Well, here I am in London for almost a month now, but the feeling of actually living in here still hasn’t strike a chord in me yet for some reason.I guess mainly it’s because there are just unbelievably far too many similarities between London and Hong Kong in some ways.
-- Crowded by bumpy reckless people EVERYWHERE, literally: Especially along Oxford Circus around Topshop/ Nike town territory on Oxford Street http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/oxford/os_n06.htm) = the scene you often found outside Sogo Department store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. There are always just over 10,000 people at any given time of any given day, hanging out there completely doing nothing but for the sake of blocking the way. Like as if they don’t hear you yelling within yourself: “Get the hell out of here, psychos!”
-- Queues: They are technically everywhere in London, not just entry to ANY restaurants/ clubs, but of course, in front of every tourist spots which happened to be merely 5 secs walk from each other in London comprehensive- they are just simply EVERYWHERE; it’s very similar to how we think it’s absurdly hilarious to get into a sushi place after a 3 hours wait for a plate of raw fish sashimi in Hong Kong. IT”S ONLY FOOD, PEOPLE! Utterly mental!
-- Six Degree of Separation: Although intuitively London host 2 times more population of that in Hong Kong, and it’s geographically-speaking a much larger city; but you’ll still be amazed by the level of people that you know actually know someone that you don’t and before you realise, you are linked up by this extensive social circle. Talking about what a small world here and doesn’t necessarily has anything to do with social media nowadays~ where you have 200 friends on your so-called “network”, but none of them would actually comment on your suicidal “ I desperately need coffee break!!!” status every now and then on Facebook.
London is just like another Hong Kong, all over again.
Or is it really so?
They all said what doesn’t kill you make you stronger – living in London is undoubtedly a big lesson for me to learn.
Saw train delayed notice when I just wanna go home quickly after a long day and rest , and for the record, I have been the winner of “the MOST impatience person in the world” award since the day I was born; found myself miserably stuck in the middle of nowhere in downpour when it was perfectly sunny in the morning; I love beaches and all those water sports– which obviously London has none to offer… etc etc all that bad weather/food/people you could whinge a great deal just everything about London in essence.
Do all of these ever matter though? when I have the privilege to live in one of the most energetic city in the world (Which I’ve happened to live in another two apparently – NYC and HK), with loads of new experiments available one could indulge in; a city that doesn’t kill creativity where majority of people read actual books!!! ( Good old hard copies paperbacks and not essentially weekly celebrity magazines I am referring to here) on the train rather than PSPing / Facebooking which basically bury human communication.
What the heck is left there to whinge about indeed?
To me, adapting to new environment is a vital process through pain and gain.
It’s mind over matter and what better occupy your mind than lightness~ light that inspired you to get moving and experiment new things in the first place. I once thought it’d be the most difficult thing to live in a new place, kicking a new start at this age yet I’ve managed it well by looking at my initial intention – in the ceremony of realising my self worth, it also can be a practice of letting go.
You all know you’ll be able to have whatever you desire when you start to let go of the old you and more importantly, of anything you think you own or have control over.