Well, thank you Bobbie Goettler and Jennifer Wagner for your inspiration to try the blogging route while our family is in Hong Kong. Bobbie's family went to Qatar for a semester so her husband Ron could teach economics overseas as part of Carnegie Mellon University and she kept her blog to describe their experiences and posted cool pictures. I loved it and was disappointed when she didn't write more often!!! Now they are in Chicagoland as Ron took a new job teaching there. I keep checking back to see when or if she's going to keep us posted on their new city....
Jennifer suggested this would be easier to manage so here goes! My intent is to keep friends and family entertained by our experiences here in HK and save myself time typing the same stories to multiple people!
So far as some of you heard we moved from our hotel home of two weeks into our four bedroom apartment on the 18th floor of our building in the Pacific View. Our rental furniture looks sparse when compared to other places with families who have been here for years and shipped over contents of full homes from other countries. Our South island section of Hong Kong is called Tai Tam.
Ron works in Central (what you'd call "downtown" in any major city). He can take a shuttle bus from our building or use public transportation or catch a taxi. He is trying to integrate a firm called Richards Butler into the rest of the ReedSmith fold. The office here has 13 equity partners and about 100 attorneys/staff total. Last Saturday we went out on a large boat with another partner and had lunch on a small remote island, then were pulled behind a speedboat on "rings of death" (innertubes...). Ron would like to rent or partially own a boat after that experience!
Sam and Kate started at Quarry Bay School. They catch a charter bus each morning and wear uniforms. Several other kids get on with them and they have been meeting alot of kids from all over the world. They should start tennis and swim lessons once a week soon. Sam's going to do a soccer team based afterschool as well. They are in the easiest Mandarin "pathway".
I am enjoying the chance to explore using public transportation. Today I got to play doubles with several ladies and tomorrow I might try to dragon boat race, which I never tried in Pittsburgh! Yesterday I went hiking in Tai Tam County Park with two other American women and it was a great view of mountains, water, fog, with high humidity. We made it about 6 miles before we caught a cab home. The "hiking" is on paved cement roads but it was very steep in some sections.
Now to figure out how to show pictures!
Jennifer suggested this would be easier to manage so here goes! My intent is to keep friends and family entertained by our experiences here in HK and save myself time typing the same stories to multiple people!
So far as some of you heard we moved from our hotel home of two weeks into our four bedroom apartment on the 18th floor of our building in the Pacific View. Our rental furniture looks sparse when compared to other places with families who have been here for years and shipped over contents of full homes from other countries. Our South island section of Hong Kong is called Tai Tam.
Ron works in Central (what you'd call "downtown" in any major city). He can take a shuttle bus from our building or use public transportation or catch a taxi. He is trying to integrate a firm called Richards Butler into the rest of the ReedSmith fold. The office here has 13 equity partners and about 100 attorneys/staff total. Last Saturday we went out on a large boat with another partner and had lunch on a small remote island, then were pulled behind a speedboat on "rings of death" (innertubes...). Ron would like to rent or partially own a boat after that experience!
Sam and Kate started at Quarry Bay School. They catch a charter bus each morning and wear uniforms. Several other kids get on with them and they have been meeting alot of kids from all over the world. They should start tennis and swim lessons once a week soon. Sam's going to do a soccer team based afterschool as well. They are in the easiest Mandarin "pathway".
I am enjoying the chance to explore using public transportation. Today I got to play doubles with several ladies and tomorrow I might try to dragon boat race, which I never tried in Pittsburgh! Yesterday I went hiking in Tai Tam County Park with two other American women and it was a great view of mountains, water, fog, with high humidity. We made it about 6 miles before we caught a cab home. The "hiking" is on paved cement roads but it was very steep in some sections.
Now to figure out how to show pictures!
12 comments:
What a great idea...I have never blogged before and actually only heard of the term but never knew exactly what it was all about till now. Thanks for sharing and keep the news coming...Austin and I will keep checking back for more updates! We miss you guys and hope you are enjoying your time in HK! The Schmnigel's
Good to hear from you. I'm glad you decided to do this. Tell the rest of the family the Stasas say hello.
Tina,
Was I supposed to wait 12 hours before reading this, with the time diff and all? Another problem: I found that I was just hungry for another one an hour later...I guess I can wait.
Hi Tina
Enjoyed your blog. Will try to leave a comment to see if that will
work.
Hey, Tina and family. I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences there in Hong Kong. Sounds like all of you are adjusting well, and I'm so glad to hear that.
I know I should post about life in Chicago, but I feel I have nothing more than the mundane to offer at the moment. Then again, Jeff would argue that's all I ever have to offer. :-) I'll get something up on my blog before the weekend is out. I promise. Okay, I kinda' promise.
Hi Tina,
Blogging is a super idea. I've posted on numerous sites in the past. It's even better if you know the person behind the blog site. Keep us posted.
Tom
P.S. Glad things are going well. Great pics of the fam in you email.
Hi Tina,
Again, so great to hear all is well. I'm glad you've found some American friends; it's so nice when others speak your language!
Love from Michigan,
Tina, Paul and the Aquilino clan
Tina, I just typed you a super long message and then couldn't send it. I'm trying again, but not so long this time. Thanks for continuing to update us. Ruthie and Robbie enjoy hearing the stories about what Sam and Kate are doing. We send our love and real hugs (That means give Kate a real hug from Robbie and one from Ruthie) and kisses. Colleen
Tina - Glad you have your blog! Awesome you tried DragonBoating. We raced against Stormy Dragons in Penang this year. We sat with a couple of them at the Captains dinner. Tell them Pittsburgh Paddlefish Women say HELLO!
-Cheers, Rissa
Hi everyone. Hope you are all doing well. We are all doing great! We have met a lot of people and everyone is so nice. Kaitlyn wanted to tell Kate that she misses her and she hopes that she is having a fun time. If she wants, Kaitlyn would like to be penpals so run it past her and let me know. We live in the Brambleton community and she goes to Legacy elementary. THis community is so big that I am still trying to find my way around. Talk to you soon.
I told you that I am jealous. Sure wish that we could visit!! Jessie might send a note to Kate.
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