name was, whether she likes her English name or wants to change it. I know in Canada it is pretty common for a Chinese person to just change their English name when they get tired of one of them. I stayed chatting until I was kicked out then I noticed the light bus had stopped running. I opened up my map book and proceeded to walk back to the MTR station.

Some how along the way, I got lost again. I thought I was following Argyle Street back to Mong Kok station but I think what happened was I saw Waterloo Street and decided to take a picture of the sign. After getting my picture I ended up following waterloo street until I got back to the main road, Nathan Road, but instead of being near Mong Kok station I ended up near Yau Ma Tei station. I saw a girl giving out fliers along the main road for one of those chain restaurants and she seemed miserable enough that having someone to talk to would make her life a little more interesting so I asked her to give me directions. Actually it worked out, I needed to eat as well and they had a promotion for a meat and rice dinner set, with drink, for $25 HKD. Pretty cheap and since I was eating by myself that was exactly what I needed. I went in to order and I don't know I guess I looked like a tourist, with my map book, and so they asked me in English what I want to eat. If someone starts talking to me in English usually I respond in English so that's how it started. One of the other girls handed me my dinner and said something in Cantonese so I responded in Cantonese and then they were both shocked. I don't know should I have talked in Cantonese because I know enough to order or should I have just continued to talk in English because one of them started to talk to me in English? Is it bad of me to speak in English when I notice the other party's English is poor, even though they started speaking to me first in English? This happens a lot here in HK. I guess I really just don't fit into the population.

posted by Tempest7 @ 00:00