Turkey Turkey!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF MY PEOPLE.

Today I am thankful for many, MANY things... but most of all- for all of you who read my blog. Hee hee. Details on my Thanksgiving in Hong Kong will come soon. :-) I love you all lots and lots.

THREE MONTHS!

Today I have officially been in Hong Kong for

THREE MONTHS!

Wahoo! Let's hear it for FOUR more!

Uh, folks, if you're coming to see me in Hong Kong, time is OFFICIALLY running out. MAKE THOSE AIRLINE RESERVATIONS AND GET OVER HERE! :-)

In a few weeks my contract is half way through (December 10th I believe)- THAT seems impossible. Crazy, CRAZY how fast time goes.

Work

I finally got a good, clear pic of me on stage. Thanks for Airi from the DB Branch!

Click to enlarge

Just my life...

So apparently nothing too eventful has been going on in my life so far this month... though I have enjoyed coming up with Ralphie posts. 42 days till Christmas. I'm just sayin'...

Life here is great. I LOVE, LOVE my job. If it were at home, it would be PERFECT and I would stay with it indefinitely. But, even though I LOVE this experience and I wouldn't change it for anything, I wouldn't want to stay here on my own for more than the few more months I will be here. I have learned that being close to family is really important to me. I need those people. I also need my friends and people who know and understand me. I have loved meeting new people and everything- it's been great, but there's something comforting about people at home. People who have known you for years and years, and people who you know that you can see by just jumping in your car and meeting at the local Taco Bell for lunch. On that topic...

ASSIGNMENT: I miss the following foods. You must eat them for me.

*Bajio Grill chips and salsa and burritos (with the green sauce....waaaa)
*Taco Bell Seven Layer Burritos and Gorditas.. or ANYTHING Taco Bell. I MISS IT!
* Olive Garden anything
* BYU Creamery ice cream (Peanut Butter Cup and Raspberry and Cream Cheese flavors particularly) - Andrea Williams I put you in charge of THIS one.. since you're the freak who got me hooked on Creamery ice cream in the first place! :-)
* Costa Azul (in Provo... Costa Vida other places...) grilled chicken salad
* Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich and FROSTIES... do I enjoy torturing myself like this?
* Applebee's Appetizer Sampler
* Wingers STICKY FINGERS (WAAAA!)
* Wingers Asphalt Pie
* Macaroni Grill Pasta Milano... one of my ABSOLUTE favs!!
* Good fajitas somewhere... :-)
* A J-Dawg (Provo)
* Smart Cookie (Provo)

It is a consensus among the American cast members here that the most missed fast food place is Taco Bell. I tell ya, in March when we all hit that US airport with a layover, TACO BELL Express here we come! :-) YEAH!

Anyway, like I said, all is happy. Sorry for the lack of interesting pictures. Soon I will have some sort of Thanksgiving post, and CHRISTMAS decorations will be posted as well! IN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK I CAN DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS! I love Christmas. And Christmas music. And presents under my Christmas tree from people of far away lands...

Oh yeah, speaking of Christmas... this week I was involved in a "Special Event" at Disneyland. I did a press event where I sang a couple Christmas songs in a quartet. It was fun and there were little Chinese press people with cameras in my face for like ten minutes. It was entertaining. I need to locate some pics of that... my outfit was a joke. HA HA. :-) I looked like a really trendy Christmas soccer mom...

So anyway... that's Hong Kong. Just my life. :-)

Variations on a Ralphie Theme

Subtlety

Email me for my address... :-)

Happy Halloween!

HALLOWEEN: HK Disneyland Style

(This is my stylin' , after show, "I shouldn't be in the park with my fake eyelashes and stage makeup on" look. I'm a nerd.)

The boss and his wife

This is my FAVORITE Hong Kong Disneyland "treat"- Carmeled Popcorn. Happy Amy.

OK- continuing with the Halloween in Hong Kong theme: Tonight as I was sitting in my apartment doing bills online or whatever, I heard the sounds of hundreds and hundreds of little kids jabbering and screaming with excitement. (Remember I am on the 11th floor of my building... these kids were LOUD!) I went and looked out my bedroom window and all these costumed kids came running out of the clubhouse and onto the streets of "Hong Kong Gold Coast Phase II" (where I live), for Trick-or-Treating. It honestly was one of the best things I have seen here in Hong Kong so far. There were plenty of Disney princesses (HA! Little girls dress up as ME for Halloween!), and even some of the adults were dressed up. My favorite, though, was an older man walking around the complex with a child by his side and a lighted pumpkin in the stroller he was pushing. AH! HONG KONG IS GREAT!

Watching all the bustle and enthusiasm just made me remember all the happy Halloweens I had as a kid. Halloween was my favorite holiday next to Christmas. I would watch the weather every day for more than a week in advance to make sure the weather would behave itself for my candy gathering endeavors... and the years it didn't- when it snowed or something-those were the years my costume plans were foiled because my mom would make me wear a coat over my leotard or something. Ha ha. I LOVE HALLOWEEN!

What was I for Halloween, you ask? I was Belle, from Beauty and the Beast... remember that Disney cartoon? Yeah-I was her. :-)

"Birfday" Wishes!

I have several family members and a friend with birthdays here at the end of October. Soooo...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to:

My cousin Maggie Sue- who is turning 3

My cousin (and brother of Maggie...) Garrett- who is turning 7!

My cousin Shannon, who is 25 now (Yay 1981!)

AND

To my dear friend Melissa Porter, who is 24!

Hong Kong Sunsets

The sunsets here in Hong Kong- from my window- are stunning, BUT they confuse me. It's weird because the sun gets low in the sky, but it doesn't disappear behind the horizon. It just gets to a certain level and fades away. WEIRD! I watched carefully tonight to try and figure it out, but I have no idea. Any of you smart science/planet people know the answer of WHY? It is beautiful (even if the brilliant color is caused, as called in something I read, by "choking pollution." )



Can I also just say that I don't know how, by looking at amazing things like this, anyone can deny the existence of a God. That's all. :-) Be happy.

2 Months!

I have now been here in Hong Kong for

TWO MONTHS!!!

Wahoo! Let's hear it for five more!
(And let's hear it for some VISITS from y'all in those five months! )

What a day!

Today I took a trip to Tuen Mun to pick up some packages at the post office- or "The Post" as Terrah Conrad and I called it in West Yellowstone. :-) Terrah had sent me TWO packages- and OH MY GOSH! One was chucked full of Halloween candy... happy happy, and the other was full of GREAT church/missionary materials. I have the bestest friends in the world! THANK YOU TERRAH! I had to take a pic of me with my candy. I love candy. Yes yes. I love candy.

Today I also visited Victoria's Peak- my favorite place in Hong Kong. When I was here with YA's it was by far my favorite place. It is absolutely STUNNING. Today was really hazy, but it is still quite the sight. :-) I LOVE IT! On the ride up I took the tram- where, a guy from Utah just happened to be sitting in front of me. He's from Sandy and on business here for a few days. HA! Who knew that today I would meet another Utahn, and another Mormon... they ARE out there! Hee hee. He showed me a good trail to walk on up at The Peak, and we just talked for awhile. It was fun to see someone from home!

Going to "The Peak" today made me sentimental with YA memories...

The YA's sharing an FHE with Hong Kong members (April 2005)

YA Memory: The McDonald's where Randy took us to get ice cream on Victoria's Peak

Yet MORE observations on HK:

* People on the bus and MTR will always fall asleep on top of you. Ha ha. Seriously, everyone sleeps on public transportation here and well, I like their heads on my shoulder. :-) Hee hee!

* People here are blunt. I had noticed this many times before, but today on the ride to Tuen Mun I didn't know exactly where I was going and this nice guy helped me out and told me which stop to get off at and whatever. Anyway, we got talking (I couldn't understand him very well, his English wasn't the best) and he asked if I were Christian. I told him yes, I am a Mormon. His response? "The Mormon church isn't true." Blunt.

* The world isn't so big after all. :-) I met a guy from Sandy, Utah today in Hong Kong. I'm not THAT far away! :-) Hee hee.

Glowsticks and the Public Light Bus

These are mini-busses, or "Public Light Busses"- they are EVERYWHERE here in HK.. I took a ride in on the other night. Story to follow... :-)

* * *

More "STUFF" about Hong Kong:

* The other night I had one of those, "HA! This is MY LIFE" moments. I had gone into town with the cast members for a big birthday party, and for the ride home I took a minibus for the first time. I had seen them ALL over Hong Kong, but was never exactly sure how to use one. OK- basically I was afraid to use one because I wouldn't be able to communicate with the drivers who MOST LIKELY don't speak Engrish. (Basically the way these work is you hop on them and just yell to the driver when you wanna get off... but I didn't even know how you find out where they were GOING) ANYWAY- my friend Fiona from the cast got me onto one of these busses and was nice enough to tell the driver where to stop and let me off. Communication problem cured.

#1 Thing I learned about mini-busses: THEY ARE MUCH FASTER THAN THE REGULAR BUSSES OR THE MTR (subway). I LOVE MINI-BUSSES!

#2 The atmosphere of this little bus was one of the most hysterical things I have seen here in Hong Kong. I ADORED it. THIS was living. THIS was experiencing HONG KONG. THIS IS MY LIFE! ( Moment of suppressed giddiness ) I was in my seat, a couple of seats in back of the driver, just smiling to myself. I wanted to take a picture SOOOOO badly but didn't want all the Hong Kong people to think I was a crazy American girl... like I am. So I didn't take a pic. ANYWAY- why was this little bus so entertaining? Well, it was speeding all over going past every other vehicle... I loved that, and the music this driver was playing was totally ghetto with the bass turned up. HA! The dashboard and front of the bus were decorated with all kinds of WHATEVER. The flashing fluorescence of glow sticks and the movement of the M & M bobbleheads attached to the dashboard COMBINED with the music just made me love my little life and this weird little experience I am having here, 7,000+ miles away from home. I need to find THAT bus and take someone on it when I have visitors. Ha ha ha.

My writing juices aren't flowing today. I wish I could adequately paint the word picture of this bus for you guys... it's not working. Sigh...

Anyway- continuing with OBSERVATIONS ON HONG KONG:

* The men here have pretty hands. Most of them have long fingernails and perfectly manicured hands... it makes me feel like Miss Ugly Hands. Hee hee. Wussup with that?

* I am to the point that I don't remember that I look different than the people here. I just don't think about it until I see some little kid staring at me with wide eyes. Yes, I'm the tall, "fat", blonde girl from America! :- ) HA HA HA.

* My favorite thing about working at Hong Kong Disneyland is the fact that every time I single someone out in the audience and wave, JUST AT THEM, it MAKES THEIR LIFE. Their little - and big- faces light up brighter than anything I have seen before. Sometimes it almost brings me to tears. Seriously! I have the best job right now!!!

* Having a fairly young Chinese guy as your dresser in a show is entertaining- especially when he- your DRESSER- has a crush on you. HA HA HA! His name is Sam. He is my dresser every few days. The kid CRACKS me up and looks at me like I am the most blessed thing that has ever looked upon this good earth. He doesn't speak Engrish very well, so his affectionate thing for me is to stick his tongue out at me. He is my Sam of Hong Kong.

* THINGS are cheap here in HK. Stuff for my house is cheap, "STUFF" is cheap. Groceries are not. It seriously is cheaper to eat out every night... well, if you go to cheap places like McDonalds... but who wants to do that.

* I found a new addiction that relates to my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches obsession. I am so bad. They probably have this at home- but it's Skippy "Chocolate Swirl Peanut Butter." Let me die now. I bought a jar and eat this glorious concoction by the spoonful. What has happened to me here in HK? I think it's my medicine to ward of homesickness. Yeah- I'll keep telling myself that...

* * *

I didn't go to Cantonese class tonight. I am a bad student. Oh well. I have two more days off this week- what to do, what to do.... Things here have settled in to being just life. Ya know? It's like home... I got to work, come home, make dinner, and watch TV or whatever, and crash. On my days off I run errands and do whatever I feel like. I feel like I should be out doing touristy things on my days off- and sometimes I DO... but I will wait for most of that till the "tourists" come- for I am now a resident of Hong Kong. Ha ha.

BIFF AND BRETT (my sister and bro-in-law) win the prize for making the first reservations to come see me. I love them. They make me happy. Do you want me to love you too? COME SEE ME. Hee hee. :-) They will be here Dec 29-Jan 3. Happy.

Days off... again :-)

Hee hee. OK- thanks to my dear friends Cy (who I learned new things about today... hee hee) and Ryan for this one. Y'all know my obsession with the musical Les Miz... well, actually now the obsession isn't really an obsession... though I still love the show. But anyway, this made me laugh. Les Miz and Legos. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Dn0_gsbA8


Well, today was my day off and I just did normal "day off" things. I went grocery shopping, ran errands (I had to pay Disney back over $2000 cuz they had accidently overpaid me on my last check... darn it...) , and then I went to the Cantonese class that the sister missionaries in the branch are teaching. The only things I can actually confidently say are: Good morning, Hello- How are you?, Move out of the way, Thank You (which is the SAME as move out of the way...), Good evening, and mmm... yeah- that's it. I don't think my mouth is made to make those words... ha ha.


I have an obsession with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches here in Hong Kong. I love them. That's all.

Too bad I don't have more to write about... ummmm.... I bought a little red rug for under my coffee table today. I am happy for that. I got it for like $15 US too. :-) Happy me.

I have lots of time to go running and walking here. I go for at least an hour each day. It's nice and if I start cutting down on those PB and J's I can get rid of the little flab I have. (Don't take this as me saying I am fat... BUT we all have places we can tone up!) :-) Hee hee.

Speaking of fat.... OK- I am a size 3/4 (Yes, I just posted that on the internet). NOT FAT AT ALL. Have y'all seen The Devil Wears Prada? OK- here, I AM THAT GIRL. Among all these Phillipina dancers and other dancer girls I am the "fat" one. It is really weird. :-) Oh well. I am the tall fat girl from America. It's all good. :-) I like it. Bring on the PB and J, baby.

I found myself on YouTube! Ha ha ha!

So if this is NOT me, then this Belle sounds just like myself to me. Hee hee. Yes, I DO have too much time on my hands. :-) Watch this video because it has a great view of how the "transformation" works. In the video I posted you can't see it. :-) Anyway, go check it out!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNI7wRI6D08

There are also chunks of the rest of the show in links on this page. I am in "Friendship" (the one laying across the block in the beginning) and I am in the Mulan (Heros) section as well! :-) I play a man. Ha ha. Oh yeah, and in the opening number (before "Friendship"), I am an usher... I say "The costumes are finished!" Ha ha ha.

The Giant Buddha

Today was my day off so I visited the giant Buddha on Lantau Island. It was giant. :-)

The view from the back of the giant Buddha

Statues around the giant Buddha

I think this is Hong Kong's version of a pine tree. I like Christmas.

Tonight the local Hong Kong girls put a little party together for the Chinese "Lantern Festival" that has been going on this week. We all just hung out and ate and talked and stuff. :-)

Belle... Again :-)

My "job."

Belle and Tetchi- one of the Phillipino cast members

"G" - another cast member.. and Belle

There's something sweet, and almost kind...

OK OK- try to control yourself.... SOOO hot in this pic. HA HA HA. I think I am gonna cut my hair like this! Uh... NOOOO. I need a picture of it without the hat. It's my Opener costume and without the hat I look like a soccer mom- "Deb." Hee hee.

Sentimental Ramblings and Other Junk :-)

I miss my Provo...

And Layton... and PEOPLE!

Yeah OK- so I can admit it- I finally hit the point of homesickness last night. Now I hardly ever post sentimental thoughts/emotions on the blog... but here I go.

Last night as I was watching Conference online at BYUTV.org, I ran across a program they ran in between sessions called "Young Ambassadors: Journey Through China." There, on my computer screen, was an hour full of memories of my YA days... people, the YA show, events from our China tour- all being thrown at me. I LOVED IT. But, I felt SO far removed from it all. It catapulted me into a bout of homesickness and sentimentality. I wouldn't ever change that fact that I am here, but I think we all have to have moments of wanting "home." Yeah, I miss my family, friends, and my pets. I miss jumping in my car (even though I HATED the car I was driving... hee hee) and driving wherever I wanted- even though gas prices were killing me.

I am CRAVING a J-Dawg, BYU creamery ice cream (Peanut Butter Cup and Raspberry Cream Cheese), The Brink Oven "Market Room Buffet," and Costa Azul (or Costa Vida in SLC-Layton-Ogden area).

Random Facts of Amy's Life in Hong Kong:

* I change my clothes roughly 15 or more times per day (Seems as if I have gone back to childhood when I used to change my clothes all day for no reason and always ended up in the same outfit... a purple and white polka dotted sun dress thing...)

* I encounter unknown smells at least 10 times per day. Some of these smells- well... I just don't like them. Yuck. I am craving the fresh air of Utah in Autumn.

* I come across mystery meat at least twice per day. And for those of you who understand my HUGE dislike of dead fish... well, I try and stay away from the meat counters in the grocery stores. The other day a fish head was rolling around on a counter and I really about DIED.

* I love my iPod. LOOOOOOVE my iPod. I never thought I would be one of those obnoxious people with the iPod earphones in their head 24-7, but I to believe I am becoming one. Ha ha. Just kidding, not really. But I love it for my walks/runs around the complex at night, and for my standby days at work. Thanks to everyone who pitched in to get it for my birthday!

* I read The Da Vinci Code in about four days. I am now starting The Chronicles of Narnia (Thanks Tom Every!) It's like 800 pages. I will probably finish it sometime next week. Did I mention I have TONS of time to READ?

* I still get really confused as to what side of the road we are on- or what we're supposed to be on. It all just confuses me. I feel disoriented. I ride busses all day long for transportation and it still weirds me out. Roundabouts are REALLY bizarre when going the "wrong way"- which is the "right way" here in Hong Kong.

* Being here no longer feels like a vacation. It's just life. It's where I live. Like at home, after work I come home, make dinner, and do whatever. I feel like I need to be out sight seeing or something ALL THE TIME- but wait, at home I don't spend my evenings visiting the landmarks of Utah- not ever night anyway. :- ) So on my days off I think I am going to explore the touristy things this month. I am already coming up with good things for my visitors to do! HEY- I AM BOOKING MY EXTRA ROOM. I need dates from people! :-) YAY!

It's too late to be writing tonight. I have lots all sense of wit and entertainment in my writing. I need to sleep. All is well! Hong Kong is stunningly beautiful at night and I feel EXTREMELY blessed to be here. I love my job, and the people I work with are great. All is well in the HK.