Safely Back in Hong Kong
I had flown through London as a stopover because I stopped over for a few days on the way to Toronto. Yes, I flew through Terminal 4, so I *was* evacuated along with the rest of the crowd. Though the idea of it was rather unsettling, ["Could all passengers please evacuate the departure lounge and follow the security personnel."] I was just reading at the Starbucks area at this time, I didn't seem to be terribly worried... i had a few hours until my flight anyway. Here's a quick video of everyone in the parking lot!
Since I had time, I looked in the near distance and saw the Airport Hilton and made my way over there to get something to eat and use the bathrooms! So, really, it was paying money for some overpriced food and a short time of quietness. Then, I checked my flight and saw that it was actually flying out of Terminal 1... (hahaha...) which meant that I *could* have avoided the scene and the overpriced food. OOOPS. :P So, afterwards, I walked from the Hilton to Hatton Cross to take a bus to Terminal 1. (Terminals 1, 2, and 3 were not affected.) And then spent some time there until my flight, which was only slightly delayed.
Thank God for smooth travels! [NO luggage problems for me... even though I was semi-expecting it when waiting in Hong Kong.] It is nice to be back in order to take it easy.. I slept ALL afternoon and evening when I got back. I guess I was pretty exhausted.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Wow, can't believe it's about mid-June. I wrote the CFA this year, yet again, this time in Hong Kong. I was getting so used to the annual routine at the Toronto CNE, when I could roll in 15 minutes before the exam without any problem. This year, it was held at the Asia-World Expo on Lantau Island and not the Wanchai Convention and Exhibition Centre. It just means that it's far... beyond the Airport on the Airport Express.
However, given the smooth transit system, I have no complaints, and given the volume of writers in Hong Kong (continue this thought afterwards), CFA Institute even negotiated a cheaper transit ticket to the exam centre. On top of that, since Asia-World Expo does not allow outside food, they organized lunch boxes for everyone (with a price, of course, but not unreasonable).
First... my pencils... it's kind of funny because for all of my previous CFA exams, I was using the exactly same package of $1.00 yellow primary school-type pencils that I bought at a dollar store with a friend.. since when would I actually use those yellow pencils otherwise?? Just once a year! It seemed silly to bring them to Hong Kong, so I borrowed some from work... it's just funny to me because these are as symbolic as you can get for Chinese stationery. Ah yes, I wrote in Hong Kong this year. :p
Then, I was wondering how many people write this exam. Actually, I was pretty surprised, as I was researching which CFA Society to join (i.e., Toronto or Hong Kong), that Toronto has the second-highest members out of all CFA societies internationally. Not bad. Of course, I expected the volume of writers to be high in Hong Kong... after all: (a) the general population is much higher than Toronto, (b) HK people are ever pursuing further education, even if CFA is totally unrelated to the job, and (c) Hong Kong is a major financial centre which means that many more people *should* actually write this exam.
So, I estimate that about 2,500 wrote Level III, which means that there were likely >10,000 writers on the Airport Express that morning! (since many people would actually write Level I even without the objective of pursuing the designation any further.) Back to the lunch boxes. HK-logistical efficiency at its best. They had a hall set up just for lunch as they served the previously-purchased lunch boxes. It was a sight to behold.. and I discreetly tried to take pictures without looking too silly. This is not a very good one of the lunch hall... the "line" at the back is actually the line-up to get lunchboxes. They served everyone in under 40 minutes. Soooo efficient! Food wasn't really good, but at least I didn't have to think about what to bring for lunch.
Anyway, that was that. Results come out mid-August, and I'll see. Not really sure what to think... including whether I would re-write if I failed... who knows, it's just all in His hands, and if I pass, then, all glory to God!! I don't deserve it! :p
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
However, given the smooth transit system, I have no complaints, and given the volume of writers in Hong Kong (continue this thought afterwards), CFA Institute even negotiated a cheaper transit ticket to the exam centre. On top of that, since Asia-World Expo does not allow outside food, they organized lunch boxes for everyone (with a price, of course, but not unreasonable).
First... my pencils... it's kind of funny because for all of my previous CFA exams, I was using the exactly same package of $1.00 yellow primary school-type pencils that I bought at a dollar store with a friend.. since when would I actually use those yellow pencils otherwise?? Just once a year! It seemed silly to bring them to Hong Kong, so I borrowed some from work... it's just funny to me because these are as symbolic as you can get for Chinese stationery. Ah yes, I wrote in Hong Kong this year. :p
Then, I was wondering how many people write this exam. Actually, I was pretty surprised, as I was researching which CFA Society to join (i.e., Toronto or Hong Kong), that Toronto has the second-highest members out of all CFA societies internationally. Not bad. Of course, I expected the volume of writers to be high in Hong Kong... after all: (a) the general population is much higher than Toronto, (b) HK people are ever pursuing further education, even if CFA is totally unrelated to the job, and (c) Hong Kong is a major financial centre which means that many more people *should* actually write this exam.
So, I estimate that about 2,500 wrote Level III, which means that there were likely >10,000 writers on the Airport Express that morning! (since many people would actually write Level I even without the objective of pursuing the designation any further.) Back to the lunch boxes. HK-logistical efficiency at its best. They had a hall set up just for lunch as they served the previously-purchased lunch boxes. It was a sight to behold.. and I discreetly tried to take pictures without looking too silly. This is not a very good one of the lunch hall... the "line" at the back is actually the line-up to get lunchboxes. They served everyone in under 40 minutes. Soooo efficient! Food wasn't really good, but at least I didn't have to think about what to bring for lunch.
Anyway, that was that. Results come out mid-August, and I'll see. Not really sure what to think... including whether I would re-write if I failed... who knows, it's just all in His hands, and if I pass, then, all glory to God!! I don't deserve it! :p
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Surprise!
... *blessed*
My first visit (I'm a visitor and not a resident! No gifts over $60! :p) back to Toronto was a very blessed one. Yes, it was purposeful by my own accord, but I also can only stand in awe of God's goodness. His community of faith is such a reality of his love for us... it's amazing that he really does prepares such a community for each of us. We are just so undeserving of such grace!
Can't really say anything in particular! Not too many pictures to evidence the visit[though, I realize how I could easily take many pictures of the "clean" air (good thing about visiting in May and not August) and share with my friends from Hong Kong...] and I don't need to do any super-fun things and I am fine eating the same things every day, it is just a joy to sit with a friend and chat. :)
I'm back in HK now... got much to catch up on, especially studying... < 2 weeks left before I'm free from this silliness.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
... *blessed*
My first visit (I'm a visitor and not a resident! No gifts over $60! :p) back to Toronto was a very blessed one. Yes, it was purposeful by my own accord, but I also can only stand in awe of God's goodness. His community of faith is such a reality of his love for us... it's amazing that he really does prepares such a community for each of us. We are just so undeserving of such grace!
Can't really say anything in particular! Not too many pictures to evidence the visit[though, I realize how I could easily take many pictures of the "clean" air (good thing about visiting in May and not August) and share with my friends from Hong Kong...] and I don't need to do any super-fun things and I am fine eating the same things every day, it is just a joy to sit with a friend and chat. :)
I'm back in HK now... got much to catch up on, especially studying... < 2 weeks left before I'm free from this silliness.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Philippines: Corregidor
I was in Manila over the "Holy Week", ended up returning to HK on Good Friday. However, as our radius of adventure does not extendbeyond the hotel and the office, we stay only in the business district called Makati City, where no one actually lives... so it is actually a ghost town during Holy Week. That was kind of unfortunate... I had hoped to attend some church services while I was here, but probably not the best idea for me to venture off by myself...
No matter, thankfully, I was able to attend my friend on a Wednesday night service held in a converted movie theatre in the Greenbelt mall. The Greenbelt is great, we pretty much go there for lunch every day (it's huge... many restaurants, and movie tickets are relatively inexpensive compared to HK or North America!). I truly believe that everyone who was born in the Philippines can sing and dance well. The worship service was no less. It was a great time of much-needed worship.
We get 3 days off for Easter (longer than Chinese New Year this year.. crazy), so on the Thursday, I went with 2 coworkers to Corregidor on a day trip.
Corregidor is about an hour and a half boat ride away from Manila. Since Philippines was gained by the United States from Spain after the Spanish-American War (along with Puerto Rico and Guam), the Philippines became a strategic stronghold during WWII. General MacArthur (picture of statue below =p) was stationed here in the Far East. During WWII, Corrigedor fell to the Japanese, meaning Philippines fell to Japanese rule for approximately 3 years, but was regained by American troops.
The visit was great. The tourguide was obviously very experienced (19 years) and very funny at it. There isn't a whole lot to see, per se, mainly all of the ruined barracks which have not been touched since the bombings during the war. The U.S. had 8000 troops stationed in Corregidor... amazing because it's such a small island (land area of 9 square km). Other than ruins, there were other big guns stationed at key points on the island. One of the key strategic benefits about Corregidor is that it is very rocky. The Americans built within the rocky hill a massive tunnel called the "Malinta tunnel", built to be bombproof. Quite incredible.
Lastly, there is the Pacific War Memorial erected by the US government. Of course, it made me think of the Pearl Harbor memorial when I visited Hawaii last year. The design of this memorial is similar to the one at Pearl Harbor, incorporating elements of sunlight; it is designed such that sunlight shines directly overtop the indoor marker only on May 19(?) the day of liberation(?). Something like that. =p
All in all, this visit was richly informative but also humbling to learn about the many different aspects of this war that affected so many people all the way in the Far East, which I knew nothing about.
As typical, the tour agency had people taking pictures and selling them. The scary thing about this picture was that I didn't pose for him... I was actually posing for my friend... which means that I didn't realize he took a picture of me! Oh well, printed and framed for 100 pesos (about 2 USD). So why not.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
I was in Manila over the "Holy Week", ended up returning to HK on Good Friday. However, as our radius of adventure does not extendbeyond the hotel and the office, we stay only in the business district called Makati City, where no one actually lives... so it is actually a ghost town during Holy Week. That was kind of unfortunate... I had hoped to attend some church services while I was here, but probably not the best idea for me to venture off by myself...
No matter, thankfully, I was able to attend my friend on a Wednesday night service held in a converted movie theatre in the Greenbelt mall. The Greenbelt is great, we pretty much go there for lunch every day (it's huge... many restaurants, and movie tickets are relatively inexpensive compared to HK or North America!). I truly believe that everyone who was born in the Philippines can sing and dance well. The worship service was no less. It was a great time of much-needed worship.
We get 3 days off for Easter (longer than Chinese New Year this year.. crazy), so on the Thursday, I went with 2 coworkers to Corregidor on a day trip.
Corregidor is about an hour and a half boat ride away from Manila. Since Philippines was gained by the United States from Spain after the Spanish-American War (along with Puerto Rico and Guam), the Philippines became a strategic stronghold during WWII. General MacArthur (picture of statue below =p) was stationed here in the Far East. During WWII, Corrigedor fell to the Japanese, meaning Philippines fell to Japanese rule for approximately 3 years, but was regained by American troops.
The visit was great. The tourguide was obviously very experienced (19 years) and very funny at it. There isn't a whole lot to see, per se, mainly all of the ruined barracks which have not been touched since the bombings during the war. The U.S. had 8000 troops stationed in Corregidor... amazing because it's such a small island (land area of 9 square km). Other than ruins, there were other big guns stationed at key points on the island. One of the key strategic benefits about Corregidor is that it is very rocky. The Americans built within the rocky hill a massive tunnel called the "Malinta tunnel", built to be bombproof. Quite incredible.
Lastly, there is the Pacific War Memorial erected by the US government. Of course, it made me think of the Pearl Harbor memorial when I visited Hawaii last year. The design of this memorial is similar to the one at Pearl Harbor, incorporating elements of sunlight; it is designed such that sunlight shines directly overtop the indoor marker only on May 19(?) the day of liberation(?). Something like that. =p
All in all, this visit was richly informative but also humbling to learn about the many different aspects of this war that affected so many people all the way in the Far East, which I knew nothing about.
As typical, the tour agency had people taking pictures and selling them. The scary thing about this picture was that I didn't pose for him... I was actually posing for my friend... which means that I didn't realize he took a picture of me! Oh well, printed and framed for 100 pesos (about 2 USD). So why not.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Monday, April 02, 2007
Seoul, Korea
Finally, got the pictures from my coworker... we went to Seoul a few weeks ago for work and stayed over for a couple of days, and we were able to meet up with those teachers in Korea!
Overall, the cost of living is very high! I guess it caught me by surprise because the locations where we go for work (China, Manila) is usually much cheaper than Hong Kong. But overall, I'd say Korea seems to be even more expensive than Japan (for normal items, such as shopping for clothes.) However, domestic cosmetic products are very inexpensive!
Here are some pictures:
This is a "national treasure" -- an old gate from the historic capital which was right behind our (really nice) hotel. [Probably the best hotel I've stayed at... of course, the price is up there too.] I was seriously on the phone with Melody for a bit. =p
This is the sign outside one of the malls in the "Dongdaemon" shopping district. Can you say, crazy shopping culture?? It is definitely a city that does not sleep.. and even more so than Hong Kong because they actually stay open through the night!
Erika (small group last year!) and I at one of the biggest palace parks in Seoul. The weather was TERRIBLE... cold and raining... and we were not equipped (sigh, we were caught with no umbrella). In the end, we couldn't wait to find some hot soup or bibimbap.
Kammie, another teacher, Erika, my coworker Armin (who is from Philippines and therefore is not accustomed to the cold weather... nor was really equipped for it... but she survived!) and at hot pot in Myeongdong district (another shopping district).
These two are at the Yoido Full Gospel Church, the biggest church congregation in the world with about 850,000 members. We were fortunate to attend service where the Senior Pastor, Dr. Yonggi Cho, spoke. I had actually heard him speak at Missionfest in Toronto... and I believe we heard exactly the same message this Sunday (!!)...
It is a charismatic church, and as in his visit to Toronto, he prayed a prayer of healing where he prayed at the pulpit. Throughout the prayer, he announced when he knew people were healed from various ailments. Listening to a "Korean-style prayer" (where everyone prays out loud, all at once) with so many people was interesting too. The amusing thing to me was when they did that, there was actually a small bell (or perhaps a musical triangle) to signify the end of the prayer. I find that amusing because when we did it for fellowship, I felt it was awkward to pray and not know when to end, but then once one person stops, the rate of ending the prayer follows an exponential curve. Haha..
In the second picture, all of the people dressed in blue and white are lining up to take offering.
What impressed Erika and me the most was their orchestra and choir. Amazing! And Erika and I are both have pretty "picky" ears =p... I was blown away. Enthusiastic and passionate conductors always make me smile... I had to take a video! The quality of music was unbelievable.
Overall, the Full Gospel Church experience was a positive one. However, when we arrived, we were ushered off into the foreigner section which was slightly intimidating (and the sanctuary was packed so originally we had to sit in the "foreigner overflow" watching a screen). In the end, we wanted to see the pulpit so ended up sitting on some steps, until others left and we got seats. They were also quite pushy in getting us to attend the post-service debrief. Needless to say, with a congregation of this size, they run like a machine... (the headsets in the foreigner section are multi-language simultaneous translations). May they continue to win souls for Christ.
Last stop, the Korean War Memorial which not only includes exhibits on the Korean War but also Korea's entire history of war, e.g., since the Korean dynasties were first formed. It was an information-packed tour. I found it very interesting to learn about this nation which fought with and against the Chinese and Japanese throughout history... sort of like understanding the other side (not that my knowledge of Chinese history is extensive). It also gives some background understanding to the isolation of North Korea now.
Overall, a great trip! I also got my dose of "cold weather" -- though a couple days were enough for me. =p The cold rain and wind was not pleasant at all... though I suppose I can't really complain about the weather this year!!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Finally, got the pictures from my coworker... we went to Seoul a few weeks ago for work and stayed over for a couple of days, and we were able to meet up with those teachers in Korea!
Overall, the cost of living is very high! I guess it caught me by surprise because the locations where we go for work (China, Manila) is usually much cheaper than Hong Kong. But overall, I'd say Korea seems to be even more expensive than Japan (for normal items, such as shopping for clothes.) However, domestic cosmetic products are very inexpensive!
Here are some pictures:
This is a "national treasure" -- an old gate from the historic capital which was right behind our (really nice) hotel. [Probably the best hotel I've stayed at... of course, the price is up there too.] I was seriously on the phone with Melody for a bit. =p
This is the sign outside one of the malls in the "Dongdaemon" shopping district. Can you say, crazy shopping culture?? It is definitely a city that does not sleep.. and even more so than Hong Kong because they actually stay open through the night!
Erika (small group last year!) and I at one of the biggest palace parks in Seoul. The weather was TERRIBLE... cold and raining... and we were not equipped (sigh, we were caught with no umbrella). In the end, we couldn't wait to find some hot soup or bibimbap.
Kammie, another teacher, Erika, my coworker Armin (who is from Philippines and therefore is not accustomed to the cold weather... nor was really equipped for it... but she survived!) and at hot pot in Myeongdong district (another shopping district).
These two are at the Yoido Full Gospel Church, the biggest church congregation in the world with about 850,000 members. We were fortunate to attend service where the Senior Pastor, Dr. Yonggi Cho, spoke. I had actually heard him speak at Missionfest in Toronto... and I believe we heard exactly the same message this Sunday (!!)...
It is a charismatic church, and as in his visit to Toronto, he prayed a prayer of healing where he prayed at the pulpit. Throughout the prayer, he announced when he knew people were healed from various ailments. Listening to a "Korean-style prayer" (where everyone prays out loud, all at once) with so many people was interesting too. The amusing thing to me was when they did that, there was actually a small bell (or perhaps a musical triangle) to signify the end of the prayer. I find that amusing because when we did it for fellowship, I felt it was awkward to pray and not know when to end, but then once one person stops, the rate of ending the prayer follows an exponential curve. Haha..
In the second picture, all of the people dressed in blue and white are lining up to take offering.
What impressed Erika and me the most was their orchestra and choir. Amazing! And Erika and I are both have pretty "picky" ears =p... I was blown away. Enthusiastic and passionate conductors always make me smile... I had to take a video! The quality of music was unbelievable.
Overall, the Full Gospel Church experience was a positive one. However, when we arrived, we were ushered off into the foreigner section which was slightly intimidating (and the sanctuary was packed so originally we had to sit in the "foreigner overflow" watching a screen). In the end, we wanted to see the pulpit so ended up sitting on some steps, until others left and we got seats. They were also quite pushy in getting us to attend the post-service debrief. Needless to say, with a congregation of this size, they run like a machine... (the headsets in the foreigner section are multi-language simultaneous translations). May they continue to win souls for Christ.
Last stop, the Korean War Memorial which not only includes exhibits on the Korean War but also Korea's entire history of war, e.g., since the Korean dynasties were first formed. It was an information-packed tour. I found it very interesting to learn about this nation which fought with and against the Chinese and Japanese throughout history... sort of like understanding the other side (not that my knowledge of Chinese history is extensive). It also gives some background understanding to the isolation of North Korea now.
Overall, a great trip! I also got my dose of "cold weather" -- though a couple days were enough for me. =p The cold rain and wind was not pleasant at all... though I suppose I can't really complain about the weather this year!!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
I can't simply laugh at the comic strip because in a way, I complain about my work situation with the same attitude... (and I've complained about not being able to self-actualize for a while now =p).
I had a chance to meet up with an old high school friend here. We probably haven't really had chatted since high school! Though I wouldn't say we're very close, it was nice to catch up, especially as we both share in our Christian faith. I also had to answer the popular "So why did you come to Hong Kong?" question. My response is my (standard) "7-step" presentation, though it's been a long while since I've thought about those points and original purposes and objectives.
I'm hitting my 6-month mark. It sounds like a small number, but also seems like a high number... it really has been half a year since I've relocated. My results-minded nature has come out and in a subtle way, I've felt a sort of panic in figuring out how to deliver results. Haha... It's quite silly. On one hand, I knew that I would have to spend a good chunk of time in an observational mode (and this is not to say that this observation period is over), and on the other, I have been impatient while trying to teach myself the discipline of patience.
But now that I've observed for a little bit, it's about time to start getting into things. I think God has the timing worked out too... Work was frustratingly stop-and-go for the past couple of months (which led to me being very lazy). Now that a major project has come to an end, I look forward to different new starts.
I remember when I felt really, really sluggish last year. Somehow, I was able to motivate myself through "Project Get Organized!" So, my new project in self-motivation is "Project Step-it-up!" I look forward to finally leading Bible study at church, and taking on more responsibility at work (hopefully not to over-extend... I even outright asked for an audit client yesterday (!!)). And lastly, I have successfully started studying for the (stupid) CFA. This will be difficult. It is tough going through this material for which I have no passion... we shall see how this goes...
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
More thoughts that come from the Alchemist...
I think another reason for the success of this book is the hope that this delightful story gives for each person: Yes, every person has a Personal Legend... will you pursue it?
Perhaps it has been yet another recurring theme for me since I wrote my paper on "the role of the church in the postmodern culture."
I go back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (yes, I'm a big subscriber).
This generation, a term I broadly use, has been blessed abundantly. We did not live during the 20's when there was a depression and we didn't know whether there would be enough money for the next day's food... nor do we live in our parents time in Asia during the 50's when Hong Kong saw tragedies during the Japanese occupation or in China during the Cultural Revolution. I have never doubted about the existence of my physical needs. Or even the next level, of safety. The next two levels are less granted, though our society encourages both and attempt to provide when those are lacking. Finally, we reach self-actualization.
I know my observations reflect a specific slice of the circles i have encountered... we who have been blessed with education (even post-secondary, and even multiple degrees), with a likeminded community and affluence of being in the top 10% of the population (approximately... from an old Canadian survey with income cutoff of approximately $64,000... basically, it's relevant to me because that's around the level all newly qualified CA's generally make...)
But an observation is that this "generation" has a much decreased drive than our previous generations... when those generations worked full drive towards more immediate needs (e.g., levels 1 to 4). I'm not referring to one's vocation specifically, but just... drive. What drives you?
It is interesting that all of the provisions and blessings we have received... including receiving many different choices and opportunities for self-actualization... yet, now lacking motivation to take that step.
I do say this for myself. Though I have a lucrative vocation (and a vocation I believe I am called into), I hesitate to think how I would "self-actualize" in it. Through different studies, I know I have other passions (e.g., theology... though accounting still remains one...) do I see myself making a complete jump to pursue such a "Personal Legend" of becoming a seminary professor? I don't know. I understand how choices can be paralyzing sometimes...
In this way, I think a reason why the Alchemist has been popular because it reinspires each person's own purpose... there *are* things to strive towards! Will you follow the signs of the "omens"?
My paper also touched upon the success of Purpose-Driven Life in this same way... PDL provides each person with a personal identity and purpose... something that may have been lost along the way when we have been clouded by many images from media and entertainment. Michael Chang also shared a similar message (yes, tennis player Michael Chang! He shared in English. =p) at another church in Hong Kong (while we watched via live feed, haha). His message was basically, "Do you dare to dream?"
Michael Chang shared about his dream of being a world-class tennis star when he was 6, in the basement of his home. He also shared about his struggles and prayers as he struggled through the 1989 French Open as his legs cramped up during the early rounds, but through this supernatural strength and God-given ability to move, he was given the victory. It was inspiring to hear his story and how he ascribed it all to the Lord.
I see these recurring messages being applied to many different levels... one, as in my paper, in how the church can answer the needs of the popular society, akin to how Purpose-Driven Life has given new meaning to life for some non-believers.
Another level is a challenge to all of us Christians... we who are in a comfortable and affluent slice of society... how will we describe your self-actualization to your children or grandchildren, and what motivated us behind it?
It has not been a rare "lament" (among multiple circles =p) as to the lack of examples of godly men in the churches that I know... Guys! Will you follow take up the lead as a continuation of Adam's Personal Legend? Haha, but yes, the challenge is for both genders and is consistent with the *ten* talents which we have received and on which the Lord expects a return.
What is your Personal Legend? Do you dare to follow it?
What drives you; what is your purpose?
Do you dare to dream?
I think another reason for the success of this book is the hope that this delightful story gives for each person: Yes, every person has a Personal Legend... will you pursue it?
Perhaps it has been yet another recurring theme for me since I wrote my paper on "the role of the church in the postmodern culture."
I go back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (yes, I'm a big subscriber).
This generation, a term I broadly use, has been blessed abundantly. We did not live during the 20's when there was a depression and we didn't know whether there would be enough money for the next day's food... nor do we live in our parents time in Asia during the 50's when Hong Kong saw tragedies during the Japanese occupation or in China during the Cultural Revolution. I have never doubted about the existence of my physical needs. Or even the next level, of safety. The next two levels are less granted, though our society encourages both and attempt to provide when those are lacking. Finally, we reach self-actualization.
I know my observations reflect a specific slice of the circles i have encountered... we who have been blessed with education (even post-secondary, and even multiple degrees), with a likeminded community and affluence of being in the top 10% of the population (approximately... from an old Canadian survey with income cutoff of approximately $64,000... basically, it's relevant to me because that's around the level all newly qualified CA's generally make...)
But an observation is that this "generation" has a much decreased drive than our previous generations... when those generations worked full drive towards more immediate needs (e.g., levels 1 to 4). I'm not referring to one's vocation specifically, but just... drive. What drives you?
It is interesting that all of the provisions and blessings we have received... including receiving many different choices and opportunities for self-actualization... yet, now lacking motivation to take that step.
I do say this for myself. Though I have a lucrative vocation (and a vocation I believe I am called into), I hesitate to think how I would "self-actualize" in it. Through different studies, I know I have other passions (e.g., theology... though accounting still remains one...) do I see myself making a complete jump to pursue such a "Personal Legend" of becoming a seminary professor? I don't know. I understand how choices can be paralyzing sometimes...
In this way, I think a reason why the Alchemist has been popular because it reinspires each person's own purpose... there *are* things to strive towards! Will you follow the signs of the "omens"?
My paper also touched upon the success of Purpose-Driven Life in this same way... PDL provides each person with a personal identity and purpose... something that may have been lost along the way when we have been clouded by many images from media and entertainment. Michael Chang also shared a similar message (yes, tennis player Michael Chang! He shared in English. =p) at another church in Hong Kong (while we watched via live feed, haha). His message was basically, "Do you dare to dream?"
Michael Chang shared about his dream of being a world-class tennis star when he was 6, in the basement of his home. He also shared about his struggles and prayers as he struggled through the 1989 French Open as his legs cramped up during the early rounds, but through this supernatural strength and God-given ability to move, he was given the victory. It was inspiring to hear his story and how he ascribed it all to the Lord.
I see these recurring messages being applied to many different levels... one, as in my paper, in how the church can answer the needs of the popular society, akin to how Purpose-Driven Life has given new meaning to life for some non-believers.
Another level is a challenge to all of us Christians... we who are in a comfortable and affluent slice of society... how will we describe your self-actualization to your children or grandchildren, and what motivated us behind it?
It has not been a rare "lament" (among multiple circles =p) as to the lack of examples of godly men in the churches that I know... Guys! Will you follow take up the lead as a continuation of Adam's Personal Legend? Haha, but yes, the challenge is for both genders and is consistent with the *ten* talents which we have received and on which the Lord expects a return.
What is your Personal Legend? Do you dare to follow it?
What drives you; what is your purpose?
Do you dare to dream?
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Praise God!!
I am in Beijing for a leisure trip and will be returning to Hong Kong tomorrow.
It was a great trip of many breathtaking sights... and I am thankful for a miracle: I left my cell phone on a taxi in Beijing last night... and got it back today!! Miracle! Praise God!!
The funny thing for me is... this is not the first time I've lost my cellphone... the last time, I left it at the Toronto Pearson airport and got it back later that night too. =p
All in all, I can only ascribe to God's goodness. Praise God!!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
I am in Beijing for a leisure trip and will be returning to Hong Kong tomorrow.
It was a great trip of many breathtaking sights... and I am thankful for a miracle: I left my cell phone on a taxi in Beijing last night... and got it back today!! Miracle! Praise God!!
The funny thing for me is... this is not the first time I've lost my cellphone... the last time, I left it at the Toronto Pearson airport and got it back later that night too. =p
All in all, I can only ascribe to God's goodness. Praise God!!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
恭喜發財！
Well, I think one of the biggest dilemmas this year is having to give out red pockets.. no no, nothing happened to my marital status =p but it seemed to be a general *spoken* rule that all managers and up have to give red pockets to people "under". [Thinking back to my co-op days, I guess I got red pockets from my managers too.]
It's just a funny dilemma... how much to give... whether to give more to people we directly work with... whether we should give red pockets to the tea lady or not (she's probably the biggest gainer out of all people, haha...) [the dilemma is that she is attitude-y and doesn't give water to everyone... just the partners, haha, well, she doesn't acknowledge the presence of anyone who is a senior or under, I guess]... and then arguing the "netting out" amongst us managers [managers are one class.. no differentiation of seniority among the manager group, as in, I don't need to give to new managers.] Anyway, it's funny.
At least, I only need to give a few as our group is small without many seniors and no staff!
It's funny how things revolve around the money.. but to me, I think the part that bugs me the most is how it is engrained as an "expectation" in the culture (hence the "spoken" rule... not just an unspoken rule). In Toronto, I am more than happy to take people out for lunch and dinner because I'm just happy to do it.
And it doesn't necessarily change how I am here, except that people just joke about everyone else paying that it becomes to an awkward extent, and then I already don't want to take anyone out any more. [Maybe it comes down to people are more visibly and proudly 'gu hon'.]
At the same time, I know that is part of my problem about being spiteful whenever I *sense* that people have an expectation on myself. [As in, if I feel that you expect something of me, then, I'll purposefully not do it.] Haha... this came about at a young age when my mom used to wake me up by turning my lights on, and in my head I always thought, "All right, i'll get up once you turn the lights off!" Of course, neither way really worked, hahaha.
And as for the red pockets, I am happy to give them to people who are humble about it (and especially if they've helped me on my engagements). The other part that kind of bugs me is the "public display" of praises and well-wishes... which, I am sure comes from the heart (though, usually, it's to "get" the red pockets)... but, I guess the problem is just me. That's not my style as I prefer words that are generally more informal and *real*, not need to be seen and heard by the public eye and hears. And the same goes for this for the "giver" of the red pockets... I think I'll pull my seniors aside to do it...
Sigh, a difficult part of the culture to deal with for me!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Well, I think one of the biggest dilemmas this year is having to give out red pockets.. no no, nothing happened to my marital status =p but it seemed to be a general *spoken* rule that all managers and up have to give red pockets to people "under". [Thinking back to my co-op days, I guess I got red pockets from my managers too.]
It's just a funny dilemma... how much to give... whether to give more to people we directly work with... whether we should give red pockets to the tea lady or not (she's probably the biggest gainer out of all people, haha...) [the dilemma is that she is attitude-y and doesn't give water to everyone... just the partners, haha, well, she doesn't acknowledge the presence of anyone who is a senior or under, I guess]... and then arguing the "netting out" amongst us managers [managers are one class.. no differentiation of seniority among the manager group, as in, I don't need to give to new managers.] Anyway, it's funny.
At least, I only need to give a few as our group is small without many seniors and no staff!
It's funny how things revolve around the money.. but to me, I think the part that bugs me the most is how it is engrained as an "expectation" in the culture (hence the "spoken" rule... not just an unspoken rule). In Toronto, I am more than happy to take people out for lunch and dinner because I'm just happy to do it.
And it doesn't necessarily change how I am here, except that people just joke about everyone else paying that it becomes to an awkward extent, and then I already don't want to take anyone out any more. [Maybe it comes down to people are more visibly and proudly 'gu hon'.]
At the same time, I know that is part of my problem about being spiteful whenever I *sense* that people have an expectation on myself. [As in, if I feel that you expect something of me, then, I'll purposefully not do it.] Haha... this came about at a young age when my mom used to wake me up by turning my lights on, and in my head I always thought, "All right, i'll get up once you turn the lights off!" Of course, neither way really worked, hahaha.
And as for the red pockets, I am happy to give them to people who are humble about it (and especially if they've helped me on my engagements). The other part that kind of bugs me is the "public display" of praises and well-wishes... which, I am sure comes from the heart (though, usually, it's to "get" the red pockets)... but, I guess the problem is just me. That's not my style as I prefer words that are generally more informal and *real*, not need to be seen and heard by the public eye and hears. And the same goes for this for the "giver" of the red pockets... I think I'll pull my seniors aside to do it...
Sigh, a difficult part of the culture to deal with for me!
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Happy New Year! We welcome in the year of the Pig... guess the only difference this year is that I get a couple of days off for CNY. =p [Also, Happy belated Valentine's Day!]
It was great to have multiple E&Y/ex-E&Y meals (haha... some things don't change...), it has also been a joy to enjoy fellowship time with old and new friends... to share our continued story God's blessings and our continued challenges as we seek and discern his will.
It was also fun to have people over at the little Taikoo inn =p (no problem with 4 ppl here! Though, one bathroom does make it difficult sometimes!) And whoever would like to visit, I will try to welcome you with Chinese soup!! haha
Here are Ray & Sandra, great examples of humble servants of Christ.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
It was great to have multiple E&Y/ex-E&Y meals (haha... some things don't change...), it has also been a joy to enjoy fellowship time with old and new friends... to share our continued story God's blessings and our continued challenges as we seek and discern his will.
It was also fun to have people over at the little Taikoo inn =p (no problem with 4 ppl here! Though, one bathroom does make it difficult sometimes!) And whoever would like to visit, I will try to welcome you with Chinese soup!! haha
Here are Ray & Sandra, great examples of humble servants of Christ.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
I just finished reading The Alchemist (haha, one of the rare books of fiction on my bookshelf... I'll get to Da Vinci Code sometime... though, not sure if I left it in Toronto or not.)
Other than being a delightful read, what impressed me the most was the smoothness of the writing. I thought he did an interesting (and very good) job of intermingling the spirituality of Islam, Christianity, folk religion and Eastern mysticism (e.g., pantheism).
It's inevitable for me to see integration in all that I encounter (part of how I learn, I think). I love thinking about the "application of principles" from one area to another (say, accounting to theology, or secular management into a Christian environment). So, the principles in this book, despite the mixture of spiritualities, are aligned to principles which I deeply value.
In the spirit of the lifelong search of finding the Soul of the World, I relate to idea of a lifelong quest for wisdom by noticing the caravans while reading my books. I've started to learn to listen to my heart... especially in understanding the tensions of the heart as an interesting "check and balance" as presented here. I like to think I live in the present and eat when it's time to eat, not dwelling too much in the past or worrying too much about the future. And I am reminded of the tidbit of wisdom at the beginning of the book, to see the marvels of the world but not to forget the drops of oil in the spoon...
Other than being a delightful read, what impressed me the most was the smoothness of the writing. I thought he did an interesting (and very good) job of intermingling the spirituality of Islam, Christianity, folk religion and Eastern mysticism (e.g., pantheism).
It's inevitable for me to see integration in all that I encounter (part of how I learn, I think). I love thinking about the "application of principles" from one area to another (say, accounting to theology, or secular management into a Christian environment). So, the principles in this book, despite the mixture of spiritualities, are aligned to principles which I deeply value.
In the spirit of the lifelong search of finding the Soul of the World, I relate to idea of a lifelong quest for wisdom by noticing the caravans while reading my books. I've started to learn to listen to my heart... especially in understanding the tensions of the heart as an interesting "check and balance" as presented here. I like to think I live in the present and eat when it's time to eat, not dwelling too much in the past or worrying too much about the future. And I am reminded of the tidbit of wisdom at the beginning of the book, to see the marvels of the world but not to forget the drops of oil in the spoon...
Saturday, February 03, 2007
The Community of Believers
Finding Kong Fok Church (KFC) continues to be a blessing and a huge affirmation for my move here. [I was probably 90% close to deciding on another church but thought I would try out KFC to say that I "tried" another church.]
As I reflect on this simple idea of finding a suitable church, I find it amazing that this fellowship and community here, unbeknownst to them, is exactly the answer to the prayers of a group of brothers and sisters in Christ halfway around the world -- a connection is drawn.
In this way, you, who were part of my "old" community back in Toronto, continue to form a foundation for my community now.
And in this way, you, who are part of my "new" local community in Hong Kong, have now been extended not just by one person, but by many supporting brothers and sisters across the globe. I am sure there will be opportunities to gradually meet these supporters over time!
To me, it’s a simple realization. Though I rationally know in my mind that we form part of the "Big C" Church of the community of believers, perhaps it is this tangible connection of connected communities that has opened my eyes. It never ceases to amaze me of the reality of the bond that we have in the Holy Spirit; to experience the (immediate) connections drawn on a spiritual level, the joy and encouragement that are shared.
This joy is furthered when traveling or working at a different office and I have the opportunity to share in fellowship with those I have just met. It doesn't matter what job we have or our level of education, or where we grew up or where we now live; our souls are saved through Jesus Christ and we know there is something to look to in eternal life in heaven. And we simply celebrate through fellowship and the breaking of bread; it's a joy that is beyond words…
I integrate back to my reflections in my final paper which described the role of the church in the current culture. I believe that such authenticity in person-to-person relationships is a key aspect, and hope that I can remember this in my relationships, and even in this blog.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Finding Kong Fok Church (KFC) continues to be a blessing and a huge affirmation for my move here. [I was probably 90% close to deciding on another church but thought I would try out KFC to say that I "tried" another church.]
As I reflect on this simple idea of finding a suitable church, I find it amazing that this fellowship and community here, unbeknownst to them, is exactly the answer to the prayers of a group of brothers and sisters in Christ halfway around the world -- a connection is drawn.
In this way, you, who were part of my "old" community back in Toronto, continue to form a foundation for my community now.
And in this way, you, who are part of my "new" local community in Hong Kong, have now been extended not just by one person, but by many supporting brothers and sisters across the globe. I am sure there will be opportunities to gradually meet these supporters over time!
To me, it’s a simple realization. Though I rationally know in my mind that we form part of the "Big C" Church of the community of believers, perhaps it is this tangible connection of connected communities that has opened my eyes. It never ceases to amaze me of the reality of the bond that we have in the Holy Spirit; to experience the (immediate) connections drawn on a spiritual level, the joy and encouragement that are shared.
This joy is furthered when traveling or working at a different office and I have the opportunity to share in fellowship with those I have just met. It doesn't matter what job we have or our level of education, or where we grew up or where we now live; our souls are saved through Jesus Christ and we know there is something to look to in eternal life in heaven. And we simply celebrate through fellowship and the breaking of bread; it's a joy that is beyond words…
I integrate back to my reflections in my final paper which described the role of the church in the current culture. I believe that such authenticity in person-to-person relationships is a key aspect, and hope that I can remember this in my relationships, and even in this blog.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Friday, February 02, 2007
After all these years, perhaps it's time for a change! [Maybe not, if my problems with Blogger are resolved in the near future...]
But please, consider also checking out the new Balance.
But please, consider also checking out the new Balance.
General feeling of homesickness
Perhaps it is the end of a 3-4 month typical "honeymoon period" since I arrived here on October 2, coinciding with my mom leaving, the start of my work busy season, plus perhaps some other physiological reasons as well!
I've always been quite independent, so coming into this (i.e., after moving to Hong Kong) I kind of wondered how the feeling of homesickness would manifest itself for me. From breaking down this compound word, I wasn't sure if I would really miss home that way... though deep down I probably do, in terms of the stability and knowledge that there would always be people home, even if I always returned home late and didn't see my parents until the weekend anyway... No doubt, I miss my many good friends whom I used to seek (and of course, still do) for spiritual support. With technology, it has definitely been much easier to keep in touch, and perhaps even more than before in the morning and the evenings!
The purpose of this is not to lament... I acknowledge these are very real emotions for me (believe it!! even though I generally hide them!!) and to further the understanding of my human condition. I believe it is critical for us to come to terms with emotions and recognize they are an integral part of being created in the image of God... to realize that Jesus similarly felt deep emotions when he wept for Lazarus... or, to recognize the depth of God's emotions as a metaphor when we turn away from Him.
I remember one of my original objectives in moving away from Toronto was to experience living by God's grace and test my faith by going out of my comfort zone; although Hong Kong is already as close to my comfort zone as "outside" gets! But it is through going through this short valley (and hardly a dark valley at that) that we remember Christ's promises, his providence, and his grace, all sufficient for us.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Perhaps it is the end of a 3-4 month typical "honeymoon period" since I arrived here on October 2, coinciding with my mom leaving, the start of my work busy season, plus perhaps some other physiological reasons as well!
I've always been quite independent, so coming into this (i.e., after moving to Hong Kong) I kind of wondered how the feeling of homesickness would manifest itself for me. From breaking down this compound word, I wasn't sure if I would really miss home that way... though deep down I probably do, in terms of the stability and knowledge that there would always be people home, even if I always returned home late and didn't see my parents until the weekend anyway... No doubt, I miss my many good friends whom I used to seek (and of course, still do) for spiritual support. With technology, it has definitely been much easier to keep in touch, and perhaps even more than before in the morning and the evenings!
The purpose of this is not to lament... I acknowledge these are very real emotions for me (believe it!! even though I generally hide them!!) and to further the understanding of my human condition. I believe it is critical for us to come to terms with emotions and recognize they are an integral part of being created in the image of God... to realize that Jesus similarly felt deep emotions when he wept for Lazarus... or, to recognize the depth of God's emotions as a metaphor when we turn away from Him.
I remember one of my original objectives in moving away from Toronto was to experience living by God's grace and test my faith by going out of my comfort zone; although Hong Kong is already as close to my comfort zone as "outside" gets! But it is through going through this short valley (and hardly a dark valley at that) that we remember Christ's promises, his providence, and his grace, all sufficient for us.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I apologize for the lack of substance in my blogs of late... my thoughts over the past few weeks have been an integration of a number of things including:
reading the latest book in my queue (Soultalk by Larry Crabb), listening to the Urbana 2006 plenary messages, hearing a message by Michael Chang (e.g., ex-professional tennis player) at church, plus through my continual online Bible study in the book of Acts with a few good sisters in Christ and continual thoughts from my last final paper (which was also centred on Acts 2)...
In terms of events, I was able to spend a few more days with Bigjon before he left, spent a week in Manila for work, then my mom left for Toronto, and then I just came back yesterday from a personal trip to Singapore.
My problem is that I can't help but integrate everything that I know into some underlying principles... which on one hand is part of my cultivation of my "theological garden", yet, on the other, is perhaps a futile task because things simply can't be generalized or boiled down to such principles!
Regardless, here are some "recurring themes" of late...
reading the latest book in my queue (Soultalk by Larry Crabb), listening to the Urbana 2006 plenary messages, hearing a message by Michael Chang (e.g., ex-professional tennis player) at church, plus through my continual online Bible study in the book of Acts with a few good sisters in Christ and continual thoughts from my last final paper (which was also centred on Acts 2)...
In terms of events, I was able to spend a few more days with Bigjon before he left, spent a week in Manila for work, then my mom left for Toronto, and then I just came back yesterday from a personal trip to Singapore.
My problem is that I can't help but integrate everything that I know into some underlying principles... which on one hand is part of my cultivation of my "theological garden", yet, on the other, is perhaps a futile task because things simply can't be generalized or boiled down to such principles!
Regardless, here are some "recurring themes" of late...
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Happy New Year!
This year, new year was ushered in for me in the "Soho" area of Hong Kong, which stands for "south of Hollywood" in the mid-levels in Central. Jon and I went for a late dinner there. Quite good, Mediterranean tapas... yum...
Since New Year's eve was on a Sunday, i went to service as usual and we still had fellowship. It was a really good study on Hosea 3. Church actually had new year's eve events so after fellowship, we killed time by playing the Wii at someone's place. So fun!! So funny!! I'd consider buying it, but my living room doesn't allow for the range of movement.... puts my TV in too much risk [especially as I walk up to it to play bowling, haha]!
Then early on New Year's day, a bunch from fellowship, including Jon, went to Guangzhou on a trip. It was a hectic day of travelling, but eye-opening and a great experience overall. Hoping that we will go again, and there has been positive response among the group too!
One picture (thanks to Jon took it) of the group, waiting at the pier to get picked up (we waited for an hour... only the start of the travelling troubles, haha)
We have, from left to right, Emily, Matthew, Sarah, Pluto (or, "uncle Pluto"... I thought it funny he called himself that to Jon, since the age gap is probably really small, if any!), me, James, Rosalyn, Duncan. It was great working with them, a fun group, especially in one of those "surprise! you're putting on a Meeting today!" situation
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.
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