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Fall 2025 : China
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  • Fall 2025 : China
    New & old buildings are everywhere...
    But this is an actual living space (in an old bldg) for up to 3 people.That upper-bunk area would typically be another 'caged' area like the lower bunk.Adding me for perspective on the room size. I know I'm larger than a typical Hongkonger, but really.The hallway leading to the room.This is the building we were in.Our tour guide provided very disturbing insights into this form of life . . .A local shop.Once you recognize the contrasts, you see them more clearly everywhere you look.Rooftop residences are 'protected' with corrugated steel. They're illegal, but no one enforces it.This is the 'Night Market' area. Thought we'd take a look en route to our hotel.

    City of Stark Contrasts

    20 октября 2025 г., Гонконг ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We weren't sure what to expect when we signed up for this tour. It was called 'Dark Side of Hong Kong - the Caged Homes of Kowloon'. What an eye-opener: we were exposed to the conditions that underpin Hong Kong's housing crisis. They're called 'caged homes' b/c people sleep in & store their limited personal items in a cage surrounding the bed. (Oftentimes the people in a room are not all of the same family.) This is the life for thousands of Hongkongers.
    It's staggering how many people live in these conditions and how very difficult it is to rise above them.    Читать далее

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  • Fall 2025 : China

    China: Interesting educational tidbits

    21 октября 2025 г., Гонконг ⋅ 🌬 72 °F

    Just some tidbits captured during our travels that didn't fit in with the pictures:
    -- The Chinese Flag: 1 large star surrounded by 4 smaller stars on a red background >> the smaller stars represent merchants, farmers, students & intellectuals all united to support the Communist Party (large star). The red background represents the communist revolution & the blood of the revolutionary martyrs.
    ~70% of China's population live in public housing.
    -- Shanghai has a 3-ring road system. Only ~12% of the population can afford to live in the inner road.
    -- The Chinese face-changing dance: the changing is an ancient skill and apparently a state secret passed down through families.
    -- Education: school starts at 7a w/ 10 min breaks & 30-40 min for lunch. Concludes at 6:30p. Children head home, have dinner, then do homework (oftentimes until late: ~11p). Education is very competitive in China, & the (2-day) SAT is most important: highest possible result is 750. A test <700 places you in lesser universities.
    -- English is required in schools since 1990. (Before that, Russian was the required language.) However, although required it's not rigorously adhered which explains why so many don't speak EN well.    Читать далее

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    21 октября 2025 г.