Micro disasters

Here is a log of events of our trip to Michigan between June 13 and 16:

Janet wakes up Saturday, June 13 (our day to return to U.S.) not feeling well. Obviously, we are not going to postpone because of this. Janet takes Motrin and considers Imodium purchase.

In the Jakarta airport, Cathay Pacific will not recognize our reservation (which they have in their system!), until they get verbal confirmation from Northwest Airlines (our booking airline). We are finally processed with less than 30 minutes before boarding ends and have to hustle through Fiskal (travel tax), Immigration and other screening points to make our plane.

When we arrive in Hong Kong, a screening for Swine Flu flags Hope and Janet, both of whom have to clear an interview with a doctor. The boys and I nervously wait with no way to contact them. While loading up the taxi, our laptop falls on the ground, cracking the case.

Public transportation in Hong Kong is great and we enjoy taking taxis, ferries, trams and subways, however, each of these attempts brings a heightened level of stress around one of these events: getting to the correct location, figuring out schedules or maps, purchasing tickets, and finally ….knowing when to get off!

We stay in an incredibly nice hotel in Hong Kong. The second night there and within an hour of each other, Neil projectile vomits and Hope wets the bed. She never does this!

Just about every meal time, some one is upset because they are not getting something that they want… and this is over food like McDonalds, Subway, Pizza and Outback Steakhouse. As you can see, we are adventuresome travelers…not adventuresome eaters.

June 16 travel begins at 5AM Hong Kong time as we load up a taxi and head to the airport and it ends 38 hours later (still Tuesday) as we disembark in Grand Rapids. In the mean time we survive 4 airports (Hong Kong, Tokyo, Detroit and Grand Rapids), 3 airplanes (Airbus 330, Boeing 747, DC 9), 2 airlines (Delta and Northwest just merged), and 1 missed connection (Detroit to Grand Rapids).

In spite of all these micro disasters, we had a great time and are thankful to be in Michigan safely. Here are a few pictures from Hong Kong.

Hope on Victoria Peak overlooking Hong Kong

In the Hong Kong Subway

Neil in front of the Big Buddha

Harbor Lights of Hong Kong

Thank You

Thanks for sharing part of our year with us.

This blog was key in helping me process this huge year in our lives. I would have liked more time to piece together more complete, consistant and logical thoughts on an incredible year but unfortunately didn't have that luxury.

Blessings,

Steve on behalf of the whole Weeda family.

Graduation

Farewell Ceremony stage

Newspaper headline in North America:

.

“86 graduates don cap and gown at School of Light and Hope”

.

Same headline here:

.

“86 students don kebaya and batik at Sekolah Pelita Harapan Farewell Ceremony”

.

What’s different:

.

- Achievement oriented Asians don’t call it a graduation ceremony because not everyone graduated. Certainly don’t want to give credit where credit is not due. It is called a “Farewell Ceremony”.

- As you can see from the pictures, the men all wear batik and the women wear kebayas. Read more about the beautiful kebayas at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kebaya

.

What’s the same:

.

I heard a sermon once where the minister compared graduation receptions to heaven. While they seem hellish to many, including me (most of the time), as he explained, he made a good point. At big receptions there are all these circles of people around laughing and sharing stories. As you move around the room you enter and exit these groups of friends and family, conversing and laughing with them, maybe about old memories, maybe new ones. When you are done, you move on to new groups that welcome you in. Again there are good stories and lots of laughing. In this movement there exists great communion, something we will enjoy with the saints in heaven.

.

As a new member in God’s kingdom at SPH, it was fun to move in and out of circles of friends at graduation.