A tale of two cities and three worlds
The first two and a half weeks in Melbourne was a time when I was living in three worlds: a nostalgic world of Hong Kong, a reality world of Melbourne, and a virtual world of Hotmail, Skype, and Facebook.
Hong Kong was a city full of fond memories: the first time I set foot on the HKIEd campus; the first colleagues I met there; the first time I entered my own office; the first flat I rented; the first piece of furniture I purchased and assembled; the first couple of months when my daughter and I overcame so many hurdles in terms of finding her a place in the JCPS, helping her with her mounting homework, finding babysitters for her after-school and holiday time; and the joy we shared while traveling to the Lamma Island, and witnessing her winning the many awards including the first prize for photo competition among primary school students across HK organized by TVB. There were also many other fond memories, including the happy family reunions, long or short; the meal gatherings with colleagues and friends; the many conference trips overseas; the lectures and tutorials I conducted; the weekly squash, badminton, tennis and swimming sessions; the times when my parents and siblings visited me; the many hiking trips both on my own and with friends; the cycling and jogging excursions at the Waterfront Park; the first drama performances of the ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the ‘Tempest’; the cycling trips to work, particularly up the hills along the Lo Ping road; the boat trips to the Islands, and the H1 and H2 Rickshaw Bus Tours around the Central. By the time I departed at the HK International Airport, these memories seem to have been turned into an old movie, a favorite book, and a sojourner’s tale.
The reality world of Melbourne was full of hard facts: the ‘Welcome to Melbourne’ signs in English and Chinese at the Melbourne Airport; the taxi I took to Monash University; the temporary housing officers I met; and temporary accommodation I was provided, including a studio for the first morning upon my arrival, and 68 Beddoe Ave house for the first two and a half weeks; the first two days when I wasn’t officially a staff member yet so I simply took my Mac and stayed in one of the computer rooms inside the campus centre; the first trip to the Clayton shopping centre to buy cheese, bread, milk, noodles, vegetables and other daily necessities; my first meetings with my boss and colleagues; the first impressions of my sunny and spacious office; my first meeting over a cuppa with an old Australian friend of mine; the first badminton games, the family meals, and the shopping trip that I was invited to by a close colleague of mine and her family; my attempts to find a more permanent house to rent; my progress at work; the sound advice and background information about work given to me by my supervisor and colleague; my first visit to a local Church where I met a group of lovely people; and my first skiing trip at the Lake Mountain.
I was also living in a virtual world of Hotmail, Skype, and Facebook. Living all by myself for the first two and a half weeks in Melbourne, I was subconsciously looking for activities online to fill in my spare time: photo updates of my new experiences on Facebook; Skyping with my family and friends, and writing and receiving emails from other human beings. In the meantime, I also had daily phone conversations with families and friends. Up until my wife and daughter joined me on that Wednesday evening, I had been wandering around a world of my own, be it real or virtual. Feeling lonely, but I seem to have got used to it. A sojourner, perhaps, is meant to be lonely and on his own. However, life seems to have a new start after I have secured a house in a convenient location, close to almost everything: shopping centres, restaurants, schools, cinemas, and bus and train stations; and particularly after my family joined me. The M-M-M become united again, after all these separate journeys and trips over the past several years. The M-M-M at around Monash in Melbourne! One of my friends reminded me, saying that perhaps Melbourne had always meant to be my destination, or one of my destinations in life.
Well, wherever I am, the sojourner’s tale continues … and for the time being, it's a tale of two cities and three worlds.
Hong Kong was a city full of fond memories: the first time I set foot on the HKIEd campus; the first colleagues I met there; the first time I entered my own office; the first flat I rented; the first piece of furniture I purchased and assembled; the first couple of months when my daughter and I overcame so many hurdles in terms of finding her a place in the JCPS, helping her with her mounting homework, finding babysitters for her after-school and holiday time; and the joy we shared while traveling to the Lamma Island, and witnessing her winning the many awards including the first prize for photo competition among primary school students across HK organized by TVB. There were also many other fond memories, including the happy family reunions, long or short; the meal gatherings with colleagues and friends; the many conference trips overseas; the lectures and tutorials I conducted; the weekly squash, badminton, tennis and swimming sessions; the times when my parents and siblings visited me; the many hiking trips both on my own and with friends; the cycling and jogging excursions at the Waterfront Park; the first drama performances of the ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the ‘Tempest’; the cycling trips to work, particularly up the hills along the Lo Ping road; the boat trips to the Islands, and the H1 and H2 Rickshaw Bus Tours around the Central. By the time I departed at the HK International Airport, these memories seem to have been turned into an old movie, a favorite book, and a sojourner’s tale.
The reality world of Melbourne was full of hard facts: the ‘Welcome to Melbourne’ signs in English and Chinese at the Melbourne Airport; the taxi I took to Monash University; the temporary housing officers I met; and temporary accommodation I was provided, including a studio for the first morning upon my arrival, and 68 Beddoe Ave house for the first two and a half weeks; the first two days when I wasn’t officially a staff member yet so I simply took my Mac and stayed in one of the computer rooms inside the campus centre; the first trip to the Clayton shopping centre to buy cheese, bread, milk, noodles, vegetables and other daily necessities; my first meetings with my boss and colleagues; the first impressions of my sunny and spacious office; my first meeting over a cuppa with an old Australian friend of mine; the first badminton games, the family meals, and the shopping trip that I was invited to by a close colleague of mine and her family; my attempts to find a more permanent house to rent; my progress at work; the sound advice and background information about work given to me by my supervisor and colleague; my first visit to a local Church where I met a group of lovely people; and my first skiing trip at the Lake Mountain.
I was also living in a virtual world of Hotmail, Skype, and Facebook. Living all by myself for the first two and a half weeks in Melbourne, I was subconsciously looking for activities online to fill in my spare time: photo updates of my new experiences on Facebook; Skyping with my family and friends, and writing and receiving emails from other human beings. In the meantime, I also had daily phone conversations with families and friends. Up until my wife and daughter joined me on that Wednesday evening, I had been wandering around a world of my own, be it real or virtual. Feeling lonely, but I seem to have got used to it. A sojourner, perhaps, is meant to be lonely and on his own. However, life seems to have a new start after I have secured a house in a convenient location, close to almost everything: shopping centres, restaurants, schools, cinemas, and bus and train stations; and particularly after my family joined me. The M-M-M become united again, after all these separate journeys and trips over the past several years. The M-M-M at around Monash in Melbourne! One of my friends reminded me, saying that perhaps Melbourne had always meant to be my destination, or one of my destinations in life.
Well, wherever I am, the sojourner’s tale continues … and for the time being, it's a tale of two cities and three worlds.
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