Overnight New Year Eve "Flower Market"

Neglecting the DDL of the Email campaign, I went to the flower market with our beloved MC CEEDers Melina and Marco =) I must say, Andi's words did make me reflect a lot. How many have I done to show them around Hong Kong. This is basic reception of every AIESECer, but when we are too deep into AIESEC work, we have lost our hospitality to fellow @ers, which was almost the first thing we learned in AIESEC. So despite the every "work-related" thing, I was there! The "fighting field" of last year.

Surely lots of memories flashed back about our hard work last year, shouting with broken voice, "guerilla"-type selling in intersections, running away from guards, looking at the amused faces of people walking by. We did have a good time. And last year's experience made me a very good "swimmer" among the "stand-still" crowd.

But then, I feel that I'm a bit reluctant to accept the defects of my own culture. I got to hear about it last night, felt uncomfortable, and reflected even more when I witnessed this "defect" happening all day in Lin Chor Yut (New Year Day). Marco said Chinese are SHY and COLD. Well, we should have known it before, but hearing it directly from someone, with a tone of complain did not sound great. Yet, I understand why he felt uneasy or upset about this, when I actually happened to feel the same way for the whole day.

Bai Lin, the most traditional thing that we have been doing. The routine is set, like carved into stone. (Grandpa's home --> "pour tea" --> temple --> Uncle's home --> Grandpa's home)There's nothing else I felt they are so rountine, since I've been repeating this in exact order for 21 years. Anyway. Throughout the whole process, we repeated some phrases of "kung hei fat choi" "shen tai king hong" (wish you with good health) etc etc. But I cannot see genuine wishes in ppl's eyes. We met each other once a year, my cousins, but we did not know each other personally. I don't feel any "intimacy" in the atmosphere. But then, I knew it for long, if it was not my grandpa's "leadership", nobody would come out and gather. I must say, this was only in my family's situation, this cannot reflect other Chinese' family. (E.g. I have much better relationships with my mother's side cousins) However, it really hit me hard when I was sitting there, looking at the situation, thinking about everyone having a wall in between each other.
Anyway... New year is family gathering time, and at least, seeing each other is better than nothing you know...