Life abroad

Living abroad isn't easy and Hong Kong isn't perfect. 

There are days when I love it here, but I'd be kidding myself, and all of you, if I claimed that life in Hong Kong is always grand.

Sometimes, all I want is America.  

I want to turn on the radio and hear the Top 20.

I want to be able to pick up the phone and talk whenever I want. 

I want to turn on the TV and flip through 1000 channels.
I want to feel like I'm not missing out on our friends and families lives. 

I want to stroll the asiles of Target wasting away the afternoon.

I want to walk the dog without fearing a taxi or bus is going to run me over.  

I want to go shopping. 

This weekend I hated Hong Kong...

I hated the customer service. 

I hated paying $7.50 for a $4 Hallmark card. 

I hated the way the sales people would whisper behind your back when a question was asked. 

I hated how the sidewalks were used as a construction dumping ground. 

I hated getting in taxis that smelled of smoke. 

I hated the language barrier.

I hated thinking that America was better...

I hated thinking that I was superior to the men and women whose country I live in. 

This blog is my scrapbook of our life in Hong Kong, and one day, when we're back in America, I want to remember that it wasn't always easy. 

xx

Lauren

Coffee Break

We stopped for coffee Saturday afternoon while out running some errands. This is what the coffee shop looked like. 

Take a closer look...

 Iphone photos are grainy, but you get the picture. 

 I thought it was hilarious. 

Every chef in the place was asleep...like really asleep. 

We passed by a few holiday decorations.

I bet you could never guess it's the "Year of the Rabbit"...

Happy Weekend!

xx,

Lauren

Kung Hei Fat Choy (almost!)

(Or Happy Chinese New Year!)...

The Year of the Rabbit!

It's actually not Chinese New Year until February 3, but the decorations are up, and you can feel the excitement and anticipation as you walk down the streets. It starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year, and ends on the full moon 15 days later (The Lantern Festival). 

 Chinese New Year is similar to our Thanksgiving and Christmas...a time to give thanks, remember loved ones, and celebrate with family. Festivals are held, schools are on holiday, red envelopes are passed out, and businesses are closed. I'll give you some more tid-bits on this special time of the year as we get a bit closer, but I wanted to let you know of OUR New Years plans!

WE'RE GOING TO INDIA!!!!!

We'll be visiting Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Udaipur. We'll then fly from Udaipur back to Delhi, then onto Hong Kong. Our itinerary is jam-packed and it exhausts me just looking at it, but India has been at my top of my list since arriving to Asia and I am so, so excited to visit this country. 

We depart on February 2 and will back early morning on the 9th. 

Do you have any tips for me?!?? Would love to hear them!

xx,

Lauren

Karaoke

I hate karaoke. 

I hate everything about it...the people who think one night of karaoke is going to turn them into the next Carrie Underwood, the terrible song choices, the off-tune, whiny, drunk singers. It's just not for me.

Michael, on the other hand LOVES karaoke. He loves it all...the songs, belting out tunes, thinking he's the next Michael Jackson (just kidding). 

Karaoke in Asia is huge. People love it. They rent rooms, gather all their friends and jam all night long. I've never understood the phenomenon and really didn't ever have any interest in experiencing it. I bucked up last night...

We went and did karaoke. 

Our friend, Laura had her younger cousin and friend visiting, so she thought this would be a great night out for them. 

It was amazing! Honestly, I couldn't believe how much fun I had. 

But, I must learn the Single Ladies dance for next time. 

There were about 10 of us in a room, comfy couches, drinks if you wanted them, a flat screen TV, and the opportunity to choose your own songs. When we arrived they told us we could stay until 5:45 am. What??!? 

We made it until 1:30 and probably could have stayed longer. It really was such a great night. 

I'm still not sure I'm willing to embrace the USA version of karaoke, but I'm definitely warming up to the Asian way. 

Michael's birthday is coming up....we may just be heading back to Causeway Bay to do this again :)

xx,

Lauren

A little of this

We spent alot of time outside this weekend. 

 We joined Simon and Daria for a Saturday hike. 

 We hiked a few stages of the Hong Kong trail. This was MP's first time on stages 3-6. 

 As you can see, it was pretty hazy, but we were able to take in some nice views. The building MP is looking at is Parkview...

This is where the "Milkshake Murder" took place. 

(If the murder intrigues you, you may find the book, "Never Enough"by Joe McGinniss interesting). 

 A couple more shots of Parkview.

I hear snow is making its way to the South... Crossing my fingers you'll get a snow day!

xx,

Lauren

A New Year

Happy New Year!
2010 flew by, and I thought it would be fun to take a look back at how we spent this past year...

January

We watched a new family come to be, with the rescue of "Charlotte".  

 and spent some fun nights out with Daria and Simon...

February
Bethany and I hiked the Green Power 50K

and we spent Chinese New Year in Boracay.

 Hands down, our favorite beach holiday yet. 

 We celebrated Valentines Day sea-side

 And loved hanging out with these HK fellas while we were there. 

We rang in Simon's 29th at the races...

And celebrated Bethany and I's 28th with some ox tongue, and a brunch at the Verandah. 

Dudley enjoyed my birthday too, and we ended the night here:

March

A highlight of the year....

 My family came!

 We flew to Phuket after Adam left. 

and had a tearful goodbye when they had to leave. 

After the Vater's left, it was time for Rugby Sevens.

Such a crazy day!

April

We went to Vietnam for Holy Week. 

What an amazing trip...Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa. 

We had lots of brunches, crazy dress-up parties, and Bails popped over to HK for work!

We ended April with a weekend trip to Shanghai with some friends.

May

May started out great, as the Hendrix and Hendrick's came to HK!

 After a few days in Hong Kong, we went to Phuket. 

 It was such a wonderful trip!

After we said goodbye to our dear friends...

We went to the Cheung Chau bun festival with the rest of Hong Kong.

 Terrible idea. Never again. 

We had lots of great nights out throughout the month. 

and were so excited to hear Daria and Simon got engaged!

June

We welcomed June with the World Cup, 

Dragon boat races,

 and beach-side Sunday lunches.

Finally, it was time to head home for the first time in a year. 

July

We spent the 4th with some of our best friends at the Daniel's lake house. 

Went to the Pittman wedding.

Stopped in Greenville to visit with David, Katie, and Wyatt. 

After MP left, I made it to Raleigh!

 Back to Charlotte to visit with some more amazing ladies. 

 And spent the rest of time with family...

 We celebrated Christmas in July since we've missed the past two...

and capped off the trip with the Hull engagement!

August

We celebrated 3 years in Bali!

...And got ready to welcome Baby Andrews and Baby Strange.

September

Spent a cloudy day on a junk

 but also had some beautiful days!

We hung out alot with friends

...and I made it home to celebrate my cousin's Jill's wedding

 and loved hanging out with my family!

We ended September with a weekend trip to Seoul, Korea.

 October
We welcomed Baby Austin!

Had some fun nights out...

 and went to Oktoberfest in HK!

We celebrated Maddy and Justin's engagement

at the floating restaurant, Top Deck.

November

Graham came to Hong Kong for a visit!

MP and I spent a weekend in Tokyo. 

We celebrated KC's birthday

 and welcomed Tallulah Strange to the world!

December

We decorated this year!

 and spent Christmas in Malaysia.

We rang in 2011 on KC's roof.

and are still trying to figure out how to take pictures in the dark :) 

What a year 2010 was...thank you for helping to make our year spectacular. 

We had some rough patches along the way, and all was not as grand as the pictures sometimes appear. Mom and Gene are still fighting the good fight and we continue to pray that 2011 will be a cancer-free year! 

Lots of love to you all!

xxx

Lauren