First Impressions from Hong Kong

I knew I would like Hong Kong when the immigration officer pulled out a tin box covered in Hello Kitty stickers from under her desk, unlocked a flimsy pink plastic lock, and extracted an "immigration approved" stamp from inside it to stamp my passport with. Still giggling over a joke she was sharing with the immigration officer beside her and hardly aware of my nervous presence, she sent me on my way and out into the glittery neon world that is Hong Kong. I was met at the exit by the school director who welcomed me in the name of the school where I will be working, escorted me to the hotel shuttle, and gave me some sound advise on apartment rentals. 

Asia must have cornered the market on cuteness. Everywhere one can place a cute cartoon logo, you can find one. Double-decker buses fly past with happy face cartoons on the side. Advertisements, information, logos--all of it is light and cute. So far, people have been kind and helpful. Despite the fact that at 5 foot ten I tower over 99% of the local population, people see me as a "friendly giant" in need of assistance or advise. When I wandered over to the information booth at the hotel to ask a few questions, the girl behind the counter engaged me in a lively conversation on the advantages of living on Ma Wan Island over Discovery Bay and the difficulties local Chinese have studying English literature. 

The nature I have glimpsed from the airplane and bus window is impressive--lush green mountains in the shapes of massive green mounds reminiscent of the painted silk scrolls in the Asia wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and aquamarine water. Yes, I'm sure the cynics will chime in here and remind me of pollution, but for the moment, I have seen the grandeur of Asia...