The beauty of this city as seen through the eyes of a visitor, has faded off as I have become set into the reality of how hard the Cantonese work, at the expense of all that I believe to be just. I have come to realize that I will always be an outsider in this extremely colloquial tight knitt culture. And with that, many of us so called "expats" have come to accept that reality and moved on with our own ways, in the comforts of the company of people from other parts of the world, here to pursue similar ambitions: work.
But I can't settle with being an outsider, despite the many well respected friends from all over the world,who come and go as they please. My sense of belonging and being someone in the world is in constant state of restlessness. No matter how much I have tried to make it a part of me, this place here has left me feeling alienated, between the language, the people, the harsh and inhumane working hours and the extreme speed of everything. Now, I somehow think that I have gained the understanding of the word "made in China," whenever you see this on a product, thoughts that come to mind include cheaply made, quickly fabricated, sweatshops, massproduction, imitation, it will definitely fall apart soon.
Somehow, it seems to reflect truth in the thought pattern of how things work around here, at least from what I have seen at work. time IS money, and everything done is a marathon to the finish line. speed over value. copy rather than create. standard and already approved rather than testing out new things. conventional rather than innovative. In a culture where values don't seem to fit my own, there is little room to really grow. I have come to believe that in not being accepted in this society,I myself cannot accept. With internal turmoil of who I am and who this place wants me to be, I have closed off in self defense.
Friday, 2 September 2011
Friday, 17 June 2011
Beyond the Skyline
This marks almost a year and a half of living in Hong Kong. By now, my views and perspectives on the context here slightly surpasses that of a passerby. Over the year, I've immersed myself in the working lifestyle, local culture to some extent and learning Cantonese to the best of my limited abilities. As a result, I have to admit that it was harder than I thought it would be, to integrate my Western lifestyle to that of the East, even in Hong Kong, where the British have established themselves up until 1997. I have yet to truly affiliate with local culture here, as it is so colloquial that you would need to have grown up here to truly understand how people think and do things here.
Hong Kong leads the extreme of extreme case of free market economy, maximized development density--population per sq meter, heightened GDP, and more. It is obviously manifest by its array of horizontal and vertical skylines, and the arduous working attitudes of its people. More than anything, it is the height of achievement measured by time in dollar amount, reflected through not mass consumption but vast luxury consumption and lavish lifestyles.
As I move beyond the wonders of what Hong Kong's vast city has to offer and dig into the reality of the nature of it's development state, I wonder if a state of balance and peace could ever be achieved here. In a city (which you could not quite define as a country) or more like in a political border, where it is a master of its people, the state of control, obedience and order allows for such extremities to function... I wonder whether the idea of "democracy" through it's free flowing markets, where start up businesses pop in and out, can actually hold common principles in America's ideals in ensuring each individual's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (at least in the time it was conceived).
Ultimately, I wonder if my inner needs for pursuing individual goals could be attained in a system where the units work for the better of the whole. Where, the pursuit of individual freedoms/happiness is overwritten by the purpose of the greater whole (even if I get a taste of all of the dim sum I want eating together at the round table and forgo my individual choice of selecting a meal). I believe that in order to change society (for the better), one must obtain his/her own state of fulfillment or happiness, whatever that may be. That is what fuels societies with meaning to yield distinct types of cultures. Without that, you are contributing to the machine i.e. the corporate structure, in which a set goal is expected to be achieved by the whole, with the limits of purely meeting economic and production targets.
Hong Kong leads the extreme of extreme case of free market economy, maximized development density--population per sq meter, heightened GDP, and more. It is obviously manifest by its array of horizontal and vertical skylines, and the arduous working attitudes of its people. More than anything, it is the height of achievement measured by time in dollar amount, reflected through not mass consumption but vast luxury consumption and lavish lifestyles.
As I move beyond the wonders of what Hong Kong's vast city has to offer and dig into the reality of the nature of it's development state, I wonder if a state of balance and peace could ever be achieved here. In a city (which you could not quite define as a country) or more like in a political border, where it is a master of its people, the state of control, obedience and order allows for such extremities to function... I wonder whether the idea of "democracy" through it's free flowing markets, where start up businesses pop in and out, can actually hold common principles in America's ideals in ensuring each individual's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (at least in the time it was conceived).
Ultimately, I wonder if my inner needs for pursuing individual goals could be attained in a system where the units work for the better of the whole. Where, the pursuit of individual freedoms/happiness is overwritten by the purpose of the greater whole (even if I get a taste of all of the dim sum I want eating together at the round table and forgo my individual choice of selecting a meal). I believe that in order to change society (for the better), one must obtain his/her own state of fulfillment or happiness, whatever that may be. That is what fuels societies with meaning to yield distinct types of cultures. Without that, you are contributing to the machine i.e. the corporate structure, in which a set goal is expected to be achieved by the whole, with the limits of purely meeting economic and production targets.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
From Hong Kong back to California
It's been over a year of living outside of the US. Over a year of buzzing streets, noisy signage and billboards, flashing street lights and overly time controlled cross walks, Chinese open air markets, sale items displayed beyond storefronts onto the sidewalks, and fast-FAST paced movement with walking-talking & being all at the same time. High high skyscrapers, standing in line in front of elevators for restaurants and bars located on the 11th floor, open views of the city light from way above, vibrant street nightlife full of strange and familiar faces, loud music, large crowds, eating out almost every night, cab rides home, bus rides home, the comforts of riding the MTR home, up the pipeline while indulging in the next chapter of a book. Intense working days, days turned into nights and some nights going through until dawn. The family-friendly office environment there is the only bond that keeps us all from going insane 24/7 in our cubicles. Group dim sums (Yam Cha), group pictures, group food court lunches, group tea time breaks, group shared dishes, and group gossipin’. The intensity of living in Hong Kong all once foreseen through that first night as I watched the explosion of "horizontal" fireworks across Victoria Harbor, on Chinese New Years.
The rhythm of my daily life in Hong Kong, one in which I have tried so hard to slowly but surely become accustomed to, has been suddenly switched back to the familiar comfort of my home sweet home, in sunny Southern California. Here I sit still, and listen to the sound of the delicate front porch bells dangling in the wind. Life as I remember,is silent, slow, solemn and sane. Family-friendly neighborhoods. Drive thrus. Shopping malls. Fast Food. "Ethnic" cuisine. Family fun places. Palm trees & Beautiful beaches. Walmart, Target and Albertson's. Fighting for the best parking spot in order to avoid walking thru the dark and hot pavement. Streets without much signage, some with no sidewalks, manicured grass lawns, property fences that go on and on forever, sweet family dwellings all sprinkled side by side. Shops, restaurants and offices with Vietnamese services and signage all make up our beloved "Little Saigon."
Here, I enjoy being in my family setting, with open space and time to enjoy playing with my baby nephew. Being close to family and friends, I can see just how much everyone has further established themselves over the past year: new car, newborns, new house, new apartment, new job, new marriages & new challenges. Here I am at peace, yet restless. My time is spent catching up with the daily patterns of my loved ones around me, one that I use to know as my own--slowing down the pace and just being. But, that subtle restlessness inside comes from my time spent in HK. AS much as I have longed to go back to a homier lifestyle, having been exposed to frenzied states for such a long time, makes it that much harder adjusting back.
The rhythm of my daily life in Hong Kong, one in which I have tried so hard to slowly but surely become accustomed to, has been suddenly switched back to the familiar comfort of my home sweet home, in sunny Southern California. Here I sit still, and listen to the sound of the delicate front porch bells dangling in the wind. Life as I remember,is silent, slow, solemn and sane. Family-friendly neighborhoods. Drive thrus. Shopping malls. Fast Food. "Ethnic" cuisine. Family fun places. Palm trees & Beautiful beaches. Walmart, Target and Albertson's. Fighting for the best parking spot in order to avoid walking thru the dark and hot pavement. Streets without much signage, some with no sidewalks, manicured grass lawns, property fences that go on and on forever, sweet family dwellings all sprinkled side by side. Shops, restaurants and offices with Vietnamese services and signage all make up our beloved "Little Saigon."
Here, I enjoy being in my family setting, with open space and time to enjoy playing with my baby nephew. Being close to family and friends, I can see just how much everyone has further established themselves over the past year: new car, newborns, new house, new apartment, new job, new marriages & new challenges. Here I am at peace, yet restless. My time is spent catching up with the daily patterns of my loved ones around me, one that I use to know as my own--slowing down the pace and just being. But, that subtle restlessness inside comes from my time spent in HK. AS much as I have longed to go back to a homier lifestyle, having been exposed to frenzied states for such a long time, makes it that much harder adjusting back.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Crossing Boundaries
The past 3 days were eye opening. I went to the East Asia Design School, where selected young engineers & designers from all over Arup East Asia attended workshops and lectures together. It was filled with fun exercises and lectures from very inspiring designers and industry leaders. I have to say that I don't usually believe that these kinds of events mount up to anything afterwards. But this time, it really hit home.
The main theme was about Crossing Boundaries. I won't bore you with the kinds of games and exercises that we did; we mostly worked in groups, had warm up exercises that got you thinking about a certain idea of how one responds to given situations and then went into creative projects addressing ways of creating a new product/idea and then communicative ways of selling the outwardly new ideas.
As a designer, I think that it's my job to think creatively and "outside of the box," so I didn't think that these workshops would have any effect on my thinking. However, what really opened up my eyes was realizing how, even as a designer, I had also limited my ways of thinking and problem solving, during the process of collaborating with my engineer colleagues.
What I learned was that "Crossing the Boundary" means going beyond your OWN boundaries, even if it means going beyond the design. Working with engineers I realize the technical mode of thinking is essential to innovation. Creativity does not come to fruition in "design" per say, until it becomes an innovation. The most irrational combination of fields (be it digital with fashion) EVER could offset an already existing way of working/thinking and thus revolutionize.. ex. iphone, google & facebook. For example, imagine going to a restaurant with no menu, no charge and no service?
On a personal level, I realize that I HAVE been crossing boundaries all my life-- especially now living in HK. Whether it's social, cultural, political, or educational ones, I have been out of my comfort zone over and over again. Geographically I can say that I've lived in 5 different regions, and in 3 different countries. I cross cultural borders all the times, as a matter a fact, I don't really associate only one or the other since I am mixed and speak 3 different languages (working on a fourth one). My epiphany in pursuing design, has been my means of crossing boundaries as architecture borrows from other fields for creative design innovation. As a matter of fact, my thesis and research topics and interest lie in border theory..haha.
But despite all that, this humbling experience tells me that I need to keep my mind open and be even more receptive to the different fields around me i.e. engineering, industry, fashion, IT... Being on edge, or "pushing" the boundary, means even walking beyond what you know to be "advantageous" and dwelling in the unexpected. It's outside of the comfort zone, and it's not necessarily the most pleasant place to be. As a designer, I have limited myself to what I believed to be creativity. The more knowledge you gain, the more set into a process you become and the harder it is to overcome preconceptions. In this modern time and age, one must seek multi-disciplinary approaches in order to move beyond what we already have.
Lastly, I realize that once you STOP pushing to better yourself, only then, could you find that "comfort zone" of belonging somewhere in the world. Arriving at a self contented stage in life only comes perhaps after you are aged and wise. Until then, thrive to fulfill your full potentials by crossing from one boundary to the next.
The main theme was about Crossing Boundaries. I won't bore you with the kinds of games and exercises that we did; we mostly worked in groups, had warm up exercises that got you thinking about a certain idea of how one responds to given situations and then went into creative projects addressing ways of creating a new product/idea and then communicative ways of selling the outwardly new ideas.
As a designer, I think that it's my job to think creatively and "outside of the box," so I didn't think that these workshops would have any effect on my thinking. However, what really opened up my eyes was realizing how, even as a designer, I had also limited my ways of thinking and problem solving, during the process of collaborating with my engineer colleagues.
What I learned was that "Crossing the Boundary" means going beyond your OWN boundaries, even if it means going beyond the design. Working with engineers I realize the technical mode of thinking is essential to innovation. Creativity does not come to fruition in "design" per say, until it becomes an innovation. The most irrational combination of fields (be it digital with fashion) EVER could offset an already existing way of working/thinking and thus revolutionize.. ex. iphone, google & facebook. For example, imagine going to a restaurant with no menu, no charge and no service?
On a personal level, I realize that I HAVE been crossing boundaries all my life-- especially now living in HK. Whether it's social, cultural, political, or educational ones, I have been out of my comfort zone over and over again. Geographically I can say that I've lived in 5 different regions, and in 3 different countries. I cross cultural borders all the times, as a matter a fact, I don't really associate only one or the other since I am mixed and speak 3 different languages (working on a fourth one). My epiphany in pursuing design, has been my means of crossing boundaries as architecture borrows from other fields for creative design innovation. As a matter of fact, my thesis and research topics and interest lie in border theory..haha.
But despite all that, this humbling experience tells me that I need to keep my mind open and be even more receptive to the different fields around me i.e. engineering, industry, fashion, IT... Being on edge, or "pushing" the boundary, means even walking beyond what you know to be "advantageous" and dwelling in the unexpected. It's outside of the comfort zone, and it's not necessarily the most pleasant place to be. As a designer, I have limited myself to what I believed to be creativity. The more knowledge you gain, the more set into a process you become and the harder it is to overcome preconceptions. In this modern time and age, one must seek multi-disciplinary approaches in order to move beyond what we already have.
Lastly, I realize that once you STOP pushing to better yourself, only then, could you find that "comfort zone" of belonging somewhere in the world. Arriving at a self contented stage in life only comes perhaps after you are aged and wise. Until then, thrive to fulfill your full potentials by crossing from one boundary to the next.
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