Scrunchie Acculturation

I went exploring last Saturday in the local neighborhood of Pok Fu Lam. It is just a few steps west of my apartment. My intention was to find a particular dumpling shop that was good, authentic and cheap. I wondered to myself how often I eat Southeast Asian or Chinese dishes each week. Quite a lot. Most of the Western dishes I try to prepare each week are in some way "Asian". I drink tea rather than coffee nowadays, and much of the time I prefer using chopsticks when I eat. I then began to reflect on how much I may or may not have acculturated to Chinese or Hong Kong culture since I have lived in Hong Kong. I know I have learned so much in the work place when it comes to approaches to communicating and interacting and doing business across cultures. But how much have I learned socially, aesthetically and in other ways? I know that I probably enunciate my words more clearly than I ever did in college. This is due to an ever present chance of being misunderstood due to language barriers.  In terms of aesthetic acculturation, sure, I have even more respect for Chinese art than I did before living here. That's not saying much, as I have always had a high regard for art from this region. The one real shocker came to me after my noodle-seeking adventure last weekend. I had a few impulse buys on my outing. These purchases included a hello kitty figurine (which I fully intend to ship to my 4-year old cousins.) and a hair scrunchie. Wait. What? Yep, a black, velvet scrunchie. I did not blink an eye until after I went through with the $0.50 purchase. Flashes of Donna from 90210 went through my mind...but so did those of 5-year-old Chinese concerto pianists  and gymnists wearing velvet scrunchies. And then I thought about myself wearing a scrunchie. I never would have bought this living in New York. In Hong Kong, though, they are sold on every corner. A fifth of the women walking down the street are wearing them. And while I do not intend to let this thing see the light of day, I love mine. They are good for your hair and perfect for holding hair back as you wash your face. Scrunchies rock.  And they will now always remind me of the time I have spend in Hong Kong.

Comfortable Flying for Long Flights

It's great to be back in Hong Kong after a whirlwind trip home to the States for Christmas and New Years. The trip was fantastic because I had the opportunity to spend time in some of my favorite cities with my amazing friends and family. I left on Dec. 17 and flew Continental Airlines direct to Newark, with a final destination in DC. I also visited New York, Richmond, Raleigh and Kilmarnock via various other means of transportation. I honestly can say that the long-haul flight is NOT bad. A 4-hour bus trip (what was i thinking?) is worse--much worse.

I usually do prepare a lot for the flight, though. My routine involves lots of exercise before the flight, combined with lots of drinking water. I do not drink alcohol a few days before the flight, nor do I drink alcohol on the flight. This all helps with the time zone adjustment process in the US.

Before I board I make sure that everything I could possibly need is within arms reach of me on the flight. It may sounds ridiculous, but little things make a long flight more comfortable. I have traditionally flown economy or economy plus on the long haul, and these little items make the experience almost pleasurable:

1. A fitted "releaf"  neck roll for travel. Do not use one of the loose doughnut pillows for your neck--it seems comfortable, but it's not. The fitted neck roll allows you to comfortably lean on a cushion while sitting in the stiff, upright economy class seat. When I board that plane I intend to sleep, and this neck roll will allow that to happen.

2. A sleeping pill. I know its a no-no to admit this, but I take a sleeping pill  when I travel to and from the US. I use it on the plane and once I have arrived at my destination to help me with jet lag. Getting adjusted to jet lag is easier for me if I am returning to Hong Kong from the US. It took me 1 day to readjust to Hong Kong time this trip; however, when I was going to the US it took me almost a full week to adjust. If you're a finicky sleeper like I am, sleeping pills help with your time efficiency while traveling in different time zones.

I usually board the plane, watch a movie and a TV show and wait for the first meal to be served--which is about 2 hours into the flight. Once I finish the meal, I take a sleeping pill and am usually asleep for about 9 hours. I don't mind missing the mid-flight snack, even though it's usually ice cream, and I love ice cream. When I fully wake up there are only a couple of hours left. During this time I usually go for a walk, brush my teeth, go drink a bunch of water, and eat the second meal, which is right before landing. Pretty easy.

3. Ear Plugs. Some people prefer noise cancelling headphones. I have never tried the BOSE brand ones, which most people love. I simply use old-fashioned, foam earplugs--the kind my dad used to have for hunting. They're simple and take up very little space.

4. Drops. When travelling at 35,000-37,000 Feet above sea level for 16 hours the air on an airplane can be painstakingly dry! Normally the good airlines monitor this, but once I flew back to the US on an aircraft that was so dry I thought I would have a nose bleed at any second. Save yourself the agony, and travel with saline nasal mist or gel. I have not used the gel, but I hear it is better than the mist. I simply use the mist and it is fine. I usually also travel with eye drops, but I never really need them. If you wear contacts, you may want to bring some eye drops along for the ride.

5. Water. Duh. I drink tons of water on the flight. I also use a water spray on my face and a facial moisturizer. I realize this may sound over-the-top, but when I arrive in the US, I want to arrive fresh and ready to go, especially if I have to work out of New York while fighting jet lag. This makes a HUGE difference in how you feel--and how clean your face feels when you arrive . I use these two products: L'Occitane Rosee Fraicheur, which is a hydrating mist for your face and Cetaphil Hydrating Lotion

6. Toothbrush. Just pack your toothbrush. It will make you feel better.

And that's about it. Friends, I hope this takes the fear out of flying for you. Now it's time to get yourselves over here!

Love,

Leaping Lizard