Comply to Win! Random Thoughts from the Life in Hong Kong

* Language is a funny thing. We all I think at times make fun of other people who try and fail to speak English.  But if you ever yourself worked at a language, you instantly become not only patient but forgiving with others.  I passed a bank promotion in a mall in Beijing.  The large banner near the signup table said in english "Comply to Win."

Then after our visits with the Beijing Branch, we took a group picture with our boss in the middle.  I was taking the picture and decided I would count to 3 in Chinese and of course impress everyone. So I stood on the chair, told everyone that I would take the photo on "sun" (3).  In my head I said ee, ar, sun (1 2 3), but what came out of my mouth was ee, ar, ar (1, 2, 2)  Everyone had a big laugh.  Language may be what divides us, but trying and failing to speak someone else's language instantly bridges any divide with laughter. Maybe I will comply to win, because you can't win unless you comply.

* If you ever thought, "you know if I was in some other exotic part of the world, say Hong Kong, my child would not spent his entire haircut screaming in the salon."  You would be wrong.

* Every 4 and 1/2 year old should learn to hail a cab.

* If you ever thought,""you know if I was in some other exotic part of the world, say Hong Kong, my child would not spent his swim lesson screaming at the top of his lungs."  You would be wrong.

* one of the most important things to learn in a foreign language is "Turn right" and "Turn left."

* a warm smile from a 22 month year old boy is an instant ice breaker between people from different countries.   Maybe they should be running the UN.

* If there is an secret international society manipulating the world, it is a bunch of electricians who came up with the idea that different countries in the world should be adamant about their special voltages and differing plugs. You spend a mint buying duplicate appliances that oh by the way, you can't take back with you because if you ever tried to plug in that Hong Kong dehumidifer you would cause a blackout in Charlotte.