Guest Post from Susan

Hong Kong could be called a perfect blend of East and West. I truly can understand how it is called a "world city." I walked for a week. I walked up escalators and down steep, narrow alleys. I

stumbled across street markets toting counterfeit handbags just like I've seen in SE Asia, and then two blocks away, I would look up at a glitzy, towering Burbery Shop. I ate fishball soup and yet

I was able to converse in English with the lady running the outdoor food cart--these are things that you may take for granted, coming straight from USA, but here in Korea, where even ordering a KAH-PAY-RA-TAY (cafe latte) is an ordeal, it's not the case. I found myself not as shocked as others might have been at the dried seafood street, but more at ease--lol--and tickled to witness European architecture popping out of the multitude of skyscrapers. I mean, they're so...so very NOT Asia...but...they're not really even Europe...they are, as we say in Konglish: FUSION. ah. It was a pleasure to be in a modern city and experience a new type of people, but moreover...mostly and most of all, the best part of being in Hong Kong was having someone to visit who knows another--non-travelley side of myself. I haven't been Wrigs in nearly 7 years! holy moly! Seeing Beth,(July) in HK, was connecting with the missing PNW in myself, it was a realization of a dream I've had since moving to Asia, and that is someone who knows me from home to also understand the joys and trials of ex-patriatage. plus. Beth, being so awesome--she took me to Disneyland!