After our third move across the ocean within a year, we are slowly getting into a normal routine – although normal for the Clarks has been hard to define lately. This time around here in Hong Kong, we do have bars on the windows of our 27th floor apartment, we are more familiar with the island we are living on, and most importantly, I know how to get to the nearest Krispy Kreme. (One of five American establishments that has made it here!) (Click here to view pictures)
We have been able to meet up with friends we knew from last year and also make new friends that weren’t here before. The honeymoon stage was quite a bit shorter this time around and we are just now starting to climb our way back up from the drop after the high. But God has blessed us with a wonderful furnished apartment, a great landlady (which is an unusual blessing here), a view of the China Sea and the mountains that is extraordinary – and all our luggage made it.
The same cultural differences are causing frustration and irritation once again, but at least we know what it is we are feeling, and we are trying to work through it lovingly day-to-day. We have been stuck in the apartment a lot since we arrived since it is not only the rainy season but typhoon season. When we just can’t stay in any longer, we go out to find the wind and rain blowing so hard that I am holding down the girls! But we have only had umbrellas blow away so far.
It feels like a dream some days and any minute we will wake up back in familiar Plano with our friends and family and two-car garage. But in the meantime, it has been fun rediscovering all that is unique to China like lychee (a prickly red fruit with a sweet clear grape inside), pineapple buns (round bakery buns with a sweet coating on top in the pattern of a pineapple), no half-n-half (which means we get to use pure cream for everything!), and fresh seafood at the market (all of which is swimming or crawling in various tanks UNTIL you pick it out!
It is nice to be back in communication, and we hope to hear from you all as well. I’ll try to be more regular and insightful on the blog as time goes on. (See pictures under Blogroll titled Second Time Around to the left).
