It seems all airplanes are the same. No matter where you are going, there are a few things you can count on: Your flight will not take off on time, your preferred meal option will be unavailable and, apparently, seated in the front row will be a bearded man from Brooklyn wearing a large black Kippah and those grey El Al First pajamas that everyone seems to own. So far, it seems I'm going back to Israel.
But no, today I am heading past Israel. I am heading further east. To the Far East, if you will. Today I head to China.
For the next six months Hong Kong will be my home, in an attempt to get to know this part of the world. The University of Hong Kong will serve as my base, and I hope to travel and learn as much as I can about a culture that until a few weeks ago I knew pretty much nothing about. This blog will serve as a conduit for conveying my observations to everyone back home (and anyone else who cares to read), as well as to let my family and friends know that I am alive and kicking.
Henceforth I will be known as 齐 杰 森, in Pinyin, Qi Jie Seng. Why 齐 杰 森 do you ask? Well, Qi (pronounced chee), because this popular Chinese surname is roughly translated to mean "to pray," and is the closest I will get to Cohen, which is Hebrew for "priest." Jie Seng, because it sounds like Jonathan when Chinese people say my name. Apparently it means "Superior Forest," or "Grand Woodland" or something to that effect. I'm told it is a very nice name, but I'll reserve judgement until more than two people hear me use it.
I didn't come up with my name on my own. Seated next to me for the last 5 hours (and at least 8 more) is a very nice Chinese student by the name of Qian. She is an MA student at Johns Hopkins, and a graduate of the very same Hong Kong University that I will attend in two weeks time. Furthermore, she has visited Brandeis, and was about one acceptance letter away from attending our IBS. I am momentarily proud that the Brandeis name is known in Hong Kong. Anyway, she has taken it upon herself to introduce me to Chinese culture, and everyone knows you can't begin to study Chinese without a Chinese name. But it's okay, I have one now.
My plans for the first week are as follows:
I should arrive in Beijing on the afternoon of New Year's Eve, and will do my best to get settled in before 2009 begins. I plan to explore Beijing Thursday, and will be staying at the Beijing Chabad for Shabbat. Sunday I begin a three day Orientation with my fellow international students, and Wednesday I fly to Hong Kong. Wish me luck.
PS I just learned to count to 20 in Mandarin. Someone has to countdown to the New Year.
