Dear Most Excellent Ones,
Last summer I managed to get a part time job at a tutorial centre called Top Connection. Tutorial Centres are big business here in Hong Kong. Think Sylvan Learning Centre times 10 000 and you get an idea of how many Tutorial Centres there are in Hong Kong. They are everywhere, come in all shapes and sizes, and offer a variety of services, English being the major one of course, but there are math ones, reading ones, science ones, music ones, etc, etc, and centres offering some or all of the above. Every kid I know in Hong Kong spends some time at a tutorial centre after school. And they pay good money for the opportunity to go as well.
I make 200 Hong Kong dollars an hour for talking and joking around with a Chinese kid, in English of course, which is about $25 dollars Canadian. This is called "oral English class." My kids love it, they tell mom, and if a Chinese mom is happy, everyone is happy, and the money flows in. The Chinese are taking over the world because Chinese moms, also affectionally known as Tiger Moms, are sparing no expense in having their precious children educated as best as possible. And it extends beyond China's shores. Check any North American University or college campus these days and tell me which "minority" is well represented there. If you guess Chinese you win.
Any way since I am a native English speaker (I never tell them I learned to speak German first, sorry but Deutsch is a small language in the world scene) and a white boy, Gwalo "white ghost," as the Cantonese say I am kind of a celebrity. And since I am the only Gwalo at Top Connection that makes me even more special. Talk about reverse racial discrimination! I'll take it.
I work about four hours a week at Top Connection, I can't work anymore due to my job at CAIS, yet despite the limited time I work there I was invited to the opening ceremony of the new Top Connection campus on Saturday. The new centre took over a three story building and it includes a small drama room, dance studio, piano rooms, and several neat classrooms.
To say the owners, Uncle Thomas, and Mrs. Kam, no one knows her first name and she won't divulge it like her age, spared any expense for the opening ceremony would be an understatement. First came the flower arrangements worth at least 200 to 400 dollars Canadian each. Those they did not have to pay for thank goodness. The lobby at Top Connection looked like a funeral home. Then there was the 5000 Hong Kong dollars roasted pig, which got to lay beside the Buddhist idols. That Uncle Thomas had to pay for.
The festivities started when Uncle Thomas and Mrs. Kam lit up some candles and incense and chanted some Buddhist chants. The Christians on staff, myself included, and for some reason there are quite a few, watched this with some bemusement. Our leaders don't seem particular devout, it was like they went through the ceremony as a tradition rather than out of belief. Just like some people back in Canada go to Church to get married and buried.
After that ritual, we had a pig splitting time. Why split a pig? I forgot to ask. Kind of like a ribbon cutting I guess. I got to hold part of the cleaver along with about five other guys and on three we forced the cleaver down and back splitting the pig in half. Hmmm. Later we got to eat him. He was not bad.
After that we headed outside and had a ribbon cutting ceremony. Several dignitaries held this massive ribbon interspersed with these bouquets and there were about 20 scissors handed out. On the count of three those with scissors all cut the ribbon at the same time. Cool. The women were given the bouquets as a token of appreciation.
Then came the dancing lion, two guys dressed in a lion costume, who danced and jived to the ear splitting rhythms of a few drummers. This lion was brought in to scare the bad spirits away. Uncle Thomas paid 20 000 Hong Kong for that to happen. Hmmm. I watched and listened to this with some amusement. And I prayed to Jesus.
Finally it was eat time and drink champagne time. And then the party really got started as there were demonstrations from a variety of musical artists. By then however, I had been cultured out and thankfully due to my limited capacity at Top Connection I was excused with a heartfelt thanks and appreciation for showing up.
Well Great Ones that is it for this week. God bless you all and I wish you a great week.
Love adios and peng on!
Dirk
Pig splitting time!
There was a massive guest book. Do you see my autograph? Many Chinese admired it, said it was very artistic. I on the other hand find it amazing when the Chinese do their writing. Now that is artistic!
Ribbon cutting time.
It must be tough trying to be incognito as a dancing lion.
Part of the buffet. Very good.
Last summer I managed to get a part time job at a tutorial centre called Top Connection. Tutorial Centres are big business here in Hong Kong. Think Sylvan Learning Centre times 10 000 and you get an idea of how many Tutorial Centres there are in Hong Kong. They are everywhere, come in all shapes and sizes, and offer a variety of services, English being the major one of course, but there are math ones, reading ones, science ones, music ones, etc, etc, and centres offering some or all of the above. Every kid I know in Hong Kong spends some time at a tutorial centre after school. And they pay good money for the opportunity to go as well.
I make 200 Hong Kong dollars an hour for talking and joking around with a Chinese kid, in English of course, which is about $25 dollars Canadian. This is called "oral English class." My kids love it, they tell mom, and if a Chinese mom is happy, everyone is happy, and the money flows in. The Chinese are taking over the world because Chinese moms, also affectionally known as Tiger Moms, are sparing no expense in having their precious children educated as best as possible. And it extends beyond China's shores. Check any North American University or college campus these days and tell me which "minority" is well represented there. If you guess Chinese you win.
Any way since I am a native English speaker (I never tell them I learned to speak German first, sorry but Deutsch is a small language in the world scene) and a white boy, Gwalo "white ghost," as the Cantonese say I am kind of a celebrity. And since I am the only Gwalo at Top Connection that makes me even more special. Talk about reverse racial discrimination! I'll take it.
I work about four hours a week at Top Connection, I can't work anymore due to my job at CAIS, yet despite the limited time I work there I was invited to the opening ceremony of the new Top Connection campus on Saturday. The new centre took over a three story building and it includes a small drama room, dance studio, piano rooms, and several neat classrooms.
To say the owners, Uncle Thomas, and Mrs. Kam, no one knows her first name and she won't divulge it like her age, spared any expense for the opening ceremony would be an understatement. First came the flower arrangements worth at least 200 to 400 dollars Canadian each. Those they did not have to pay for thank goodness. The lobby at Top Connection looked like a funeral home. Then there was the 5000 Hong Kong dollars roasted pig, which got to lay beside the Buddhist idols. That Uncle Thomas had to pay for.
The festivities started when Uncle Thomas and Mrs. Kam lit up some candles and incense and chanted some Buddhist chants. The Christians on staff, myself included, and for some reason there are quite a few, watched this with some bemusement. Our leaders don't seem particular devout, it was like they went through the ceremony as a tradition rather than out of belief. Just like some people back in Canada go to Church to get married and buried.
After that ritual, we had a pig splitting time. Why split a pig? I forgot to ask. Kind of like a ribbon cutting I guess. I got to hold part of the cleaver along with about five other guys and on three we forced the cleaver down and back splitting the pig in half. Hmmm. Later we got to eat him. He was not bad.
After that we headed outside and had a ribbon cutting ceremony. Several dignitaries held this massive ribbon interspersed with these bouquets and there were about 20 scissors handed out. On the count of three those with scissors all cut the ribbon at the same time. Cool. The women were given the bouquets as a token of appreciation.
Then came the dancing lion, two guys dressed in a lion costume, who danced and jived to the ear splitting rhythms of a few drummers. This lion was brought in to scare the bad spirits away. Uncle Thomas paid 20 000 Hong Kong for that to happen. Hmmm. I watched and listened to this with some amusement. And I prayed to Jesus.
Finally it was eat time and drink champagne time. And then the party really got started as there were demonstrations from a variety of musical artists. By then however, I had been cultured out and thankfully due to my limited capacity at Top Connection I was excused with a heartfelt thanks and appreciation for showing up.
Well Great Ones that is it for this week. God bless you all and I wish you a great week.
Love adios and peng on!
Dirk
Top Connection.
Me with my buddy Bill. We were born in the same year! Me in a suit. That does not happen very often!
Colleagues. Thankfully many Chinese have English names. From left to right. Antony, Alpha (he has two brothers named Gamma and Beta, I kid you not, Antony (another one) and Sandra.
A few flowers.
Felicitations? Huh?
Mr. Pig has seen better days. Nice ribbon on your head buddy.
Pig splitting time!
There was a massive guest book. Do you see my autograph? Many Chinese admired it, said it was very artistic. I on the other hand find it amazing when the Chinese do their writing. Now that is artistic!
Ribbon cutting time.
It must be tough trying to be incognito as a dancing lion.
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